Knicks set franchise 3-pointer record, cruise to 121-96 win over Magic
ORLANDO, Fla. — The Knicks got a Fast Pass to victory in Disney World.
Tom Thibodeau’s squad trounced the Magic on Friday, 121-96, bombing a franchise-record 24 3-pointers while improving to 2-0 for the first time in nine years.
The win was established not long after tipoff, with the Knicks taking a 20-point lead in the first quarter that ballooned to 30 at halftime. Immanuel Quickley led the team with four treys, with most in garbage time as he celebrated by covering one of his eyes—apparently a reference to getting his contact lens knocked out by an elbow from Cole Anthony earlier in the game.
New York’s 24 3-pointers broke the previous mark of 20, which was done three times, with the latest in 2018.
Even Thibodeau, notorious for pushing his starters no matter the score, felt comfortable enough to sit Evan Fourier (18 points), RJ Barrett (seven) and Kemba Walker (11) for the entire fourth quarter.
Julius Randle again led the Knicks with 21 points and 10 rebounds in 30 minutes.
The Magic, meanwhile, reinforced its reputation as the NBA’s worst team, trotting out a lineup of subpar youngsters in its home opener. The Knicks pounced.
It’s the first time the Knicks won their opening two games since 2012, when they embarked on a 54-win campaign behind Carmelo Anthony’s greatest hits.
Expectations are almost as high for this Knicks’ iteration, with Randle as the catalyst and Fournier and RJ Barrett as the main supplemental scorers.
On Friday, they again played without centers Taj Gibson (personal reasons) and Nerlens Noel (knee soreness). It provided more opportunities for Mitchell Robinson (six points, nine rebounds, 28 minutes), Jericho Sims (two points, nine minutes) and Obi Toppin (13 points, 23 minutes).
None of it really mattered.
The Knicks simply overwhelmed Orlando, regardless of the lineup. The Magic was overmatched.
The Amway Center crowd started at about a 50-50 split between Knicks and Magic fans. By the end, it felt like the entire arena was chanting for the Knicks.
Orlando was expected to be awful this season after trading the veterans of the Steve Clifford era, including Fournier and Nikola Vucevic. Some call it developing or rebuilding. Others call it tanking. Regardless, the Magic’s roster isn’t equipped to win in the short term.
Cole Anthony was especially inefficient Friday while missing 11 of 14 shots. Jalen Suggs, the fifth overall pick this year, missed 13 of his 17 attempts.
