Knicks Pick Up Third Preseason Win Over 76ers

The New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers put on what was the epitome of a preseason game Monday night. While the Knicks were able to pick up a — victory, but it was far from pretty at times. The one positive normally to preseason games is that you get to see younger players take the court, but tonight both teams were missing some, as Kristaps Porzingis, Jahlil Okafor and Nerlens Noel all sat out tonight.

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There were a lot of turnovers tonight, which is to be expected in a preseason game as teams work out the kinks and rotations. Each team hit the 20 turnover plateau, as the Knicks finished with — and the 76ers with —. It is something both teams will have to work on as the regular season approaches. Despite that, the Knicks were able to keep their perfect preseason record intact.

Despite it being a preseason game, there is still some things to take away from the game for the Knicks. Here are some of the positives and negatives from the Knicks’ third preseason game.

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Player of the Game: Derrick Williams

Williams continue to impress for the Knicks off the bench. He is the go-to scorer in the second unit with things currently situated by Derek Fisher, and he has taken advantage. Once again he performed well, as he scored over 20 points for the second straight game. Tonight against the 76ers, Williams finished with 21 points on 8-of-12 overall from the field, knocking down both of his three-point attempts and all three of his free throws.

He does have some things to work on though, as the Knicks would like to see him be more active on the glass. His athleticism and size should enable him to pull down more than three rebounds. He also added one steal, one assist and surprisingly struggled in the turnover department, with six.

But, the positives outweighed the negatives for Williams tonight. As long as he continues scoring efficiently, he should have a consistent spot on the team. It is encouraging to see him scoring the ball well in the early going. It will take a lot for him to overtake Porzingis for a starting spot, but he looks like he could have a home as the sixth man off the bench.

-Positives

Oct 9, 2015; Washington, DC, USA; New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony (7) celebrates with New York Knicks center Robin Lopez (8) against the Washington Wizards in the third quarter at Verizon Center. The Knicks won 115-104. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

-The bench unit continues to be a spark for the Knicks. Williams, Langston Galloway, Jerian Grant, Kyle O’Quinn, Cleanthony Early and Louis Amundson got the call off the bench tonight and all provided some sort of spark. This group has a lot of athleticism and should give the Knicks a jolt they have not had in previous seasons with older teams. We have seen what to expect from Galloway as a stat stuffer across the board, and Grant has been exception running the offense and getting into the paint to create for himself and his teammates. The bench could be an asset for the Knicks with the depth they have created this offseason.

–Robin Lopez tonight showed exactly what to expect from him, and it was great to see. He is a perfect fit for the schemes on both ends of the court, as his mentality as a hard worker and grinder helps him fit alongside any player. Tonight he showcased his ability to knock down 16-18 foot jumpers with ease, which will be important in the Triangle Offense. Also, he anchored the defense well with two blocks and five rebounds in only 19 minutes of play. Lopez will be a big reason for the Knicks improvement this season.

–Carmelo Anthony is in the last stages of his rehab, and it shows. He looks extremely comfortable offensively, and his shot has been on right from the get-go. That is encouraging since many people come into training camp and the preseason rusty, but Anthony has looked good. He got to the foul line five times tonight, knocking down all of his attempts which shows he’s getting more comfortable with the knee doing more than just taking jumpers. Tonight he finished with an encouraging 18 points with one rebounds, three assists and one block.

-Negatives

-The turnovers are obviously something to keep an eye on. 25 is way too high of a number, and something that the Knicks will have to continue working on. Of the 11 players that took the court tonight, six of them had multiple turnovers. It is still the preseason, but something that will have to be cleaned up heading into the regular season.

-Whatever the reason may be, Derek Fisher continues starting Sasha Vujacic and it is something that may change. The Knicks like Vujacic experience and expertise he brings about the Triangle, but that is something he can teach just as much as a spectator from the bench than a player on the court. He is probably just place holding for Arron Afflalo until he returns from his hamstring injury, but the Knicks should maybe consider working some other players into the starting unit that are expected to be players in their regular season rotation. Vujacic finished Monday night 3-of-13 for eight points, adding five rebounds, three assists and one steal.

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