The Knicks’ road trip, which was supposed to be an extreme challenge, had the potential to be a boon.
But successive victories against the Jazz and Nuggets have been followed by consecutive double-digit losses against the Warriors and the Suns, with Sunday’s 116-95 loss at Footprint Center.
Cameron Payne scored 21 points and dished out nine assists, while Devin Booker scored 20 points on 17-for-39 (43.6 percent) 3-point shooting by a Suns club missing Chris Paul (heel) and Cam Johnson (knee).
Jalen Brunson scored a team-high 27 points, but RJ Barrett and Julius Randle combined for just 21 points on 7-of-22 shooting from the field for the Knicks, who continue their five-city road trip on Monday night in Oklahoma City. Randle did not participate in the fourth quarter and finished with nine points, a season low.
Mitchell Robinson played for the first time since suffering a right knee sprain on November 4 at Philadelphia. In 17 minutes off the bench, he scored two points and grabbed four rebounds. Miles McBride scored nine points in a season-high 14 minutes, while Derrick Rose sat out the second half with a painful right big toe.
Quentin Grimes performed admirably in his first prolonged playing time of the season, despite Cam Reddish’s absence from the roster due to a sore groin incurred Friday night against the Warriors. In a season-high 37 minutes, the second-year guard finished with 10 points, eight assists, and five rebounds. Due to a foot ailment sustained in training camp, he has registered 43 minutes in six previous outings this season.
Tom Thibodeau stated before the game, “We’re generally healthy, and we’ve trimmed down the rotation, but as you know, things are always changing.” This is his chance to step up and get things done.
The Knicks (8-9) started Isaiah Hartenstein at center, but he picked up two fast fouls and was replaced by Robinson with 8:24 remaining in the first quarter.
The Knicks trailed 28-22 after one quarter, with Payne scoring 10 points and Booker seven, including a four-point play. The Suns stretched their lead to 11 points in the second quarter, but Brunson led a 9-0 run and scored a three-point play in the last minute to force a tie before the Suns took a 55-53 lead into halftime.
Torrey Craig (14 points) and Booker’s three-pointers from long range launched an 11-2 Phoenix run that pushed the score to 75-64 midway through the third quarter. Booker and Duane Washington Jr.’s 3-pointers in the last minute expanded the deficit to 17 points, and the Suns extended it to as many as 26 points in the fourth quarter.