Knicks rout Pelicans while honoring 1973 championship squad

NEW YORK (AP)— Julius Randle scored 28 points to lead New York to a 128-106 routof the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday night as the Knickscelebrated the golden anniversary of their 1972-73 NBA championshipteam.

Six playersscored in double figures for New York, which won its fifthstraight. R.J. Barrett had 25 points and a season-high sevenassists. Jalen Brunson added 20 points, Josh Hart scored 15 points,Immanuel Quickley added 13, and Mitchell Robinson finished with adouble-double of 11 points and 13 rebounds.

“It’s a team,any given night it’s going to be different,” Barrett said, whenasked if the 2022-23 Knicks were emulating their 1972-73predecessors by playing unselfish basketball. “We did a great jobsharing the ball. Everybody kind of had a great game.”

BrandonIngram scored 19 points for the Pelicans, who lost their thirdstraight and fourth in five games overall. Josh Richardson added 16points, C.J. McCollum finished with 13 and Jonas Valanciunas had 12points and 10 rebounds. Trey Murphy III scored 11 off thebench.

“We have tobe better and I (have to) hold our guys more accountable,” Pelicanscoach Willie Green said. “That standard in which we played withtonight is not us.”

New York wasplaying the second half of a back-to-back, coming off a 115-109 winover the Wizards a night earlier in Washington. Meanwhile thePelicans last played Thursday, falling 115-110 loss to the Raptorsin Toronto.

The Knickscame out looking like the fresher team, building a 42-26 advantageafter the first quarter, and extending the lead to 73-52 athalftime.

Randle (19),Barrett (13), and Brunson (12) combined for 44 points as New Yorkshot 54.3% from the field (25 for 46) and 50% from 3-point distance(13 for 26). New York’s 13 3-pointers in the first half matched aseason high.

“Got off to agood start,” said Randle, “and sustained it.”

The Pelicanstrailed by as many as 27 points midway through the third. Despitegoing on a 19-12 run to close out the period, New Orleans trailed102-82 entering the fourth.

New Yorkopened the fourth with a 12-8 spurt, highlighted by Robinson’sone-handed alley-oop dunk. And Randle’s two-handed dunk off ofQuickley’s off-the-backboard-pass all but ended any hopes of acomeback by the Pelicans.

New Orleanslost reserve forward Larry Nance Jr. in the second quarter with asprained left ankle. He did not return. Nance was defendingQuickley and landed awkwardly while attempting to contest a layup.Nance was down on the court for a few minutes and had to be helpedto the locker room.

TIP-INS

Pelicans:Here is what Green knows: He and his team will have star ZionWilliamson return from a right hamstring injury at some point thisseason. Green and his team suspect Williamson’s return will happenbefore the playoffs begin. What is unknown is how Williamson willbe reintroduced to the roster. “Once (we know) he’s ready it’ssomething that (Executive Vice-President of Basketball OperationsDavid Griffin and) our performance team and medical (staff) andcoaches sit down and talk about what’s the best plan,” Green said.Entering the game, the Pelicans had lost 17 of 24 games played in2023 without Williamson in the lineup.

Knicks:Throughout the game, the Knicks paid homage to their 1972-73championship team with video testimonials and a halftime ceremony.And perhaps no person in Madison Square Garden could betterappreciate that team more than Tom Thibodeau, who grew up inConnecticut rooting for the Knicks. “That was such a great team,”Thibodeau said during his pregame press conference. “They were sounselfish. They played great defense. … That was such a fun teambut it’s what they embodied and how they played for each other. Ithink it resonated with the city.”

UPNEXT

Pelicans:Host Orlando on Monday.

Knicks: HostBoston on Monday.