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The New York Knicks took care of business during their matinee exhibition at Madison Square Garden this past Saturday, as they breezed by the visiting New Orleans Pelicans by a final score of 128-106 to stretch their win streak to five straight and secure their 35 win of the season.
Following the contest, Pelicans head coach Willie Green issued a straight-to-the-point analysis of how the game played out.
“They kicked our butts…They made shots early. It demoralized us. We hung our heads, we moped, (and) we pouted. And they just ran the ball down the floor and made more shots,” Green said.
The Knicks had quite an efficient outing against the Pelicans’ defensive front, as they converted on 51.1% of their attempts from the field and 39.6% from distance while holding New Orleans’ offensive unit to a putrid 39.2% shooting from the floor and 21.1% shooting from deep.
Unlike the Knicks, NOLA has been on a considerable cold streak as of late, with their latest loss on February 25 marking it as their third in a row and their fourth over their last five games.
Knicks Star Praises Derrick Rose
Julius Randle may be the driving force for the New York Knicks this season considering he’s the roster’s lone All-Star, but, following their triumph over New Orleans, the big man was found openly praising the club’s current end-of-bench point guard Derrick Rose, and highlighted his attributes as a vocal leader, in particular.
“D-Rose, that’s a legend…He’s not playing…but I would argue that he’s having just as much, if not more of an impact vocally as a leader for us. He’s constantly talking to me, giving me advice, so his impact is huge,” Randle said.
Rose came across his first shot at in-game action since December 31 during the Knicks’ Saturday outing, as he checked in with 2:21 left in the final period after the packed crowd at Madison Square Garden was heard chanting for the former league MVP to check-in.
Despite his lacking role in head coach Tom Thibodeau’s rotation in 2022-23 and the team’s reported interest in moving him prior to the February 9 trade deadline, the veteran remains a member of the Knicks as they gear up for a push for a postseason berth during these final 20 games of the campaign.
However, though he may currently be donning the orange and blue threads on the sidelines, some like Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News have speculated that a buyout could be on the horizon for Rose.
Rose Not Focusing on Knicks Buyout
While the door remains open for a possible buyout between Derrick Rose and the New York Knicks, the guard recently suggested that he’s not all that focused on making his way out of the Big Apple anytime soon.
“I’m still here,” Rose said. “So my mindset has to be, ‘OK, I’m gonna be here.’”
Nonetheless, even with his aforementioned comments, teams across the association are still keeping a close eye on his situation with the Knicks, with Bleacher Report’s Chris Hayes reporting that the Phoenix Suns have an interest in pursuing his services should he wind up on the buyout market.
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