“This is how it goes: When I hoop, I have no friends. On the court, they know not to talk to me. Steven is a real close friend of mine, but inside those lines, there’s no friends. Spalding, that’s my friend, and my teammates, but that’s it. Before the game, after the game, I’ll talk to my guys. That doesn’t mean I don’t have friends, but during the game, I don’t. If you try to talk to me, I ain’t going to say s— to you.”
–Russell Westbrook following Houston’s 116-112 over the Thunder.
KNICKS-BULLS FROM 33RD AND 7TH
Carmine from Brooklyn was very disappointed in New York Knicks fans turning on Dennis Smith Jr. “Hey look,” Carmine told me over the phone, “Edmond Sherrod or Rory Sparrow are not walking through those doors. So why not embrace and support your young point guard?” Before tonight’s Knicks-Bulls game it was announced that Smith Jr. would miss the game due to the death of his step-mother.
RJ Barrett in his first three games with the Knicks has joined some elite company. With his 63 total points, he is right behind Patrick Ewing who scored 64 and Bill Cartwright who scored 80. Barrett is also the 2nd player in NBA history with 60 points, 15 rebounds, and 5 three-pointers in his first 3 games. (Kevin Durant is the other)
As for the game, Bobby Portis, the ex-Chicago Bull scored 28 points on 10-14 shooting leading the Knicks to their first win of the season, 105-98. Portis came off the bench and sparked the Knicks making 4 of 4 from Greenwich Village.
”I’m just an animated player. I don’t know what I’m saying sometimes,” Portis said. ”I just have fun. I love playing this game.
”I feel like I wasn’t myself the first couple games and I didn’t bring the energy, so I had to get back to being who I am.”
Knicks entered the game having committed 51 turnovers the past two games. And wouldn’t you know it, they turn it over on the first possession of the game. For the game they turned it over 17 times. Julius Randle had 8 of them.
New York closed the game out on a 15-0 run.
”I’ve always said that Bobby Portis is one of my favorite guys of all time,” Bulls coach Jim Boylen said. ”He’s a tough, competitive guy who works and cares. We traded Bobby Portis because that’s what happens in our league. It doesn’t mean we’re not fond of that player or don’t believe in that player. There are situations when a deal works and you put a player in it. He played great tonight. I’m disappointed that we lost but I’m happy that he played well.”
Barrett finished with 19 points, 15 rebounds and 5 assists in 40 minutes. A big plus was just 2 turnovers but Knicks fans will criticize him for shooting 5-11 from the free-throw line. Coach Fizdale needs to hand the keys over to the rookie – get out of his way and let him run the show.
Frank Ntilikina went 0-6 from the field, including 0-4 from deep in 22 minutes. But his coach is not worried: “It didn’t matter. His minutes were fantastic. He guarded. He set the tone defensively. The shots will fall for him. The thing I’m proud of is how he kept himself ready.”
There’s a lot more things than scoring you can do to help your team.
Bulls shot 9-35 from deep, Knicks 9-29.
The Bulls and Knicks are now 1-3.
THE BIG EASY
Golden State Warriors got their first win of the year over the New Orleans Pelicans, 134-123. Draymond Green had a triple-double, 16, 17, and 10. Steph Curry scored 26 points and had 11 assists. D-Lo, 24, 7 and 8. The Warriors dished out 37 assists.
“When I said we sucked last night, a lot of people blew it out of proportion. Lotta former players who ain’t ever led shit blew it out of proportion. We sucked. We still not very good. But I’ve known how to lead my entire life.” -Draymond Green
FOUL OR DEFEND
“Do you foul?” the Spurs play-by-play guy asked the color analyst. The Spurs were on defense, up 3 with :07.1 to play. Portland had the ball. Damian Lillard had scored 18 points in a row. Pop decided to defend. Blazers missed a 3.
Speaking of fouling, Denver Nuggets guard Gary Harris has never fouled out of an NBA regular season game. The former Michigan State Spartan has been in the league for 5 full seasons playing in 314 games. Harris did foul out of Game 3 against Portland in the 2019 playoffs.
THE REF
Smush Parker is learning how to become an official. Good call. The game needs more officials. https://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/ny-smush-parker-referee-20191026-htjosa7jnbeftmrghzhk4dmvhq-story.html
“You have to snap every call. Point to certain places. It’s very structured,” Parker says. “That’s the side of it I didn’t see as a player. Just seeing the game, seeing the flow of the game, reading the game, reading plays – that’s the easy part. I played. That’s the easy part for me.”
ON THE HOUSE
NBA League Pass is free for one more night.
REST IN PEACE
Al Bianchi died on Monday at the age of 87. The Long Island City alum played his college ball at Bowling Green. He was the Knicks GM from 1987-1991.
Happy birthday Danny Vranes
E-MAIL: Hoops135@hotmail.com
PLAY THE RIGHT WAY 