The New York Knicks opened this year’s Summer League on a sour note Saturday, losing to the Philadelphia 76ers 110-101.
The Knicks were playing from behind for a majority of the game, and late game comeback fell just short as the team shot just 3-20 from three-point distance.
The star for New York was Daquan Jeffries, as he scored 20 points on 50% shooting and recorded two blocks. He was the main attraction on both ends of the floor and displayed pure athleticism all around the court.
Including Jeffries, seven Knicks players scored in double figures. Charlie Brown Jr. scored 17 points with six rebounds and three steals.
Two of New York’s most intriguing players, Trevor Keels and Isaiah Roby, were both quiet in this game. Keels had a team-high four assists but only cashed in two points in 13 minutes of action, while Roby struggled on the interior and only scored seven points in 26 minutes.
For the 76ers, former first-round pick Jaden Springer was the catalyst in their victory, as he put up a solid 23-point performance on 57% shooting, including two made three-pointers.
As a team, Philadelphia shot a healthy 37.9% from outside the arc, which is what ultimately led to New York’s demise. While these games have no impact on their success as a franchise, the Knicks’ players will have to clean up the perimeter defense and knock down some threes if they want to either fight for a spot on the NBA roster or earn a two-way contract with the organization.
The Knicks’ next Summer League game will be played on Sunday, July 9 at 5:30 PM EST against the Brooklyn Nets. The game will broadcast on NBA TV.
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