Knicks Daily Roundup 3/1/20: Young Duo Shines Against Chicago

RJ Barrett and Mitchell Robinson putting together great games against Chicago, an update on Moe Harkless, and what seems to be a personnel addition make up today's biggest stories.

The New York Knicks are undefeated in the last four years (on games that took place on February 29th). This is due in large part to excellent performances from the two most promising members of the team's young core: RJ Barrett and Mitchell Robinson. An excellent breakdown of RJ's efficient showing by our own David Vertsberger can be found here. The rookie contributed 19 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists on 8-10 shooting in 31 minutes. The only drawback to this performance was the fact that 17 of those points came in the first half. 

As someone who was at the game, I can attest to the fact that Mitchell Robinson did indeed receive "MVP" chants during his final trip to the free throw line against Chicago (yes, I contributed to those chants). In 29 minutes, Robinson scored 23 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, and had 2 assists for the second game straight. That assist number may not be impressive at first glance, but Robinson's passing ability is certainly never a part of his highlight reels and the recent consistency in that department is worth noting. An excellent account of the performance (again, by our own David Vertsberger), including pre and postgame aspects, can be found here.

Robinson's postgame interview (featuring Kevin Knox who had 12 points on 4-9 shooting last night) is certainly worth watching: keep your eyes peeled for when he takes a jab at Kevin Knox simply for having a large forehead.

Adrian Wojnarowski reported today that Forward Moe Harkless will finish the season in New York, despite rumors of a buyout. Wojnarowski mentions that Harkless had options with contending teams, but will obviously not be taking any. This aligns with Chris Haynes's report from February 21st that the plan was for Harkless to remain a Knick for the rest of the season.

Knicks fans often call on the team, or rather the pockets of James Dolan, to bring on a shooting coach. Many teams, most notably the San Antonio Spurs with their "shot doctor" Chip Engelland, employ one and see their players reap the benefits. This Instagram post from known NBA shooting coach Chris Matthews, aka "Lethal Shooter", hints that the Knicks might have finally done so. Matthews has acquired a large following on social media and a good reputation among players in the league through his hard work and undeniable sharpshooting ability, and is someone who could certainly help a player such as RJ Barrett with mastering their shot form. 

Saturday was an encouraging day for the future of the franchise, even if part of that was simply beating last year's win total of 17.