The chant ‘We Want Quickley’ started late in the first quarter when Sacramento put together a rare run.
With 2:44 left in the quarter, rookie Immanuel Quickley was put into the game and did not disappoint the second staggering Garden gathering of the season.
By starting the Knicks with 18 points in the first half, Quickley led the offensive blast in a 140-121 triumph over sagging Sacramento as the popular rookie point guard emerged from his recent slump.
Quickley finished with 25 runs and hit all 12 free throws. Along with Julius Randle, Quickley even heard ‘MV-P’ chants on another joyous evening in front of 2,000 fans who seemed to be singing something all night long.
“It’s been a long season,” said Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau. “No player shoots well in all 82 games. There are ups and downs. He succeeded extremely well. He’s a great shooter, has the ability to make mistakes. Everyone has a lot of faith in him. We know he has a lot of confidence in himself. It starts with the preparation. He is a gym rat and student of the game. “
The Knicks’ 140 points were a season high, facing the worst defensive team in the NBA. The Knicks were the NBA’s least prolific team to come into play offensively.
Randle, who heard MVP sing a second game in a row, put in another bull-in-a-china-shop performance with 21 points and 14 rebounds. Alec Burks, who mostly stacked it in fourth quarter dropout time, got 24 points in the season.
Derrick Rose made his first start of the season as a point guard due to Elfrid Payton’s hamstring injury, adding 18 runs when the Knicks went to a game under .500 at 16-17. The Kings (12-20) lost their ninth consecutive series.
The Knicks accounted for a first half of 77 points, shot 65.9 percent and then held off all kings.
The Knicks hit nearly 80 in that first half, but a desperate 3-pointer at Reggie Bullock’s buzzer was brushed aside as he stepped down the sidelines. The Knicks had enough, however – a 77-63 lead.
Rose was inserted into the starting lineup and started the spree by tearing into the basket on first possession of the game for a lefty layup.
Rose started the game with flair, went 5-for-5 in the first quarter and finished with 13 points in the first half. But the antsy charged fans, with the Kings on an 11-0 run, started the Quickley chant.
Coming in late in the first quarter, the Kentucky rookie went to work, immediately emptying a 3 pointer. He made mistakes, deflated a float and scored 18 points in 9:36. He made 4 of the 6 baskets and all eight of his free throws.
Quickley’s 3-for-22 slump during the previous three games was stopped in the distance. As first reported by The Post, the NBA will not be running the Rising Stars Challenge for top rookies and sophomores, but will announce an honor team. Quickley nearly sealed his spot.
In another blow to Austin Rivers, Frank Ntilikina was put back on the rotation with Payton out. Ntilikina, due to a sprained knee, had not played COVID-19 protocols and out of rotation since December 29.
He looked good too. He stole a ball from De’Aaron Fox to start a quick break and gave Quickley a 3-pointer. When playing 8:58 in the first half, he also used up a 3 pointer.
Among the celebrities on the social distance of celebrities included CC Sabathia and rappers Jadakiss and Action Bronson.