Final Score: Knicks 106 - Kings 105
Record: 1-2
In the closing moments of New York's matchup with Sacramento on Wednesday, it looked like the Knicks might blow another double-digit lead and fall to 0-3 in Vegas... until Tyler Kolek saved the day.
New York was trailing by two points with less than seven seconds remaining when he drove left and went downhill, finishing over two Kings to tie the score at 105.
Kolek then stepped to the charity stripe and calmly sunk the game-winning free throw.
After spending most of the first two games looking to get his teammates involved, we hoped the young point guard would be more aggressive on Wednesday, and Kolek certainly was. He finished the contest with 21 points, four rebounds, a game-high eight assists, two steals, and three 3-pointers in 32 minutes. He shot 6-of-14 from the field and 6-of-7 from the FT line.
This was more like the offensively assertive version of Kolek that Marquette fans enjoyed during his final two years in college.
New Yorkers had high expectations for Kolek heading into Summer League action, and the kid has delivered. He's currently averaging 11.3 points, 7.3 dimes (vs. just 1.3 turnovers), 4.3 boards and 1.3 made treys.
Remarkably, Kolek is the only player in Vegas this summer to score more than 30 points, dish out more than 20 assists and grab more than ten rebounds through three contests.
Give him the ball, and good things happen.
Mr. Kolek wasn't the only lefty PG on the Knicks to play his best game of the summer against the Kings. After a quiet outing in New York's loss on Tuesday, Rokas Jokubaitis exploded 16 points, five assists, two steals, one block, and two 3-pointers in just 21 minutes off the bench vs. Sacramento. He was a perfect 7-of-7 from the floor.
The Knicks fell behind early on Wednesday, trailing by double digits near the end of the first quarter. When Jokubaitis entered the fray, the tide turned. Surprisingly, it was his defense, as well as his shot-making, that sparked a 15-0 Knicks run.
Here are each of his seven made FG’s:
Through three games, Rokas is shooting 70.6% from the floor and has yet to miss a three-pointer or a free-throw.
Knicks coach Dice Yoshimoto praised Jokubaitis after Wednesday's win. "He was aggressive on both sides of the floor," Yoshimoto said. "He got into the ball better. He's understanding the defensive schemes better. He's done a great job so far watching the film."
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