Knicks aim for 2nd straight win when they visit Magic
The New York Knicks will attempt to accomplish a rare feat on Wednesday, something they managed just three times during all of last season.
The Knicks bid for their first winning streak of the young season when they open a two-game road trip against the Orlando Magic.
RJ Barrett wasn't there for last season's troubles, and the third overall pick of the 2019 NBA Draft helped New York to its first victory of 2019-20 with a 19-point, 15-rebound performance in Monday's 105-98 win over the Chicago Bulls.
"It was great. It was electric in there," Barrett said. "Hopefully, we get to have this feeling many more times."
Bobby Portis was perhaps the primary reason for that feeling, as the reserve power forward recorded 11 of his season-high 28 points in the fourth quarter. Portis' performance helped the Knicks avoid their first 0-4 start since 2005-06.
"We've just been waiting for him," New York coach David Fizdale said of the 24-year-old Portis. "He's played a little tight, trying to be perfect. I told him to keep letting it fly. He unleashed it (Monday). That was a game."
Portis' point total eclipsed the sum of his previous three games (18).
"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," Portis said.
Julius Randle collected 13 points and 14 rebounds on Monday, marking his fourth straight double-double performance. He is the first player to start his Knicks career with four double-doubles since Zach Randolph in 2007-08.
While New York snapped its winning streak, Orlando lost its second consecutive contest with Monday's 104-95 setback to the Toronto Raptors.
Jonathan Isaac highlighted his career-high 24-point performance with a personal-best five 3-pointers in the loss. His strong performance aside, the 22-year-old New York native admitted that his team needs time to find its offensive rhythm.
"I think guys are just growing in their games," Isaac said, via the Orlando Sentinel. "We've got to figure each other out. It's not going to be perfect but we can absolutely do better and that's what we're focused on. So we'll take this to the chin and get back home and get ready to get a win."
Isaac recorded two strong performances and a dismal one in three meetings against the Knicks last season. He combined to make 12 of 21 shots -- including 5 of 9 from 3-point range -- in the first two contests before going 3-for-16 from the field and 0-for-6 from beyond the arc in the Magic's 114-100 victory on April 3.
Orlando center Nikola Vucevic looks to rebound after a nightmarish 1-for-13 performance from the field against Toronto. He finished with five points after averaging 18.5 in his first two games.
"If I come through offensively like the team needs me to do, we have a much better chance," the 29-year-old Vucevic said. "It's just disappointing because I could have helped the team much more."
Vucevic will look to do precisely that on Wednesday, when Orlando opens its three-game homestand. The Magic will face the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday and the Denver Nuggets on Saturday during their first set of back-to-back games this season.
--Field Level Media
