The New York Knicks are coming off a thrilling win on Christmas Day over the Cleveland Cavaliers. New York trailed for a large part of the second half, but a 42-point fourth quarter helped them escape with a victory in front of the home crowd. Jalen Brunson’s performance should not go unnoticed, but Tyler Kolek was the difference-maker off the bench.
The breakout was a long time coming for the former second-round pick. Kolek scored 14 points in the NBA Cup championship game and recorded a double-double just two days later in a win over the Indiana Pacers. The games that followed were not as successful for Kolek. He put up a combined eight points and five assists, while missing all four of his three-point attempts.
Tuesday’s game in Minnesota is when he really turned a corner. Kolek put up a career-high 22 shots in the win, but most of his scoring came in the second half. Six of his nine made shots were in the second half of the loss. At halftime, Kolek had taken the second-most shots on the team, and Mike Brown was not happy with the guard. The Knick’s head coach lit into the young player for his play in the first half.
“You’ve taken 10 shots, the second most on the team, only made three; three or four of those shots were airballs. If you want to take that many f—— shots, you gotta make (them),” Brown told Kolek, per Ian Begley of SportsNet New York.
It would be very easy for Kolek to tuck his tail between his legs and lose confidence after that. Instead, he stepped up to the challenge and finished with 20 points, 11 rebounds, and eight assists.
Tyler Kolek’s Christmas Day Game
GettyTyler Kolek has finished with double-digit points each of his last two games.
The Knicks needed Kolek to carry his Tuesday game into Christmas Day. The 24-year-old did not disappoint. Although he took just nine total shots, Kolek finished with 16 points and nine assists. He was 5-for-9 from the field, including 4-for-5 from three.
The second-year guard made three of his four threes in the fourth quarter and finished with 11 points in the final frame. Kolek had the entire arena chanting his name because of his outburst in the fourth quarter.
Brown took a bold approach by calling Kolek out directly on Tuesday. It turns out the veteran head coach made the right call. Since that moment, Kolek has been lights out shooting, and he is contributing in all facets of the game.
Knicks Backup Point Guard Role Solidified
GettyTyler Kolek and Jordan Clarkson combined for 41 points on Christmas.
“But does Kolek’s recent surge change how they view the backup point guard position? Does it make the team less inclined to spend assets on a backup guard?” SNY’s Ian Begley wrote.
The Knicks have shown interest in trading for someone to help keep them competitive when Brunson is taking a breather. Their star guard is averaging 35.4 minutes per game this season. He is conditioned for that type of usage, but having a backup that can keep New York competitive without Brunson would be a huge help.
Kolek is slowly proving that he is the right guy for the job. The Knicks also have Jordan Clarkson, but Kolek’s impact recently has been felt in a much larger way. It has been a small sample size, but if Kolek continues to play the way he has, the Knicks will not have to trade for a backup point guard.
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