The 2017 NBA Orlando Summer League was a struggle for the New York Knicks. Check out five takeaways from the league.
NBA Summer League provides fans the first chance to see some younger players take the court for their respective NBA teams. Any fans of the New York Knicks were robbed of this chance as first round draft pick, Frank Ntilikina, did not dress because of injury. That was only the beginning of what was a rough week in Orlando.
The Knicks did not have a great performance in the Orlando Summer League. Based on the scoring system for standings, they were actually one of the worst teams in Orlando. In the Orlando Summer League, points are awarded for winning quarters and games. Every quarter won equals one point and the team that wins the game is awarded four points.
The Knicks did not win a game, going 0-4 in qualifying part of the league and earning only five points. So, in four games, the Knicks won only five quarters. They played the Dallas Mavericks close in Game 1 but were blown out by the Detroit Pistons, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Orlando Magic.
The Knicks played against the Miami Heat on championship day and were able to return back to New York with at least one win in their pocket, ending the Orlando Summer League on a high note with a 91-72 win over Miami. With the victory, the Knicks finished seventh out of eight teams. They went 1-4 during the week, earning 12.5 points the whole week.
There was a multitude of things that went into the Knicks’ struggles in Orlando. But, there were also a few positives that shone through the negatives. Check out these five takeaways from the Knicks’ play in Summer League this year.