Karl-Anthony Cities’ reunion together with his former staff definitely was extra heat and fuzzy than watching Donte DiVincenzo chirp on the Knicks bench from the free-throw line after which have heated phrases with Rick Brunson following Sunday’s preseason sport on the Backyard.
Cities, dealing with the Timberwolves for the primary time for the reason that September blockbuster swap that despatched DiVincenzo and Julius Randle to Minnesota, traded jerseys with former teammate Anthony Edwards and smiling hugs with others after posting a double-double to assist the Knicks to a 115-110 victory.
“It was lots of emotion, some superb moments and instances and 9 years of my life in Minnesota, and a spot that I’ve known as house,” Cities mentioned after the sport. “So guys who should not simply teammates to me, however brothers, real-life brothers.
“So it undoubtedly was a wild, wild day, undoubtedly coming to work.”
The wildness of the sport largely was offered by DiVincenzo, however the 28-year-old Cities merely took it as one other alternative to acclimate to his new teammates and environment on the Backyard as the middle throughout the Knicks system — a task he performed for 3 seasons early in his profession when Tom Thibodeau coached the Timberwolves.
The four-time All-Star completed Sunday’s sport with 16 factors, 16 rebounds and three steals in 29 efficient minutes, whereas Randle didn’t play for Minnesota.
“I believe they’re totally different gamers in some methods, however comparable in others,” Thibodeau mentioned. “I believe Julius is extra of an influence ahead, however a terrific participant. If you take a look at what he did for us, the scoring, the passing, rebounding, nevertheless it’s on the energy ahead place.
“We had an important want clearly with Mitchell Robinson [injured] and Isaiah [Hartenstein] dropping [him] in free company. We would have liked a middle. That was an enormous a part of it, so I believe the middle place … after I take a look at Karl, I like his versatility and his measurement is necessary to us.”
The 7-footer gives the Knicks an added dimension as a 39.8 % shooter from 3-point vary for his profession, however Thibodeau additionally stresses rim safety on the 5 place.
It’s particularly necessary for Cities to be dependable defensively with Hartenstein bolting for Oklahoma Metropolis and Robinson nonetheless anticipated to be sidelined for a number of months following ankle surgical procedure.
“It’s simply accepting the duty of being the one who’s quarterbacking and anchoring the protection,” Cities mentioned. “We’ve bought superb wings as everybody is aware of with OG [Anunoby] and Mikal [Bridges,] and Josh [Hart] and Jalen [Brunson] actually doing an important job of placing stress on ball handlers, as properly.
“That’s gonna give us the wins, and we’ve got lots of targets in thoughts and for us to even come near carrying out that, it takes us to solidify the protection, our defensive sport plan and identification. … Doing that right here once more is gonna be a key for us to do one thing particular within the metropolis.”
Offensively, Cities says his largest adjustment getting into Tuesday’s house exhibition sport in opposition to the Hornets has been studying the place he’s wanted to area the courtroom and “refreshing” Thibodeau’s terminology from earlier in his profession.
“I’m a special participant than I used to be after I was with Thibs the primary time round,” Cities mentioned. “Each of us are adjusting to one another, however we’ve got a stable basis constructed from earlier than.”
And whereas DiVincenzo’s back-and-forth with the Knicks teaching employees throughout his MSG return went viral, dealing with the Timberwolves so quickly after the commerce didn’t appear to have any opposed impact on Cities.
“Feelings have been an excessive amount of. No, I joke,” Cities mentioned. “I believe regardless, the sport of basketball, the enterprise of basketball, it’s simply gonna maintain going. It doesn’t matter how you are feeling, it doesn’t matter how life is treating you.
“You’ve simply gotta come right here prepared every single day, put your metropolis on the map and do the perfect you possibly can in your teammates and your group. Clearly in the present day can be a tricky day for me, however I went on the market and did the perfect I may for my teammates. Simply wished to do what I may to assist us win this sport.”
