The New York Knicks are already sitting at a 1-2 record in Summer League play after falling to the Golden State Warriors, 87-77, on Thursday night. Even an electrifying 21-point performance off the bench from undrafted rookie Jaden Akins wasn't enough to secure the win, making you wonder what's really going on with this squad.
Akins Goes Off While Starters Struggle
Jaden Akins, an undrafted rookie who barely registered in his Summer League debut with just two points in 21 minutes, absolutely erupted against the Warriors. He led the entire Knicks team in scoring, dropping 21 big ones on 9 of 20 shooting from the field, including 3 of 8 from beyond the arc. He even added two rebounds and an assist! This kid was a G-League All-Star last season, averaging 16.1 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 7.6 assists in 14 games, and he showed that fire here. But man, the starters? It was rough. Tyler Nickel, who had nine points by halftime, couldn't get anything else going and finished with just those nine in 31 minutes. Pacome Dadiet had a quiet six points at the break and only tacked on three more, ending with nine in 28 minutes. Dillon Jones mirrored his halftime five points. Jack Kayil just couldn't find his rhythm, finishing with a measly four points on 2 of 9 shooting in 29 minutes, and was a minus-9 on the day. Liam Robbins was the only real bright spot among the first five, putting up 13 points, nine rebounds, four blocks, and two assists in his 20 minutes, and actually finishing with a positive plus/minus. It's wild to see an undrafted guy carry so much of the scoring load when the main guys are struggling like that.A Game of Runs and Stalls
The game itself was a classic Summer League rollercoaster. Golden State jumped out to a 26-19 lead after the first quarter, looking like they were going to run away with it. Then, the offense dried up on both sides. The Knicks actually won the second quarter 17-10, clawing their way back to a 36-36 tie at halftime. LJ Cryer was lighting it up for the Warriors in that first half, with 11 points on 4 of 8 shooting, including 3-for-7 from deep. But the good vibes didn't last for New York. The Warriors started the third quarter with a quick 7-0 run and never really looked back, taking a 65-57 lead into the final frame. Every time the Knicks tried to cut into that lead, getting it down to 10 points at times, Golden State just punched back. They built a 16-point lead early in the fourth and held on for the 10-point victory. It’s tough to watch your team fight only to get shut down again and again. So, the Knicks are now 1-2 in Summer League action. Jaden Akins gave them a massive spark off the bench, proving he can ball out. But if the starters can't find some consistency, that 1-2 record could just be the start of a rough Summer League run.This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.