The New York Knicks kicked off their Las Vegas Summer League schedule with a gut-wrenching 91-65 loss to the Brooklyn Nets on Friday night. What a stinker, man.
Knicks Get Walloped After Halftime, Diawara Disappoints
Yeah, the Knicks actually started out okay, even taking a slim lead after the first quarter. But then the wheels fell OFF after halftime. Brooklyn just dropped a 30-9 bomb in the third period, turning a tight game into a total blowout. They just cruised through the fourth, securing that brutal 91-65 win. We gotta talk about Mohamed Diawara, too. After signing a fresh 4-year, $11.2M deal this summer, his performance was a major letdown. Seven points on 1-of-9 shooting? A brutal -39 plus-minus rating? The less said about that, the better. Both he and Pacome Dadiet even shot 1-of-7 from deep. You just expected more from Mo, especially after that contract.Nickel Shines Bright, Dadiet Delivers
But hey, it wasn't all bad. Pacome Dadiet actually logged 20 points and added seven assists. The dude has been a fixture on the Knicks G League team and even off the bench at MSG since he was drafted in 2024. After two years scrimmaging against the rotational guys, we expected him to hold his own against these junior Nets. And then there's the true pleasant surprise of the night: rookie sharpshooter Tyler Nickel. Drafted 47th overall this summer after a standout senior season at Vanderbilt, this 6'8" wing was hyped as one of the draft's best movement shooters. And man, did he show it! He dropped 18 points on an insane 6-of-10 from three-point range. We're hyped to see what he does with the Westchester Knicks. On the Nets side, M. Brown, Jr. and Egor Demin each put up 20 points. Demin, who was an eighth overall pick last year, shot 7-of-15 from the field and grabbed seven rebounds. He was aggressive attacking the rim and showed solid playmaking, looking like a key piece in their rebuild before he was sidelined by plantar fasciitis last season. The Knicks need to rebound quickly, they're back on the court tomorrow against the San Antonio Spurs. Can they turn things around?This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.