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Kris Pursiainen

Kris Pursiainen

@krisap.bsky.social

4.4K followers 120 following 690 posts

🇩🇴🇫🇮 Associate Editor & NBA Reporter at ClutchPoints Host “All Things NBA: From A to Z” at Ballislife Host “Draft Class” at Knicks Film School

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Kris Pursiainen @krisap.bsky.social · 14h

Knicks 119, Cavs 111. The season is underway – here’s how New York and Cleveland’s opener played out:

Kris Pursiainen @krisap.bsky.social · 15h

Jalen Brunson on adjusting to new offense:

"The most important thing we can do is come with a clear mind, [be] open to getting better...every year is different...it's all about how you adapt, how you adjust. Learning on the fly is going to be good for us, it's going to keep us fresh"

Kris Pursiainen @krisap.bsky.social · 16h

Mike Brown on balancing expectations and pressure:

"Whether we won or lost, it's just one game."

Kris Pursiainen @krisap.bsky.social · 16h

Mike Brown on Ariel Hukporti:

"He's so athletic..he's got this, like, little runner/floater thing...not quite sure, but it's gone in, so I'm going to keep letting him shoot it"

Kris Pursiainen @krisap.bsky.social · 16h

Mike Brown on Ariel Hukporti, Tyler Kolek:

"I thought both guys came in and tried to do what they're capable of doing. We don't need anybody to come in and play hero ball or anything like that – play to your strengths"

Kris Pursiainen @krisap.bsky.social · 16h

Mike Brown says Spike Lee came over and gave him a hug before the game and was thinking, "Spike, you know who I am?"

Kris Pursiainen @krisap.bsky.social · 16h

Mike Brown on offense:

"We had 21 sprays. We want to get to at least 20 a game. We touch that paint...good teams, they have to protect the paint...I think we could even generate more...25 to 27 a game, because we have that many players, in my opinion, that are capable..."

Kris Pursiainen @krisap.bsky.social · 16h

"...and I could learn on the fly because we have guys that can play. I like to play a lot of guys, I don't know if I'll play 11 guys a night but we like to play a lot of guys..."

Kris Pursiainen @krisap.bsky.social · 16h

Mike Brown on his coaching:

"It's my job to keep trying to find combinations out on the floor that work, and just like [the players] got a lot of room the grow, I got a lot of room to grow...always learning...the neat part about it is, there are a lot of different ways I could go with it..."

Kris Pursiainen @krisap.bsky.social · 16h

Mike Brown says the Cavaliers did a nice job of scoring in the paint vs. NYK last season, averaging 58 points in the paint per game against the Knicks.

Highlighted that they only scored 30 tonight and it was a focus heading into the game to make things tough on them there.

Kris Pursiainen @krisap.bsky.social · 16h

Mitchell Robinson and Josh Hart were the biggest reasons the Knicks beat the Cavs in 2023.

New York had neither tonight but got to the free throw line enough to come out on top.

Knicks' starters had a 147.1 DRTG in 8:52 of play, but NY as a team went 29-32 on FTs. Cavs 11-17.

Kris Pursiainen @krisap.bsky.social · 16h

Donovan Mitchell was attended to by trainers by the Cavs' bench after asking to come out ouf the game.

He was lying on the ground, getting assistance with stretching and being handed some water. He rejoined the Cavs' bench and is now back in the game.

Kris Pursiainen @krisap.bsky.social · 16h

Knicks lead 105-97 with five minutes left. It's a small cushion, but something to work with.

Jalen Brunson time for New York. He's shooting 5-17 from the floor but will likely generate most of the rest of their offense

Kris Pursiainen @krisap.bsky.social · 16h

Evan Mobley's keeping the Cavs in it right now. Five straight points for Cleveland, including a 24' 3-pointer over Deuce McBride, brought them within seven.

Tyler Kolek drove on Sam Merrill, flipped a floater up and in to get a 9pt lead back. Kolek likely done for the night now

Kris Pursiainen @krisap.bsky.social · 16h

OG Anunoby just pulled down his 12th rebound. 17 points on 7-15 FG, 3-8 3PT doesn't hurt either.

Knicks pull ahead 101-89 after a Jordan Clarkson two-handed jam in transition that led to a Cavs timeout.

Kris Pursiainen @krisap.bsky.social · 17h

Huge 3-pointer from Deuce McBride leads Kenny Atkinson to call timeout.

Knicks had a bit of a silly possession, bouncing the ball off of each other & moving it around before McBride was left open.

NY just ripped an 8-0 run in 62 seconds to counter Donovan Mitchell's firestorm.

Kris Pursiainen @krisap.bsky.social · 17h

Knicks kept the ball moving, driving and kicking until something opened up. The result was a Karl-Anthony Towns finish at the rim, and-one.

He made the free throw, giving New York a 92-89 lead with 10:42 left in the game. Towns is up to 15 points, 10 rebounds on 4-9 FG

Kris Pursiainen @krisap.bsky.social · 17h

Cavs end the third quarter on an 8-2 run. Donovan Mitchell scored 21 points in the quarter. He entered a flow state and is up to 29 points, four assists on 12-21 FG.

It's tied at 87 heading into the 4Q. Jalen Brunson is 4-15 from the floor, 1-7 on 3PTers, but NY is hanging in

Kris Pursiainen @krisap.bsky.social · 17h

Donovan Mitchell is so, so smooth.

Looked like he was just sitting just above the court twice on that crossover combo leading into the score.

It wouldn't do him justice to say he's moving like a sports car out there. You'd need to specify that he's running on air suspension

Kris Pursiainen @krisap.bsky.social · 17h

Tyrese Proctor doing the little things in his first six NBA minutes. Part of the rotation on opening night because of Garland, Hunter injuries but looks solid early on.

I think he'll have a career at this level. Makes it more confusing how that Duke team didn't win it!

Kris Pursiainen @krisap.bsky.social · 17h

Knicks lead 79-72 halfway through the third quarter. Mike Brown calls timeout after the Cavs score off a turnover.

Anunoby threw it ahead to Bridges in transition, who wasn't expecting it. Minor disconnect in grand scheme but Cavs cutting it to seven needed urgent attention.

Kris Pursiainen @krisap.bsky.social · 17h

Donovan Mitchell took over the end of the 1H.

That carried into the 3Q, where he's scored all 10 points for the Cavaliers. He cut it to seven.

Then... Brunson to KAT for a 26' 3-pointer. Brunson drives in and scores. Anunoby with a three of his own.

Knicks by 15 again.

Kris Pursiainen @krisap.bsky.social · 17h

HALF – Knicks 65, Cavaliers 50.

Evan Mobley leads Cleveland with 16 points, three rebounds, two dimes, two steals, and a block. He's been empowered to take the lead, and did so before Mitchell took over to end the half.

Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, and OG Anunoby all have 12.

Kris Pursiainen @krisap.bsky.social · 18h

OG Anunoby turned it over but Knicks get the stop. Jalen Brunson threaded the needle, bounced it up to Bridges who finished at the rim.

Cavs thought the Knick stop was a Knick foul and Kenny Atkinson just picked up a technical.

Knicks lead 63-46 after KAT made the technical FT.

Kris Pursiainen @krisap.bsky.social · 18h

OG Anunoby just grabbed a cup of coffee at the center spot as a counter to the Cavs' smaller lineup that featured Mobley at the 5.

Now Towns is in at center, Anunoby at PF. OG just hit an above-the-break 3-pointer over Mobley to give the Knicks an 11-point lead.

57-46, 1:51 2Q