Julius Randle has yet to make his debut with the Minnesota Timberwolves, but Donte DiVincenzo has already suited up twice for his new team. As the Knicks prepare to face the Timberwolves on Sunday, the first matchup between the two teams since the blockbuster Karl-Anthony Towns trade, Randle (shoulder) is unlikely to hit the floor.
However, DiVincenzo’s return to Madison Square Garden seems much more likely.
While his appearance isn’t set in stone — it’s a preseason game, after all — the Knicks expect the franchise’s three-point king to be back on the court. The atmosphere around Sunday’s game seems “unusual” and “bizarre”, due to the recent and quick reunion with the two former Knicks stars.
“I think it was all quick and kind of unusual,” Josh Hart admitted after Knicks practice Friday. “A trade three days before training camp started, so it was already a little weird because that weekend you’re kind of preparing for training camp next Monday. So it was unusual, and obviously we’ll have to play them on Sunday. It’s a little unusual, but the NBA is a crazy business.
If DiVincenzo plays Sunday, he will do so just days after GQ published “The Greatest Knicks Team That Never Was,” a feature featuring Hart, DiVincenzo, Jalen Brunson and Mikal Bridges — four teammates on the Villanova Wildcats which were briefly reunited in New York. York. The reunion lasted two months and 20 days. Suddenly, four became three with the inclusion of DiVincenzo in the Towns trade.
“It’s business. This is the game. I have to go out there and compete at a high level,” Towns said after Friday’s practice. “It’s just going to be weird. It’s going to be weird being on the other team, but seeing the Timberwolves jersey.
Hart said he spoke to DiVincenzo the night of the trade and “probably” three or four times since the deal. He thinks Knicks fans will give his former teammate a standing ovation on Sunday.
“It’s obviously a tough question, it’s part of the job, but I just think I miss my dog,” he said after practice at Tarrytown on Friday. “So I think he should be received with cheers and ovations for everything he did for the team last year. He put himself and his body in danger and took it every night. He should therefore receive a warm welcome.
DiVincenzo deserves it.
His lone season in New York was nothing short of historic, with his 283 three-pointers surpassing Evan Fournier’s previous record by 42. DiVincenzo also set a new single-game record with 11 three-pointers in a March victory over the Detroit Pistons, breaking the previous mark held by both Fournier and J.R. Smith.
DiVincenzo posted career highs, averaging 15.5 points per game on 40.1 percent shooting from beyond the arc. He took on a heavier scoring load after Randle’s season-ending shoulder injury, averaging 20.7 points in 36 games in the second half of the season.
“Him and Julius have contributed a lot to the organization, to the team, so there’s a lot of appreciation for them and what they’ve done,” Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau said. “It’s part of our league and we certainly wish them good luck.” I have great respect for them, I know their teammates have it, I know the organization has it, and I think our fans do too. They played an important role in the victory. »
Thibodeau understands the magnitude of DiVincenzo’s return, but he doesn’t want his team to be distracted by the hype. As DiVincenzo returns to the MSG court, there will be emotions.
But for the Knicks, the focus remains on preparing for their championship run.
“And that’s why it’s so important to establish routines, because in the NBA there’s something going on almost every night. So you don’t want to get caught up in the hype, just focus on ” OK, this is how I prepare to play,’ and take it step by step,” Thibodeau explained. “Don’t get distracted, and it’s easy to get distracted, there’s something going on all the time. million things in this league. Guys change teams all the time. Just be focused on what you need to do to help your team win.
