Week 4 of the NBA 2K League saw Knicks Gaming compete in three matchups and continue to grow with their inexperienced roster.

Week 4 of the NBA 2K League season had Knicks Gaming face off against Hornets Venom GT, Blazer5 Gaming, and Cavs Legion GC in a crowded week of competition.

Hornets Venom GT are one of the two new teams to enter the NBA 2K League this season, along with Shanghai’s Gen.G Tigers. This was the Hornets’ first time facing off against the one-time champs, and they delivered the smackdown on Knicks Gaming. The Knicks were dominated in both games and lost the series in quick 0-2 fashion. The Hornets’ defense forced 20 turnovers in the first game and 15 in the second—and created havoc, which stopped the Knicks’ scoring chances.

Sharpshooter OriginalMalik put up zero points in the first game and just four points in the second bout. Hornets Venom came in with a well-balanced attack on offense, sporting multiple offensive threats with center Type, first-round pick Zae, and shooting guard Expose. Type had a triple-double in the first match and was an overall menace on both sides of the court.

Despite the expansion team stigma, Hornets Venom GT are one of the scariest teams this season, and luckily the Knicks have no more remaining games against them on the schedule.

Knicks Gaming had a chance to redeem themselves against of the other best teams in the league, Blazer5 Gaming, but fell short in the series, 1-2. The Knicks put up a much better performance against Blazer5, as Malik had bounce back performances scoring 20 or more points in each of the three games. These games came down to point guard duels between Blazer5’s star Mama Im Dat Man and Knicks Gaming’s rookie Duck. Mama proved to be too much for the Knicks defense, as he scored above 30 points in each of the matches.

Mama’s style is the mold for which Duck should be patterning his game—a completely unstoppable scorer inside and outside, and somebody who can pass in transition and while attacking the rim. After this series, Mama went on to score 77 points in a single game against Bucks Gaming. This revamped Knicks roster is still figuring out how to bring out the best in each other, and I don’t blame them for a loss to a great team like Blazer5.

Thankfully, the Knicks bounced back and won their final matchup of the week against Cavs Legion. After being crushed in the first game 80-61, the Knicks won back-to-back tilts to improve their record to 3-4 on the season.

Center CantGuardRob had a double-double in both victories, and the Knicks Gaming’s defense kept the Cavs to just 55 points in both contests.

Right now, Knicks Gaming is a team with enough talent to beat the lower end teams, but neither enough experience nor ability to beat the more quality teams. Duck is still learning the ups and downs of a full NBA 2K League season, along with other starting rookies EhTruth, Rob, and BiGRiM. A 3-4 start might be better than expected for an entirely new roster. The Knicks have a ton of potential and their ability to reach it hinges on their defensive consistency and Duck’s ability to take over games on the offensive end. In Week 5, they face off against Gen.G Tigers on June 5th at 7 p.m. ET.

 

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