NEW ORLEANS — Reality comes quick for rookies in the NBA, finding the leap from summer league glory to the grind of the real season — and facing real NBA players every night — a wakeup call of just how much they have to learn.
But David Fizdale, the Knicks' first-year coach, has little hesitation for playing his rookies and so with the team in a free fall of late, he tweaked the lineup and inserted all three of his rookies into the starting five Friday against the New Pelicans.
Kevin Knox, the No. 9 overall pick, made his first start a game earlier in Oklahoma City.