It is said that you never get a second chance to make a good first impression.
Knicks fans long ago earned every right to be skeptical, and even Tom Thibodeau warned not to “get carried away” with what was a mostly positive preseason debut for newcomers Jalen Brunson and Isaiah Hartenstein and the retooled Knicks in Tuesday’s 21-point victory over the Pistons.
Brunson obviously was the central storyline following his anticipated debut in a Knicks uniform, and by all accounts, it was hard to find any fault with the former Villanova star’s initial performance at the Garden a few months after inking a four-year contract worth $104 million as a free agent over the summer.
Still, there was plenty to unpack as Thibodeau’s squad begins its quest to rebound from last year’s disappointing step-back playoff whiff.