The Knicks’ G League season opened Friday, and even in a 123-94 loss to the Maine Celtics, Westchester still gave New York a few things to chew on.
The biggest bright spot came from rookie second-round pick Tyler Nickel, who finally got a real runway after a quiet preseason stretch with the big club. Nickel started for Westchester and wasted no time making noise, knocking down 5 of 10 shots from deep on his way to 15 points in 29 minutes. He also chipped in five rebounds and four assists, which is a pretty useful line for a wing known first and foremost as a shooter.
For a player who had logged fewer than 10 minutes in three of his four preseason appearances and hadn’t played since Oct. 15, that was a strong first impression. The Vanderbilt product showed more than just catch-and-shoot value, too.
He used his 6-foot-7 frame to get involved on the glass and showed some unexpected playmaking touch. One game won’t tell the whole story, but it’s easy to see why the Knicks would like what they saw from a reserve who can help in more than one way.
Dink Pate also came out swinging in his return to Westchester after a college detour that didn’t go as planned. The 6-foot-8 guard/wing looked every bit like a player with NBA upside, finishing with 23 points on 10-for-14 shooting. He added nine rebounds, including three on the offensive end, and also recorded a steal and a block.
His plus-minus told a different part of the story, as he finished at -20, fourth worst on the team. Still, only one G League Knick, Igor Milicic Jr., was in the positive at +5, so the defensive issues were hardly isolated to Pate alone. Even with that note, it was a huge opening statement for a player the Knicks landed on an Exhibit 10 deal rather than a two-way.
If Pate keeps producing like this, he could push the Knicks into a decision sooner than later. He may even play his way into a standard NBA contract, which would create another layer of roster math for a team already watching the second apron closely.
Liam Robbins, meanwhile, didn’t give the Knicks much to work with in his first Westchester outing. The Summer League standout started at center but managed only two points and six rebounds in 19 minutes while picking up three fouls. He also blocked a shot, got blocked once, and committed a turnover in a flat performance.
That’s the part of Robbins’ game that still needs to show up: using his size to be the kind of interior presence NBA teams need. He spent 13 games with the Bucks in 2024-25 without making an NBA appearance this past season, which left him available for the Knicks on a G League deal this summer.
The version that turned heads in Vegas - 13 points, nine rebounds and four blocks - is the one that keeps him in the conversation. Friday was not that version.
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