New York Knicks: Allonzo Trier and Kevin Knox light up Summer League (VIDEO)

While the New York Knicks fell to the Pelicans 80-74 in their first Summer League game of the year, they led at one point by 18 in the second quarter.

When all cylinders were clicking, the starting five looked daunting and effective moving the floor. One player that stood out was shooting guard, Allonzo Trier.

Finishing the night with 21 points, Trier put on a shooting display, connecting several times from beyond the arc and utilized his step-back jumper frequently throughout the game. Despite a tough Knicks effort, there was still 7:53 left in the fourth-quarter before after-shocks from a Southern California 7.1 earthquake rattled the arena and forced the game’s premature ending.

The New York Knicks top pick faced off with his former teammate:

The big story of the night, however, was the first meeting of RJ Barrett and Zion Williamson on their respective teams. Zion, who’s known for his physicality around the rim, showed off his dunking abilities once more, putting home 11 points (4-of-9 shooting). A knee to knee collision saw him leave the game early, but Barrett, the 3rd overall pick by the Knicks carried on.

The forward finished the night with 10 points after a bad shooting night — 4-of-18 from the field, it’s expected from him to feel the jitters of the NBA early on. He will begin to adapt and develop as the Summer League and offseason progresses.

Aside from Barrett and Trier, second-year man Kevin Knox also had a good game, scoring 17 points and hitting several three-pointers, one of which was right in front of Williamson’s outstretched arm.

While the Knicks didn’t come away with the win, a heroic performance from Frank Jackson of the Pelicans saved the day (30 points). The youth ranks of the Knicks looked solid and will only continue to grow and develop as they experience more playing time together. It will be exciting to see their chemistry align with one another.