Knicks Reserve OUT, Rookie Rises vs. Rockets?

The New York Knicks will be missing one of their key reserves when they face the Houston Rockets on Monday night (8:45 p.m. ET, MSG).

Per Stefan Bondy of the New York Post, Cameron Payne is officially out for Monday’s game due to a strained hamstring. Payne, a first-year Knicks who is averaging 5.6 points and 3.2 assists in his first five metropolitan showings, played only 12 minutes in each of the Knicks’ last two games, including Friday’s demolition of Detroit that New York (3-2) to empty its bench relatively early.

Bondy noted that while head coach Tom Thibodeau didn’t reveal who would take over Payne’s minutes, he was “highly complimentary” of rookie backcourt threat Tyler Kolek. The second-round choice has mostly been relegated to mop-up duty in his debut stanzas but he impressed during the preseason to the tune of averaging 11.5 points on over 48 percent shooting in 18 minutes a game. Kolek also earned 17 assists and 12 rebounds in this exhibition showcases.

On the other side, Houston rebounding threat Steven Adams is set to partake in Monday’s game, albeit in five-minute stints. Adams, recovering from a PCL injury, returned to action for the first time in nearly two full calendar years last week, pulling in four rebounds and hitting three shot attempts in a Halloween win over San Antonio. He was held out of Saturday’s Rockets game, a six-point loss to Golden State.

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