Andre Drummond posted a double-double on Opening Night, but he was also the worst player on the court by the final buzzer, perfectly capturing the New York Knicks’ bizarre and frustrating start to the 2026-27 season against the Philadelphia 76ers. Yeah, you read that right. The newest Knick gave us the full spectrum of his game, all in one night, right after the banner raising.
The Andre Drummond Experience Just Dropped
The stage was set at Madison Square Garden for the season opener, and with Karl-Anthony Towns getting into early foul trouble, Andre Drummond stepped up. And man, did he step UP. Early in the game, he looked like the biggest steal of the offseason. He was easily grabbing a double-double and, at times, was actually carrying the offense. You couldn’t ask for a better start from a new guy.
But then, like a switch flipped, the other Andre Drummond showed up. Late in the game, he was the worst player out there, just throwing away possessions with his unbelievably poor touch around the rim. It was a complete one-eighty. We went from “offseason steal” to “what are we doing here?” in a matter of quarters. Talk about a rollercoaster debut.
Digging Into the Jekyll and Hyde Game
So, what exactly are we dealing with here? When Drummond is good, he’s REALLY good at specific things. He’s one of the best rebounders in NBA history on a rate basis, no joke. He sets brick-wall screens, he fills up space in the paint, and even if he’s not a great defender overall, he’s a legit lane-clogger. Those are traits you absolutely want from your center.
Then there’s the other side. His touch around the rim? Diabolically bad. His stocky build, while good for screens and space, also makes him an extremely limited defender, and he’s basically a non-existent lob threat. Sure, he’s been working on corner threes, but let’s be real, he’s almost exclusively an under-the-rim offensive player. This duality, especially that touch around the rim, is what separates him from a guy like Mitchell Robinson. He might be historically more durable than Robinson, but there’s a missing “game-breaking” element that the Knicks might need.
Not Exactly the Offensive Start Anyone Wanted
Beyond Drummond’s wild ride, the team as a whole struggled. This wasn’t just a bad offensive game; it was the worst offensive execution the Knicks have played in the entire 2020s. Think about that for a second. The stat sheet backs it up: they recorded the fewest points per direct pick and the ninth-fewest points per direct iso in any game, regular season or playoffs, in the 2020s. That’s a tough look to kick off the year.
It’s just one game down, 81 to go, so no need to completely spiral, but these offensive numbers and Drummond’s dramatic swings are definitely something to keep an eye on. For a team with high hopes, you gotta hope the good version of Andre Drummond shows up a whole lot more often in the games to come if they want to turn these early trends around.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Posting and Toasting.
Leave a Reply