Rafael Canton Sun, November 1, 2026 at 3:05 PM UTC · 3 min read About Our Ads Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All good streaks are supposed to come to an end. In Friday's 98-93 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, Knicks guard Tyler Kolek 's stretch of perfection ended.
In the game's early stages, he turned the ball over for the first time this season. Kolek coughed up the rock one more time, finishing with four assists and two points in 13 minutes.
It was a departure from Kolek's first three appearances this season, in which he recorded 21 assists and zero turnovers over 44 minutes.
The reserve is playing some of his best basketball right now, steadying the offense when Knicks star Jalen Brunson rests.
Kolek is taking advantage of an opportunity given to him because of an ankle injury to guard Jose Alvarado .
Kolek entered this season on the outside of New York's regular rotation. But his play has been impressive and could make Knicks coach Mike Brown think twice about taking him out of the rotation when Alvarado returns.
In Kolek's 57 minutes this season, the Knicks are assisting on 76.5 percent of their baskets, according to NBA Stats, a team high and one that would rank first in the entire league. The club's assist rate drops to 66.3 percent in the minutes he sits.
Kolek's careful playmaking comes at a time when the Knicks are in need of good decision making.
As of Saturday night, New York ranked 15th in turnovers per 100 possessions.
Over the past few years, the Knicks have regularly been one of the better teams at taking care of the ball, ranking 11th in the category last season.
The turnover problems have been a factor in New York's slow offensive start and 2-4 record through the first six games.
Kolek has created scoring opportunities for his teammates with ease. Many of Kolek's minutes have been shared with starters Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby .
Towns is averaging 5.81 more points per 100 possessions when he shares the floor with Kolek, according to PBP Stats.
Anunoby's scoring increases by 9.85 points per 100 possessions in the same scenarios.
Since being drafted in the second round of the 2024 NBA Draft, Kolek's role has been inconsistent with New York.
Last season, due to a Miles McBride injury, Kolek emerged around the NBA Cup and played a significant role in the Knicks' Cup championship win.
He saw regular rotation minutes until the middle of January.
The Knicks acquired Alvarado in a trade deadline deal with the New Orleans Pelicans, pushing Kolek further down the depth chart.
Though it is unclear when Alvarado will return from his injury, he will be back eventually. It creates a competition at the backup point guard slot.
With Brunson averaging 35 minutes a night through the last four seasons, there's very limited space to find time for both guards.
Add in a small-ish backcourt contributors like McBride, Landry Shamet and Jordan Clarkson , and it seems like a crowded backcourt.
Kolek and Alvarado are very different players. Kolek is a floor general with crafty passes and creative finishes around the basket to make up for his lack of athleticism. Alvarado is more of a defensive playmaker, creating havoc with steals.
Despite his diminutive stature, Alvarado can situationally guard players larger than him. Both players are inconsistent as three-point shooters but have proven to be capable enough to garner some respect from defenses.
It's a good problem to have. The Knicks have relied on the bench to step up in key situations. Last year's run to the championship saw several reserves have individual moments in specific games or series.
Brown said in training camp that outside of the starting five, players would be fighting for minutes. Kolek and Alvarado will see some time on the floor this season. Who plays the best will likely earn more time.
Source: Sports
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