The New York Knicks defeated the Los Angeles Clippers 111-97. The Knicks bounced back with big performances from RJ Barrett and Julius Randle.
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The New York Knicks put together their best performance of the season while defeating the Los Angeles Clippers 111 to 97. The Clippers arrived with Russell Westbrook, Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, and newly acquired star James Harden. But RJ Barrett and Julius Randle were the best players on the floor. The Clippers stars kept the game close for most of three quarters, but New York’s second unit closed the door with a run to start the fourth.
Ironically, the Knicks looked out of sync throughout the first quarter. The Clippers’ defensive prowess and pressure led to uncharacteristically high turnovers for New York’s ball-handlers, but that forced everyone to make fast decisions and move with purpose. The trial by fire led to New York’s most complete performance, including its best ball movement of the season.
The best part of the win is that Jalen Brunson had a challenging game, but the Knicks picked him up. Let’s see how everyone fared in the action.
The Knicks find rhythm even as Brunson struggles
Jalen Brunson: 7 PTS (2/12 FG, 1/3 3PT, 2/2 FT), 6 AST, 3 REB, 3 STL, 4 TO in 35
The Clippers came prepared to stop Jalen Brunson as they threw many defensive looks his way. The diminutive guard faced a revolving door of quality defenders with help nearby. That pressure led Brunson to 4 turnovers and one of his least efficient shooting performances as a Knick.Â
But Brunson is a leader, which meant finding ways to contribute without scoring. He let his teammates handle the attack, slipping to third in shot attempts while leading the starters in assists. Brunson also played the passing lanes exceptionally well, picking up 3 steals and pushing the pace after each.
The Knicks have ebbed and flowed with Jalen Brunson’s performance since he arrived. His early struggles have been a significant part of New York’s slow start. But New York picked him up this time, and he proved willing and able to slide into a support role if that helped win. Brunson gets 1.5 out of 5 for poor shooting and turnovers, but his effort was commendable.
Quentin Grimes: 3 PTS (1/4 FG, 1/4 3PT), 1 REB, 1 STL, 1 TO in 21 mins
Quentin Grimes followed his best performance of the season with a clunker. Grimes faded back to obscurity, going invisible for long spells of action. When we did get a glimpse of Quentin Grimes on offense, he was willfully shooting but missing even his most open looks.
That wouldn’t be so bad if Grimes contributed tertiary production. But he finished with just one rebound and zero assists. His defense has been fantastic, keeping his impact above water. But Grimes has to find meaningful production elsewhere.
The defensive stopper lost minutes to the best defender off the bench, Josh Hart. Hart was more productive across the board without losing much on defense. That will happen more if Grimes can’t knock down his jumper and contribute meaningfully beyond defense. Grimes gets a 1 of 5 for his worst game of the season.
RJ Barrett: 26 PTS (9/16 FG, 2/4 3PT, 6/6 FT), 4 AST, 6 REB, 5 TO in 31 mins
The Knicks welcomed RJ Barrett, and the young prospect continued his ascent. Barrett scored the Knicks’ first four points before encountering trouble with LA’s quality defenders. Any time RJ slowed down, someone snuck up behind him for a steal or slid into a passing lane to force him into a trap.Â
Congrats to RJ for becoming the youngest Knick to reach 5000 points.
But Broadway Barrett adjusted by making faster decisions whether he shot the ball, drove, or whipped a dime to a teammate. RJ’s ball movement looked remarkably crisp with the second unit, where cutters abound. He settled into an offensive rhythm as well, finishing some difficult shots around the rim and even attempting a couple of midrange jumpers that expanded his threat despite not falling.
RJ Barrett doesn’t look markedly different from a skill perspective. But there’s a maturity to his game that we’ve never seen before. He’s adjusting faster, seeing the floor better, and maximizing the value of his tools. Those are good signs that he’s making a leap rather than just having a nice streak. RJ gets a 4 of 5, which would be higher without the turnovers.
Julius Randle: 27 PTS (9/21 FG, 3/8 3PT, 6/6 FT), 3 AST, 10 REB, 6 TO in 36 mins
Julius Randle finally kicked into gear against the LA Clippers. He led the Knicks in scoring, but more importantly, Randle played faster and with more reckless abandon. He drove into the teeth of the Clippers and wrecking balled through the paint without the hesitation that held him back in previous games.
Randle’s quick moves led to some downsides. He turned the ball over off the dribble more than a few times and was blocked on some forays into the paint. But his approach led to his best offensive outing of the season by far. His intensity carried over into effort on the glass and fewer defensive mishaps.
This looked a lot like last season’s Randle. The big man overpowered Kawhi Leonard and Paul George while beating Ivica Zubac with finesse. Randle’s a unique athlete and an unstoppable one when he’s locked in. Randle gets a 4 of 5 for carrying the scoring load along with RJ.
Mitchell Robinson: 13 PTS (6/10 FG, 1/1 FT), 15 REB, 4 STL in 35 mins
Mitchell Robinson might be the unsung hero of this game, as Barrett and Randle steal the headlines. But when the Knicks’ offense started cold, Mitch fought to earn second chances that helped everyone warm up. Robinson grabbed 9 offensive boards–15 rebounds in total. That’s especially impressive, considering Ivica Zubac and Mason Plumlee are genuine big men who couldn’t keep Mitch off the glass.
Robinson turned in his highest-scoring performance of the season behind those offensive boards. But his teammates also made a better effort to find him; even a mistimed lob from Randle found its way into the basket.
To top it all off, Mitch was brilliant defensively. His active hands led to 4 steals, while no one other than Russell Westbrook got much going around the rim while Mitch defended. Robinson is having an All-NBA Defensive Team start to his season. He gets a 3.5 out of 5 because I’m waiting for those offensive rebounds to turn into kickout assists to score him higher.
New York’s bench makes a fourth-quarter run
Immanuel Quickley: 7 PTS (3/5 FG, 1/3 3PT), 5 AST, 1 REB in 20 mins
Immanuel Quickley played a strong game without pumping in gaudy stats. He had his offense going for the few attempts when he pressed but seemed happy to share the rock with teammates with hot hands. That helped IQ to 5 assists and an efficient 7 points.
Quickley’s defense fits perfectly with the second unit’s identity. The wings apply pressure, and Quick might be the best off-ball defender on the squad–watch him maneuver through screens, hedge, and slide into passing lanes.
I don’t have more to add because Quickley didn’t have anything to complain about or nitpick. He played a controlled game that boosted teammates. IQ gets a 3 of 5 for a solid night.
Donte DiVincenzo: 12 PTS (4/6 FG, 3/5 3PT, 1/2 FT), 1 AST, 6 REB, 1 STL, 1 BLK, 1 TO in 16 mins
Donte DiVincenzo was active from the moment he hit the floor, and that rapid activity led to positive results throughout his minutes. DiVincenzo grabbed some rebounds he had no business stealing from taller guys like Paul George and completed the plays by running along the perimeter until teammates found him open.
DiVincenzo’s 12 points and 6 boards aren’t massive numbers, but he produced them in just 16 minutes. That production comes with an assist, a steal, and a block. He was everywhere, and the entire second unit dominated their counterparts for LA. DD gets a 3 of 5 for being a glue piece for the bench.
Josh Hart: 10 PTS (4/9 FG, 1/4 3PT, 1/1 FT), 7 AST, 3 REB, 2 STL, 2 TO in 32 mins
Josh Hart saw extended minutes thanks to an impressive overall effort. His constant motion and willful passing helped everyone else find a rhythm. Hart set a breakneck pace on every transition, making clever passes up the floor for quick and easy dimes. When he saw holes on the court, the former Blazer grabbed the ball and took those spaces, which led to his second double-digit scoring night of the season.
As fun as Hart’s offense was, his defense was just as impressive. Tom Thibodeau could afford to lean on Hart over Grimes because there wasn’t much lost on defense. Hart stayed on the Clippers’ wings, and his strength may have made him even more effective.
This is Hart’s third straight game filling the stat sheet. His speed and intensity have found their way back to last season’s fun pace. Hart gets a 3.5 for contributing on both sides of the court.
Isaiah Hartenstein: 6 PTS (3/5 FG), 2 AST, 3 REB, 2 STL in 13 mins
Isaiah Hartenstein didn’t play much, but that’s only because Mitchell Robinson was brilliant. Despite short minutes, Hartenstein looked just as prepared to wreak havoc. His contributions aren’t tremendous, but like DiVincenzo, he put together contributions across the stat line in limited minutes. I-Hart’s impact is worth a 2.5 out of 5, even with just 13 minutes of floor time.
Tom Thibodeau’s challenges set a tone
Tom Thibodeau didn’t have to do much with his rotation. He gave Josh Hart some of Quentin Grimes’ minutes and extended Mitchell Robinson’s time on the floor. Both moves make sense in the context of the players’ performances.
The more significant move for Thibodeau was a challenge when Hart was called for a blocking foul. Coaches have a habit of hanging onto their challenges, but Thibs made an aggressive play that paid off. The block turned into a charge. Thibodeau would make another challenge that failed, but I like his quick trigger to fight momentum-harming calls.
Closing Thoughts
The season is still early, but this was the best performance by far. The Clippers brought four stars to the Garden, and the Knicks ran those guys off the floor by the midway point of the fourth quarter. New York’s defense has been elite all season, and their offense finally caught up. Now imagine this team when Jalen Brunson breaks through his slow start.
If RJ Barrett and Mitchell Robinson maintain their level of play, this team can climb to new heights. The Knicks need Jalen Brunson to be Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle to find his form, but those should be expectations, not hopes. We’ve finally got a glimpse of this team’s potential, and it’s higher than prognosticators like Charles Barkley are willing to admit.
The Spurs are next with a unique challenge. San Antonio has a 6’8″ point guard and a 7’4″ power forward. The Knicks must prove they can overcome a severe height deficit in this one. I’m looking forward to the challenge. I’ll see you next time, Knicks fam!
Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below! Also, stay tuned to KnicksFanTV.com for the latest Knicks news, rumors, and recaps throughout the NBA season. And in case you missed it, check out CP and Alan Hahn discuss potential trade candidates for the Knick!
