The New York Knicks defeated the Toronto Raptors 136-130. Julius Randle had a major outing while Quentin Grimes still thrives off the bench.
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In a fast-paced shootout, the New York Knicks outgunned the Toronto Raptors 136 to 130. New York’s starting line-up changed again, as Mitchell Robinson will miss at least eight weeks after ankle surgery. That left the Knicks’ defense and rebounding with voids to fill, but it also gave the offense additional space to work with. The result was a high-scoring affair in which New York’s big three thrived on offense.
The second unit played without Immanuel Quickley–he was sidelined with knee inflammation. But Quentin Grimes continued to thrive in his new role off the bench, while Josh Hart and Isaiah Hartenstein stepped up their intensity to cover for missing teammates.
Nobody played defense particularly well, but the Knicks’ offense carried the day. Let’s take a closer look at everyone’s performance.
The Knicks lose another starter but still look strong
Jalen Brunson: 21 PTS (7/12 FG, 3/5 3PT, 4/6 FT), 9 AST, 2 REB, 1 STL, 7 TO in 37 mins
Jalen Brunson played despite a sore ankle and put together a solid performance. He shot less than usual, choosing to feed hot-handed teammates to the tune of 9 assists. But when Brunson shot, he was efficient. Brunson knocked down his three-pointers and hit his typical mix of midrange jumpers and close-distance layups.
The ankle issues became more apparent as fatigue set in. New York’s star knocked down important shots in crunch time, but he was unusually careless with the ball. Brunson turned the ball over on back-to-back plays in the final minutes, which turned a comfortable win into a race to the finish. You won’t catch many games from Brunson with 7 turnovers.
Brunson overcame his ankle injury to turn in a fine performance. Of course, fine is a step below our typical expectations from the Knicks’ star. But 21 points and 9 assists proved to be plenty, and Brunson gets a 2.5 out of 5 for his positive impact.
Donte DiVincenzo: 3 PTS (1/2 FG, 1/2 3PT), 5 AST, 4 REB, 1 BLK, 1 TO in 18 mins
Donte DiVincenzo barely shot the ball but found other ways to impact the game. He didn’t shoot in the first half and had to force a three-pointer up to register a field goal in the third quarter. That doesn’t mean his touches were down. DiVincenzo played the connector role, running to open space as a safety option for ball-handlers and quickly moving the ball to open shooters and cutters.
DiVo also provided a respectable level of support on the boards. His 4 rebounds came in addition to several loose balls that he helped bat away from would-be offensive rebounders. That proved to be critical, with Toronto attacking the offensive glass often.
DiVincenzo’s minutes fell, mainly because the other wings played too well to rest. The new starting SG provided a solid production level despite limited scoring opportunities, and that’s worth a 2 out of 5 in a short time.
RJ Barrett: 27 PTS (11/21 FG, 3/8 3PT, 2/4 FT), 2 AST, 3 REB, 1 STL, 1 BLK, 1 TO in 32 mins
RJ Barrett took time to get going but looked like a force when he figured things out. Barrett started the game struggling to hit open jumpers but thrived finishing in transition. He made just 1 of his first 6 attempts from long range but made up for poor shooting with clever attacks off the dribble.
Barrett and Josh Hart sparked a run to end the third quarter that continued into the fourth. Broadway Barrett went 4/4 to start the fourth before resting and went back to scoring upon returning. When all was said and done, RJ had 27 points on 52 percent from the field and even knocked down his last two three-point attempts.
Despite only 2 assists, Barrett’s passing looked strong as well. He didn’t force the issue, as he fed open players or resetting the offense when lanes were clogged. His defense was also solid, though Scottie Barnes shot over him when they isolated. The complete package leads to a strong 4 out of 5 for RJ on the night.
Julius Randle: 34 PTS (14/21 FG, 1/3 3PT, 5/7 FT), 5 AST, 8 REB, 3 TO in 35 mins
My favorite part of the KFTV postgame show was watching CP and Alex debate whether Julius Randle’s performance warranted a perfect score. Randle dominated a Raptor’s defense, which seemed hesitant to double. The extra time to operate saw Randle posting up opponents and scoring inside seemingly at will. Randle is unstoppable in isolation, and that’s been the case for a couple of weeks now.
But we’re spoiled by Randle’s scoring by now. The big man’s value shines on nights when he’s working at everything else, adding to his impact. On that note, Randle was tough on the glass and hustled to his closeouts. When the Raptors were forced to close in on him, Randle was happy to feed teammates for open threes.
So, Randle turned in a fantastic all-around performance that included his best effort on defense in some time. The only reason to dock his score is that the competition wasn’t great, and the game’s pace exaggerated everyone’s production. But this is as close to a flawless performance as we could ask for, so I’m taking Alex’s side of the debate and giving Randle a perfect 5 out of 5.
Jericho Sims: 2 PTS (1/2 FG), 1 AST, 7 REB in 21 mins
Jericho Sims stepped in for the injured Mitchell Robinson. He quickly got into the action by setting screens and providing handoffs to ball-handlers. While Sims didn’t match Robinson’s outsized impact, our youngest center competed well.
Sims may have started, but he received backup minutes. That muted Sims’ impact compared to a typical starter. But the young center looked comfortable sliding around the floor, setting screens, and grabbing boards. He had trouble keeping Poeltl off the glass, but that’s a tough job for anyone. Overall, Sims gets a 2 out of 5 for a decent night in his first start of the season.
New York’s second unit shines despite IQ’s absence
Miles McBride: 3 PTS (1/2 FG, 1/1 3PT), 3 AST in 10 mins
Miles McBride received spot minutes covering for Immanuel Quickley’s role in the rotation. McBride didn’t have to do much heavy lifting because Josh Hart and Quentin Grimes handled the second-unit offense. But that left Deuce with the freedom to take a couple of shots and move the ball within the flow of the offense. McBride’s 3 points and 3 assists are nice production for just 10 minutes of action.
Deuce also flashed his pressure defense in the limited time we saw. He’s a talented young defender, and I’m curious to see how the second unit looks if McBride and Grimes are chasing perimeter players for extended periods.
Quentin Grimes: 19 PTS (7/11 FG, 5/7 3PT), 1 AST, 3 REB in 27 mins
The Quentin Grimes revival continued against Toronto. Grimes matched his season-high for made three-pointers in a game while setting a new season-high for three-point efficiency. But the jumpers would always come; Grimes attacking off the dribble felt more promising.
Grimes used off-ball cuts along the baseline to start attacking the paint. He added some transition drives and a few pump fake and goes. This is as close to the explosive first step from last season as we’ve seen from Grimes.
Grimes’ defense is a foregone conclusion by now, and his 3 rebounds are as many as he’d grabbed in all but two games before this. He’s instantly acclimated to his new role, and it proved crucial with Immanuel Quickley out. Grimes gets a 3.5 out of 5 for a solid night off the bench.
Josh Hart: 16 PTS (6/8 FG, 3/3 3PT, 1/2 FT), 8 AST, 7 REB, 1 STL, 1 TO in 31 mins
Every time Josh Hart entered the game, New York’s pace picked up. He applied pressure on defense, fought for rebounds, and then turned those boards into transition attacks. Hart was relentless whether he had the ball or not and powered his way through crowds of defenders. Sometimes, his forays into traffic led to athletic finishes; other times, he kicked the ball to open players for easy buckets.
I’m cutting my praise for everything else short because Hart’s three-point shooting deserves a highlight. He shot without hesitation, getting into his form and shooting comfortably. It’s a far cry from the way he started the season.
Hart’s game is full of confidence and impact. He finally looks like the player Leon Rose acquired last season. Hart picks up a 4 out of 5 for his outsized impact and energy.
Isaiah Hartenstein: 11 PTS (4/7 FG, 3/4 FT), 2 AST, 8 REB, 2 STL, 1 BLK, 2 TO in 27 mins
Isaiah Hartenstein stepped up to fill the void left by Mitchell Robinson. The big man continued to come off the bench, but he entered the game earlier and stayed on the floor longer. I-Hart’s ability to space the floor and promote ball movement shined throughout the night. He threw a beautiful lead pass to Quentin Grimes (it’s the second play in the clip below).
Big Hart’s rebounding was solid rather than great. His positioning could still be fine-tuned for even more impact. He also missed a few bunnies despite being a force in the lane. These minor quibbles aren’t meant to take away from his performance but rather to point out that he can improve upon an already strong impact.
I almost left out defense because Hartenstein’s defense is almost as guaranteed as Grimes’ or McBride’s. I-Hart’s 3 Stocks feel expected because he’s consistently good on defense. Hartenstein’s all-around impact earns an easy 3.5 out of 5.
Tom Thibodeau gets an easy victory
There’s not much to say about Tom Thibodeau’s night. His offense was rolling, and the Knicks led for most of the action. He had a relatively easy night, with his most eventful moment being a late challenge on a 50/50 foul call.
I have downstream concerns about the Knicks’ drop coverage without Mitchell Robinson’s length to make it work. But I’ll let this rotation have time before I assume the worst.
Closing Thoughts
Even with New York’s winning record, this felt like a much-needed win. The ugly losses to Milwaukee and Boston were a tough pill to swallow. Throw in the injuries and some player complaints about their roles, and this team needed a dose of optimism. Now, they’re up to the sixth seed and two games out of a top-four seed.
The Knicks have proven they can beat bad teams, but these wins matter. They’ll get one more losing opponent before the schedule becomes brutal, but that means plenty of opportunities against tougher competition. The “put up or shut up” part of the schedule is about to arrive.
The Utah Jazz are next, and a win would add more cushion to an otherwise rough stretch of the schedule. We’ll see how the Knicks hold up, and I’ll be here to recap the action. See you next time, Knicks fam!
Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below! Stay tuned to KnicksFanTV.com for the latest Knicks news, rumors, and recaps throughout the NBA season. Subscribe to the newsletter for KFTV content and events, shop discounts, and more at bit.ly/kftvmail. And in case you missed it, check out CP the Fanchise’s interview with Fred Katz!
