The New York Knicks defeated the Memphis Grizzlies 106-94. After sleepwalking in the first half, New York pulled themselves together to win.
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The New York Knicks took down a depleted Memphis Grizzlies 106 to 94. I’ve seen sharper execution in recent Summer League tournament finals. The Knicks played sloppy basketball and trailed at half to a Grizzlies’ line-up more akin to the Bad News Bears than the playoff team from last year. But the Knicks took care of business in the second half, winning an ugly affair by double-digits.
The Knicks without Jalen Brunson are a different team. Julius Randle was doubled relentlessly, and his usual shooters, Donte DiVincenzo and OG Anunoby, struggled in their own right. Luckily, Miles McBride and Isaiah Hartenstein picked everyone up. Malachi Flynn gave the bench a shot in the arm that its regular contributors failed to provide.
This was a strange game, so let’s get straight to some player performances.
New York’s starters turn the ball over without their lead ball handler
Miles McBride: 19 pts (7/10 FG, 4/7 3PT, 1/2 FT), 5 AST, 6 REB, 1 STL, 1 BLK, 3 TO in 38 mins
Miles McBride is the bright spot of this entire game. He started his night with a pair of threes and stayed aggressive with the ball in his hands. McBride showed new wrinkles to his game, attacking off the dribble to get into the paint for mixed results. He finished inside and picked up a few dimes but scattered turnovers with the good moments.
McBride’s passing is worth focusing on. He showed drive and kick ability, but it often came with jump passes in the lane. So, Deuce hit rough patches if he jumped with the passing lanes clogged. But we saw a willingness to attack and make heads-up passes from the middle. McBride’s next step will be to keep his dribble during those sequences.
We knew Deuce could catch and shoot, and we’ve always known he can defend. His playmaking and rebounding showed flashes of promise we haven’t seen at this level. He gets a 4 out of 5 for a promising all-around performance.
Donte DiVincenzo: 13 PTS (4/14 FG, 3/11 3PT, 2/3 FT), 4 AST, 3 REB, 4 STL, 2 TO in 33 mins
Donte DiVincenzo brought a solid effort with somewhat disappointing results. His jumper never found a consistent rhythm, which sapped his impact. He knocked some threes down but shot below 27 percent on attempts from distance.
I expected DiVo to step up his playmaking in Brunson’s absence. He attacked off the dribble slightly more but didn’t get many results. The Big Ragu looked more comfortable when he could revert to off-ball duties. He didn’t provide as much tertiary playmaking as I’d hoped for.
This could be an off night with a new group of players for DiVo. But it was an uninspiring performance regardless. DiVincenzo gets a 2 out of 5 for an inefficient night.
OG Anunoby: 18 PTS (7/15 FG, 1/4 3PT, 3/4 FT), 2 AST, 5 REB, 1 STL, 4 BLK, 4 TO in 32 mins
OG Anunoby took his opportunity to attack more and generated a few nice looks at the rim. But his bag is limited, as most of his moves to the basket were simple and direct. There’s nothing wrong with simplicity, but Anunoby ran into crowds that forced him to miss shots and commit turnovers.
While OG didn’t look suited to play second-fiddle in an offense, he showed a little of everything. He looked comfortable getting three-pointers off, even while shooting poorly. Anunoby got to the rim, thanks to overpowering his initial defenders, and never stopped looking for cutters to pass to.
Anunoby didn’t play his best game but still contributed to winning. He did a bit of everything, leading to more good results than bad. OG picks up a 3 out of 5 for a pleasant but underwhelming night.
Julius Randle: 24 PTS (9/21 FG, 1/6 3PT, 5/6 FT), 5 AST, 11 REB, 1 BLK, 6 TO in 36 mins
Julius Randle’s numbers feel reminiscent of his early years with the Knicks. He scored plenty but wasn’t efficient about it. He made some nice passes but turned the ball over more than he dimed. It looked like Randle before Brunson, which makes sense.
The Grizzlies crowded Randle constantly. They dared other players to beat them by forcing the ball out of Randle’s hands. New York’s big star had to work twice as hard as anyone else to produce, so his numbers are a minor miracle despite their flaws.
Randle’s defensive effort was frustrating, but I can’t blame him for the tough offensive night. Memphis keyed in on him throughout the game, and he still found moments to thrive and help. Randle gets a 2.5 out of 5 for dealing with a ton of pressure defense.
Isaiah Hartenstein: 12 PTS (5/6 FG, 2/4 FT), 2 AST, 20 REB, 2 STL, 4 BLK, 3 TO in 42 mins
Isaiah Hartenstein claims the top-billing as New York’s best player in this game. He cleaned up a lot of messes for New York. I-Hart blocked shots at the rim early and often, limiting the Grizzlies’ ability to attack in transition and score inside. Hartenstein’s defensive effort contrasted nicely with teammates who started the game sleepwalking.
Hartenstein’s offense came from hard work and solid chemistry with Miles McBride. Big Hart and McBride ran effective pick and rolls throughout the game, giving New York a go-to play for stability. The rest of Hartenstein’s scoring came from his overwhelming presence on the boards.
Hartenstein was great. He picked up a 20-rebound double-double while contributing 6 Stocks along the way. I can’t give a perfect score to a player with more turnovers than assists, but I-Hart came close. The Knicks’ center gets a 4.5 out of 5.
The Knicks’ second-unit regulars fail to inspire
Malachi Flynn: 9 PTS (4/5 FG, 1/2 3PT), 3 AST, 1 REB, 1 STL, 1 TO in 10 mins
Malachi Flynn capitalized on his first chance in the rotation. He contributed constant downhill pressure, finishing inside or kicking to open teammates. He took open jumpers with confidence and added a three.
If you’re wondering why Flynn didn’t play more despite his excellent efficiency, it comes down to defense. Flynn picked up three quick fouls and mixed in miscommunications on defense. The Knicks gave up as much as they scored with Flynn out there. So, Thibodeau benched Flynn in the second half.
Quentin Grimes: 3 PTS (1/5 FG, 1/4 3PT), 1 AST, 2 REB in 15 mins
Quentin Grimes disappointed me more than any other Knick. This seemed like a perfect opportunity to step up. But Grimes didn’t get much going, as his jumper was flat, and he failed to create off the dribble.
Grimes’ shot selection is easy to blame. He seemed determined to get shots off rather than attacking with the flow of things. New York needs him to be assertive but not to the point of forcing the issue.
I’ll chalk Grimes’ struggles to a lack of chemistry with a brand-new point guard. He’s looked better recently, and this was a strange night for everyone. Grimes gets a 1 out of 5, but I’m not worried about the off night.
Josh Hart: 8 PTS (3/7 FG, 2/4 3PT), 3 AST, 7 REB, 2 STL, 2 TO in 29 mins
Josh Hart played too out of control for my taste. The game became a track meet with him, but that played to Memphis’ advantage. The Grizzlies only sustained offense when they could run. Hart, meanwhile, wasn’t great on the break, finding more success with half-court catch-and-shoot opportunities for a change.
By contributing across the stat sheet, Hart stayed on the positive side of things. He grabbed more boards than anyone on Memphis and picked up some nice dimes off rebounds. His defense was good, not great. The total package is better than the individual parts.
Hart gets a 2.5 out of 5, but this was a rare case where slowing things down helped him.
Precious Achiuwa: 0 PTS, 1 REB, 1 BLK, 1 TO in 6 mins
Precious Achiuwa didn’t do much with the few minutes he got. It’s unfair to compare him to Hartenstein, but Precious has to play well enough to give I-Hart some breaks. If Thibodeau can’t get 15 minutes out of Achiuwa against this depleted Memphis team, then New York needs to bring in another big man.
Tom Thibodeau can’t be happy with that effort
I’d love to be a fly on the wall to hear what Tom Thibodeau said to the team at halftime (I like horror movies). Thibodeau saw his team get caught off-guard in Dallas, and they continued to underestimate a foe in Memphis. After halftime, New York’s effort suggested that Thibs must have said, more likely, screamed something compelling.
It’s tough to blame the Knicks for sleeping on an opposing team with limited options and primarily unknowns. But I’m alarmed that followed up a disappointing loss in Dallas with this effort. I expect better from a Thibodeau-coached team.
Closing Thoughts
The fanbase will hopefully co-sign my I’ll take it attitude. We’re entering the midseason doldrums, when bad teams hardly try to win, while good teams are more concerned with keeping everyone healthy. That happened here, with Jalen Brunson resting on a night when New York could get away with it. But watching the Knicks struggle showed the one flaw of the Toronto trade.
The Knicks gave up depth to improve their ceiling. They don’t have a lead playmaker without Brunson. If OG goes down, they’re even more undersized than before the trade. Isaiah Hartenstein is barely getting rest, and Randle doesn’t have a power forward backup on the bench.
The Knicks are built to be a scary playoff team, but health will determine their ability to stay threatening. Or maybe Leon Rose hasn’t finished making moves.
The Orlando Magic are next, and they’re in a spiral. After the past two performances, this feels like a trap game against a talented and desperate opponent. We’ll see if the Knicks take this game more seriously and cross our fingers that Brunson can go.
I’ll see you next time, Knicks fam!
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