The streak is 4! The New York Knicks took down the New Orleans Pelicans 116 to 106. The Knicks did damage in transition, with second-chance points, and especially from three.
The Pelicans forced New York to work from the perimeter in half-court situations; the roster’s shooters responded. It wasn’t as easy as a double-digit lead might suggest. While the Knicks maintained a lead for most of the night, New Orleans stayed close throughout. Whenever the Pelicans made a run, Tom Thibodeau’s crew found a hot hand to feed and break the momentum. Defense made the difference as New York held the Peli’s to 17 in a decisive fourth quarter.
Julius Randle was a star once again, and the bench showed up big. Derrick Rose and Alec Burks came through at key moments. The rest of the cast made contributions in different ways. The Pelicans put pressure on New York to execute, and the Garden gang answered. Let’s run it back and see how the Knicks picked up their first four-game streak of the season.
Knicks starters keep it close despite being outperformed
Elfrid Payton: Elfrid Payton’s biggest moments of the game came on the offensive glass. Not once, but twice, Elfrid turned a bad shot from a teammate into two points purely off effort. He was good on the glass in general and threw in some playmaking. The starting point guard was outperformed by some bench guards, but he turned in a respectable effort of his own.
Payton rocked for 20 minutes, pumping in 11 points, 4 assists, and 7 rebounds without a turnover. The guard shot 5/11 from the field, 0/1 from three, and 1/2 from the free-throw line. He struggled to finish off the dribble in half-court sets, but the Pelicans interior defense did that to every slasher. Elfrid still found success by attacking in transition and with those two cutbacks. It was just enough to call his night efficient.
The point guard’s night wasn’t perfect. New York’s starting line-up was outscored by its opposing starters. Payton wasn’t to blame. He wasn’t guarding Zion or Ingram and didn’t have much to do with RJ Barrett’s struggles. Elfrid did a solid job, nothing more or less. He comes away with a 2.5 out of 5.
Reggie Bullock: RJ Barrett’s tough night meant that someone else had to step up. It was Reggie Bullock that answered the call, hitting jumpers every chance he got. Bullock started with a three and a midrange jumper early on. The Pelicans focused their defense inside. That meant Bully would find space and opportunities often. The scoring would prove crucial as Reggie was the second leading scorer most of the way.
Bullock put up 16 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 turnover in 35 minutes. He shot 6/10 from the field and 4/7 from three. Reggie was efficient as can be. His threes were often well-timed to carry New York through brief slumps and grab momentum. The wing also threw some nice passes, assisting Randle on a three that reversed their usual two-man approach to attacking the defense.
I could nitpick and complain that Ingram had a good game while Bullock guarded him, but that’s a reach. Ingram is one of my favorite young players in the league, a fantastic scorer that teams barely contain these days. The real story is about Reggie stepping up to cover for RJ’s missing scoring in a manner similar to Payton in the last one. This run has been about players stepping up when they’re needed. Reggie Bullock’s game against the Pelicans is a perfect example. He gets a 3.5 out of 5 for his big shooting contribution.
RJ Barrett: RJ Barrett had his second tough night in a row. That shouldn’t be too surprising given the nature of New Orleans’ defense. Their defensive focus inside was a natural counter to Barrett’s typical approach. Barrett’s jumper is a work in progress. It fell short for him in this match-up, meaning he was stuck driving into traffic for the one lay-up he converted. RJ drew an and-one on that make. He had to slog the rest of the way.
Barrett saw his night cut short through a combination of his own struggles and Alec Burks’ fourth-quarter magic. RJ played 28 minutes and managed 6 points, 4 boards, 1 assist, 2 steals, 1 block, and 1 turnover. He shot 2/10 from the field, 1/3 from three, and 1/1 from the free-throw line. This was not a pretty game, but there were a couple of late-shot clock bailouts mixed in, and he had a tough finish called back by an offensive foul. Those plays are the difference between 38% from the field and 20%…not that 38% is good either.
If we’re talking impact, Barrett’s was poor. He never got into a groove and didn’t have the jumper to help breakthrough. We’ve seen his development so far, and I don’t believe it’s something to worry about long term. This was a second game where the sophomore struggled but didn’t force as much as it might seem. Three starters matched or took more attempts than he did and his worst takes were clock-related. That doesn’t absolve the bad game, but it’s a silver lining. RJ closes with an impact grade of 1.5 out of 5.
Julius Randle: The Knicks’ MVP is a monster against his old teams. Julius Randle dropped a thirty bomb on his second former team in a row. He did so despite the Pelicans throwing everything inside to deter him. That meant that Randle didn’t look so efficient on the field goal percentage but scored through force of will. His jumper was locked in from early in the night, which made things a bit easier. My only complaint is that he had to find most of his points the hard way, either through jumpers or in traffic.
Randle finished with 32 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, and 4 turnovers in 42 minutes. He shot 11/26 from the field, 5/8 from three, and 5/5 from the line. I’m still not happy about the turnovers, but this was a step up from the two previous games. Randle sometimes sees the double coming but tries to wait too long for defenders to close. It limits his passing angles and leads to ugly turnovers or bad shots. That’s the one place that I’d like to see him improve over recent performances.
Randle outperformed Zion in their star-studded match-up. Zion was an absolute force in the first half, but the Knicks adjusted. Randle picked up some sloppy fouls despite help defense, but he was always physical with his incredibly strong opponent. By the fourth quarter, Williamson was only getting points on the foul line. Meanwhile, Randle his some clutch shots and made some clutch passes as the game wore on. The gap between the two was that Julius Randle never faded. He gets a 4 out of 5 on the night’s impact score.
Taj Gibson: Nerlens Noel was a late scratch from the lineup with a sore ankle. That set the stage for Taj Gibson to start and play extended minutes in another strong performance. Taj had his hands full with the Zion/Adams frontcourt but fought back. The thing that sets Gibson apart from Noel, and Mitch, for that matter, is that he can do a lot more with the ball in his hands. Taj picked up assists and wasn’t afraid to take a few dribbles if he received the ball in a tough spot. He’s not relegated to rim running, although that’s still part of his bag.
Taj rocked for 35 minutes and put up 8 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 blocks without a turnover. He shot 4/5 from the field and 0/1 from the line. The big man came up big. One of his blocks created a fast break that turned into three points for Reggie Bullock…my frequent readers will know that I adore defense turning into offense.
The Knicks are depleted up front. Mitchell Robinson is still out indefinitely, and Nerlens Noel’s injury was an unpleasant surprise. That magnifies Taj Gibson’s impact against New Orleans and his effect all season. Taj signed up to be the third-string vet but quickly found himself playing significant backup minutes. He didn’t shrink or struggle but rose to the occasion instead. Similarly, the Knicks’ elder statesman took a starting role in stride and set the tone in the paint. He gets a 3.5 out of 5 for a big impact when Tom Thibodeau had few other options.
New York’s second unit makes the difference in a win
Derrick Rose: The nicest plays of the game weren’t Zion dunks, or Randle dazzles, but Derrick Rose’s transition buckets. He had a nifty behind the back gather for a fast break lay-up in the first half. On a second-half fast-break finish, Rose dropped an opponent and used the Marbury gather to protect the rock through contact. Those are the brightest highlights, but he had plenty of nice ball handling, passing, and finishing moments.
Rose put up 11 points, 4 assists, 4 rebounds, 2 steals, and 1 block without any turnovers. He shot poorly, 5/14 from the field and 1/4 from three. The efficiency shouldn’t fool you though; Rose was excellent. The Knicks’ played at a faster pace when the former MVP helmed the offense, and he balanced his own touches with IQs in the first half and Alec Burks’ in the second half. That helped the tandem to one of their best-combined efforts so far.
Rose’s legs are coming back as well. He put up a huge series of buckets to close the third quarter, propelling the second unit when New Orleans had some momentum. The former Bull made some plays in the fourth quarter but let Alec Burks do the heavy lifting. That meant that Rose’s legs were good enough to play the entire fourth. He wasn’t efficient numbers-wise, but his impact was undeniably positive. Derrick Rose gets a 3 out of 5 on the night.
Immanuel Quickley: Immanuel Quickley saw just 11 minutes on the night but flashed his most promising trait. He knocked down 2 threes and a technical free throw in a strong first half. Then IQ all but vanished in the second half, ceding touches to the hot hands of Rose and Burks. That meant a quick hook after posting 7 points on 2/5 shooting.
But look at that three-pointer. It’s a catch-and-shoot in transition from way behind the three-point line. That kind of shot is unguardable, and IQ has the exact same range off-the-dribble. It doesn’t erase the fact that Quickley’s minutes have been dipping, but it’s a nice reminder about where his potential lies.
Alec Burks: Alec Burks was in his fourth-quarter bag. He dropped 14 points in the closing quarter, seeming to cash buckets in any time New Orleans got close. He was great on the boards before that run but didn’t stand out anywhere else. Burks actually missed some wide-open corner threes early on, despite them being his easiest looks of the night. After a trip to the free-throw line in the third quarter, his jumper came alive and made him the focal point of a fantastic fourth quarter.
Burks added 21 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal in just 22 minutes of action. He shot 7/12 from the field, 4/7 from three, and 3/3 from the free-throw line. He was quiet through three quarters, but not bad. Once the scorer started to play with aggression late, he applied pressure that the Pelicans couldn’t answer. My favorite part was a simple swing pass to Randle. Burks passed to Randle and cut the opposite direction, rewarding New York’s star with a rare isolation attempt that became an and-one. Alec Burks’ gravity helped free Randle up.
The numbers don’t lie in this case. Burks put up 21 points in 22 minutes and on just 12 attempts. His fourth-quarter scoring has become a crucial piece to New York’s success. With RJ benched to close last night, Burks looks like one of only two sure-things to end games. Randle and Burks are the closers. He’s continuing a trend of great rebounding from the perimeter as well. Alec Burks grabs a 4 out of 5 on impact grade.
Obi Toppin: Obi Toppin barely got his feet wet in this one. He got 6 minutes overall, most coming in the first half. Toppin attempted a three and missed, but it was a rhythm shot at least. With Randle in blackout mode and tough defensive match-ups inside, Thibs played it safe and cut Obi’s minutes.
Norvel Pelle: With an opportunity to step up, Norvel Pelle filled the backup Center role effectively. Pelle blocked Zion Williamson as soon as he got on the floor and continued to fill in as an active big all game long. He played short minutes but was visible both rebounding and defending the rim during his stint
Pelle came just short of the impact score range. He played 13 minutes and added 4 points, 3 rebounds, 1 steal, and 1 block. He made 2/3 attempts. It probably wouldn’t have hurt for the 10-day contract big to play a few more minutes…He sets good screens.
Trusting Tom Thibodeau to guide the ship home
Tom Thibodeau: Coach of the Year typically goes to a top contending team’s leader. The Suns and Jazz have overachieved enough to push Tom Thibodeau’s name down a notch in the discussion. But I truly believe that Tom Thibodeau has had the biggest impact of any coach in the league this year. Thibs has found a different closing line-up in each game of this winning streak. He keeps a couple of pieces the same in Burks and Randle, but everything else comes down to performance and circumstance.
Against New Orleans, Thibodeau went away from RJ Barrett. That’s a risky move considering that RJ has been New York’s second-best player. But Barrett didn’t have it going, and the Pelicans had let perimeter players shoot all night. That makes it completely understandable that Alec Burks and Reggie Bullock closed out the game as floor stretchers with Derrick Rose at the point. We might sing a different tune if that unit didn’t work so well…but it worked and closed out a win.
There weren’t too many stand-out decisions besides that closing unit. Thibs did cut into some young guys’ minutes, but it was understandable with the way certain shooters were going. He got the most out of his players and didn’t force extra burdens on the guys who were cold. Thibs pulled off a relatively comfortable win without his second option performing well. That’s a testament to the job he did. Tom Thibodeau gets a 3.5 out of 5 on the night and a 5 out of 5 on the season so far.
Closing Thoughts: The good vibes are in full effect with New York’s first 4-game win streak of the season. This victory puts New York in the sixth seed, safe from play-in-game territory for now. A top ten seed is all but guaranteed with a 7 game cushion and just 16 to go. The Knicks can control their own destiny to avoid a play-in game and focus on an immediate postseason match-up…but their schedule is TOUGH.
There are no gimme’s the rest of the way, and the gap from 8th to 4th place is slim as can be. New York has a tougher schedule than its closest competitors, but it also has a chance to see many of them before this is over. That puts a spotlight on Tom Thibodeau as much as anyone else. Teams are worn down now but know their identities. Everyone is hungry, and Thibodeau has to keep his boys locked in. The good news is that he’s given us every reason to believe he’ll do his part and that the players will do theirs.
Dallas is next as the Knicks chase their first 5-game win streak in the last 7 years (shout out to Tommy Beer for this fact). It would be the epitome of irony for New York to notch a winning streak longer than any that KP ever led it to by beating KP. But beating the Mavs is a task as tall as Porzingis. The Knicks lost by double-digits to Dallas at MSG, and Luka Doncic has exploded throughout April. I’m counting on Thibodeau to plot a defense that puts Doncic and his former Knick teammates to the test! I haven’t been this excited for a regular-season game in years. I’ll see you there fam!
