The New York Knicks fall to the Charlotte Hornets 87-97. After a strong week of basketball, the Knicks came out sleepwalking in this one.
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The New York Knicks trailed by double-digits for the final thirty minutes of action as they lost to the Charlotte Hornets 87 to 97. The Knicks got off to a lackadaisical start while Charlotte played with fire from the opening tip. New York barely offered token resistance, allowing Miles Bridges to drop twenty in the first quarter while never piecing together enough buckets for a run of their own. The final score is closer than this game truly was.
The listless starters got a boost from Mitchell Robinson’s spirited effort. Off the bench, Obi Toppin finally found his way although it didn’t help his minutes much. The Knicks got caught sleeping in a matinee and reminded us of shortcomings we hadn’t seen in a while. Let’s look back and see where the Knicks need to improve to compete with the better teams in the conference.
The zone defense stifles New York’s starters again
Alec Burks: 6 PTS (1/4 FG, 1/4 3PT, 3/4 FT), 1 AST, 4 REB in 26 mins
We watched Alec Burks when he puts everything together in his match-up with the Hawks. He gave us the exact opposite against the Hornets, with nothing working. The Hornets went under most screens and played what was essentially a zone defense. That took away Burks’ ability to attack inside consistently. His few attempts came exclusively beyond the perimeter. That’s far from ideal from a player in the point-guard role.
To make matters worse, Burks’ defense was a complete disappointment. He played off Terry Rozier far too often, with even Mike Breen commenting on the issue. To end the first half, Burks got caught ball watching as Rozier cut across the court for a wide-open three. New York’s latest attempt at a starting point guard couldn’t create for teammates or himself and provided no resistance on defense.
Burks doesn’t have the best tools to beat a zone off the dribble. His catch-and-shoot prowess should help when others can create for him, but the Knicks don’t have a point guard at the moment. That leaves Burks playing outside his comfort zone and it showed against Charlotte. Burks gets a 1 out of 5 for lack of production and a badly lost match-up on defense.
Evan Fournier: 6 PTS (2/9 FG, 2/5 3PT), 2 AST, 1 REB, 1 BLK in 25 mins
At least Burks had more points than attempts. Evan Fournier is the best shooter on the team and that magnifies his importance against zone-style defenses. But the French wing’s jumper was inconsistent against closeouts and he got nothing going toward the rim. He was added to the roster this offseason to make it tougher to load up on Randle and Barrett, but Fournier failed to help them at all.
Fournier’s defense got exposed as well. The Hornets recognized that New York’s scheme is switch-heavy. That allowed them to set up frequent mismatches with Fournier trying to guard Miles Bridges near the basket. Bridges was too strong and athletic for the match-up, overwhelming Fournier for easy baskets.
The Hornets’ zone exposed a number of weaknesses in the latest iteration of New York’s offense. They have plenty of tertiary ball-handlers but no one to be the primary playmaker. That description includes Evan Fournier. Fournier wasn’t equipped to respond to the zone defense without someone else breaking down the defense first. With nobody stepping up, the French wing was left toothless on offense and exploited on defense. Fournier gets a 1 out of 5 for the weak showing.
RJ Barrett: 18 PTS (7/18 FG, 2/6 3PT, 2/4 FT), 5 AST, 12 REB, 6 TO in 39 mins
RJ Barrett found ways to produce, but this could hardly be considered a good performance. Charlotte’s zone defense hampered Barrett’s ability to attack the lane efficiently. His forays inside were often rushed and sloppy. He missed too many shots inside and was as turnover-prone as Julius Randle is on nights that the Garden crowd boos.
Barrett deserves some credit for at least showing up. I can’t dock him for a lackluster effort like a number of other Knicks’ players. Barrett defended Gordon Hayward well enough that I was hoping he could switch onto Miles Bridges to show us if that would be more successful. The Knicks’ young prospect got after the defensive glass as well. He fought hard, which sets him apart from plenty of teammates.
These are the ups and downs of running an offense through such a young player. Barrett’s recent success means that teams will adjust and give him new looks. The Knicks have been terrible against zone defenses all season, and Barrett didn’t find many answers in this match-up. I’d like to see him more mindful of ways that his ball-handling and gravity can create openings for teammates. Barrett gets a 2.5 out of 5 for putting together a solid night.
Julius Randle: 18 PTS (6/16 FG, 3/7 3PT, 3/4 FT), 3 AST, 10 REB, 1 BLK, 1 TO in 31 mins
I’ll categorize Julius Randle’s performance as another disappointment. Randle matched with Miles Bridges early and I expected to see more pride as the Hornets’ star torched New York. The team’s leader made zero effort to get over screens, allowing his guards to switch into mismatches and get abused. Randle wasn’t much better at guarding Bridges in isolation either, although he did do a nice job defending guards on the switch.
The defensive woes stood out because Randle failed to stand out offensively. The bright spot of his game was three-point shooting. The big man had plenty of space along the perimeter with Charlotte ducking under screens. He capitalized by hitting jumpers, but also passed up a few looks. The problem for Randle came as he tried to work inside. Randle went 3/9 on attempts from mid-range and inside, thanks to a failure to get space or quality post-up opportunities.
This game is all the more frustrating because Randle looked so promising against Atlanta. He had a chance to build momentum, but the early start saw him put together a forgettable effort. Randle gave up the switch too easily and watched an opposing match-up exploit his lazy defense at the expense of teammates. It was a weak performance from New York’s star player when they needed someone to step up. Randle’s struggle warrants a 1.5 out of 5 despite his numbers suggesting better.
Mitchell Robinson: 10 PTS (4/6 FG, 2/4 FT), 6 REB, 1 STL, 1 BLK, 1 TO in 26 mins
If Randle’s production is illusory, then Mitchel Robinson’s production is hiding a much better game. The Knicks frequently lost battles on effort, giving up second chances and transition buckets. But whenever Charlotte seemed ready to run New York off the floor, it was Robinson stepping up to show heart. He grabbed offensive rebounds and outmuscled his opponents for position whenever New York needed a boost.
There was also Robinson’s flashy drive to the rack. Robinson crossed Mason Plumlee up from the perimeter and flew inside for a flush. It’s just one play, but it does seem like the best indication that Mitch looks more comfortable outside this season. His awareness as a passer is what I’ve noticed most of all. If Robinson can start dribbling even just a bit, it might help challenge defenders that cheat over to New York’s scorers.
Robinson’s defense deserves some discussion as well. Robinson rotated and challenged plenty of shots at the basket. His results were mixed though with Bridges and Rozier both knocking down floaters over New York’s shot blocker. That said, Mitch was getting over and did force plenty of shots of course. The big man breathed some life into a listless starting unit, and for that, he gets a 3 out of 5 on impact.
Decent contributions aren’t enough for the Knicks’ second unit
Immanuel Quickley: 12 PTS (5/11 FG, 2/5 3PT, 0/1 FT), 7 AST, 3 REB, 2 STL, 3 TO in 29 mins
It took a couple of garbage time baskets for Immanuel Quickley’s stat-line to hide that his slump continued for another performance. When the game was undecided, IQ failed to convert consistently. His scoring woes were worrisome up until the benches were ready to come in for some late reps. We’ll have to hope that the late shots help snap Quickley out of his slump.
IQ made up for his struggle scoring with some nice playmaking. He often had to weave in and out of the defense to try and open the floor for cutters. But the developing point guard had enough patience to convert in these situations. He did tally more turnovers than normal, but the sophomore also got his classmate Obi Toppin going. Quickley’s probing and playmaking showed up.
Quickley showed that he can be productive even when his scoring fails. By the end of the game, he’d even established that scoring somewhat. He’s played the most consistent perimeter defense on the entire team (not counting Grimes). IQ’s game felt a bit labored, but he managed to be productive anyway. That’s a promising sign for an up-and-coming prospect. Quickley gets a 2.5 out of 5 for decent production.
Quentin Grimes: 5 PTS (2/4 FG, 1/3 3PT), 3 AST, 3 REB, 2 STL in 23 mins
The beauty of Quentin Grimes’ game is that he managed to carry an impact across the board despite most players struggling around him. Grimes manages to both look like a rookie and produce beyond his skill set, which is as promising as it gets. The rookie had to get into his form more quickly, rushing a couple of his three-point attempts. But he didn’t press or force shots, managing to be efficient in the few shots that he got off.
Grimes’ ability to produce everywhere else shined above his scoring. From poking a ball loose and diving to complete the steal on Miles Bridges; to attacking a closeout and kicking a dime outside, Grimes made things happen. He didn’t have to press for offense to fill the stat-line up. Grimes took what the defense gave him and was efficient and productive thanks to poise beyond his years.
Grimes’ progression so far has been all positive. His role in offense allows him to play efficient basketball without having to leave his comfort zone. It helps that Grimes has an all-around game and cleverness to capitalize on those skills. The rookie’s next step will be asserting his will rather than just taking what’s given. Grimes taps in for a 2.5 out of 5 for the best perimeter defense on the team.
Obi Toppin: 11 PTS (5/8 FG, 1/3 3PT, 0/2 FT), 6 REB, 1 TO in 17 mins
The mini-sophomore slump seems like it might be over. Obi Toppin knocked down a three-pointer early, fed from Immanuel Quickley. The sophomores would connect a few more times, ending with a baselines lob and dunk. Toppin’s early scoring gave him the confidence to play assertive basketball for the first time in a couple of weeks.
New York’s former top selection didn’t limit his production to scoring. Toppin chased down rebounds with gusto, a welcome sight in a game with such poor effort from others. The youngster was aggressive with the ball in his hands and actively seeking more opportunities. He chased down boards and wasn’t half bad on defense. This was easily Toppin’s best game in a while.
Toppin’s improved performance didn’t seem to help his role in the rotation. The sophomore was benched after just a few minutes in the first half and didn’t see the floor again until the fourth. He only tipped past my 15-minute threshold thanks to garbage time starting early. That’s got nothing to do with his play though, the Garden was chanting for him sooner. Obi’s minutes were some of the Knicks’ best all night, and he gets a 2.5 despite playing few minutes.
Taj Gibson: 1 PT (0/2 FG, 1/2 FT), 6 REB, 1 BLK, 3 TO in 19 mins
Taj Gibson was another victim of the Hornets’ defensive scheme. He didn’t get opportunities to attack from the nail because defenders were going under the screen. That took away a strategy that had helped boost the second-unit offense despite lacking a clear playmaker. Immanuel Quickley did well to respond and create, but that still left Gibson’s productivity limited.
The veteran big did a solid job protecting the interior though. He challenged shots and cleaned up the defensive glass just enough to demand respect from slashers. The Hornets often attacked along the outside though, and it meant Gibson wasn’t as visible in his rim protection. His solid defense was rendered forgettable.
Between the turnovers and the failure to convert field goals, Taj Gibson’s performance was weak. He didn’t play bad basketball but failed to render much impact. I’d be curious to see how Noel’s length and mobility might have looked in Gibson’s place. The NYC native gets a 1.5 out of 5 for his limited impact on the results.
Miles McBride: 0 PTS (0/2 FG, 0/1 3PT), 1 AST, 2 REB in 3 mins
Miles McBride’s garbage time didn’t show much, but he made a nice assist to IQ for three. That sweet pass was enough for me to single him out. Jericho Sims got the same minutes but didn’t do much.
Hard times for Tom Thibodeau without a point guard
Tom Thibodeau: It’s hard to be too mad about a coaching performance when the Knicks’ execution was lacking. The offense generated opportunities to steal momentum and spark runs, but players missed shots or even passed them up. The bigger concern for Thibodeau is how easily the Hornets picked on his defensive scheme. They knew switches were coming and used that to pick out their preferred match-ups. Those are the instances where Thibs needs his stars to step up or he needs to find a spark.
That’s easier said than done with key players like Rose and Kemba unavailable. Thibodeau bumped Immanuel Quickley’s minutes up and gave plenty of burn to Grimes. His one shortcoming is sticking to Obi Toppin’s typical rotation when the kid was a spark in his few first-half minutes. Thibs’ inexplicable handling of Toppin continues to stand out as his biggest flaw.
I’m tempted to give Thibodeau a pass on this one. Fournier and Burks failed to convert open looks while Randle and Barrett couldn’t beat the zone inside. But Thibs could have made adjustments to his defense or shown some accountability for the players that let up easy looks. The problem is those players were his pet favorites, Burks and Randle. For letting that favoritism put New York in a hole it wouldn’t escape, Thibodeau gets a 1.5 out of 5 for his impact.
Closing Thoughts
That gut-punch felt like a dose of reality as New York leaves the soft part of its schedule. The Knicks had rolled through a lot of weak opponents, but a hungry team arrived and brought back every problem we’ve witnessed through most of this season. But I’m not ready to wave the white flag just yet. The dominant win over the Dallas Mavericks is my beacon of hope, as the Mavericks have won 9 of their last 10. There’s a path to a good team that’s scary in the playoffs for New York…but it’ll take some luck or some moves.
New York’s lack of game-changing talent was on display against Charlotte. When they needed big buckets, players fell short. That’s probably a big reason that they’ve added Cam Reddish into the mix. Tom Thibodeau will have to find productivity without a playmaking point guard until Kemba’s knee heals up or Rose gets back from surgery. That will mean hoping for hot hands among Randle, Barrett, Fournier, Burks, IQ, and now Reddish. Whether that will be enough to beat playoff-tier competition is what we’re about to find out.
Tonight is a chance to erase the bad energy. The Minnesota Timberwolves arrive with a similar record and trajectory to New York. They’re also bringing a reminder of one of Julius Randle’s weakest defensive efforts of the season. The Knicks have every reason to come into this game fired up, but they’ll have to overcome fatigue to answer the bell. We’ll get a look at what they’re really made of tonight and discuss it next recap. I’ll see you there Knicks fam!
Stay tuned to KnicksFanTV.com for the latest Knicks news, rumors, and recaps throughout the 2021-22 NBA season. And in case you missed it, make sure to check out Knicks Weekly where the panel discusses Cam Reddish and the rotation logjam.
