The New York Knicks fall to the Miami Heat 100-115. Yet in the loss, RJ Barrett demonstrates that he is ready for the reigns.
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The New York Knicks fought but fell to the Miami Heat 100 to 115. New York’s fourth consecutive loss ended with another brutal fourth quarter, full of turnovers and poor execution. But the defeat feels secondary to an outstanding performance by RJ Barrett, who became the first Knicks 21 or younger to break 45 points since 1947.
This game marked a shift toward youth. Barrett took a star turn, and the second unit was comprised entirely of players age-23 or younger. These young Knicks played a competitive game through three quarters, thanks in large part to Barrett’s incredible effort. The loss pushes New York’s season closer to the brink, but an extended look at the youth could salvage hope for the future. Let’s see how each player performed.
The emergence of RJ Barrett fails to save New York’s starters
Alec Burks: 12 PTS (4/6 FG, 2/4 3PT, 2/2 FT), 2 AST, 8 REB, 2 TO in 34 mins
Alec Burks continues to look miscast as a lead guard, but at least his shot was falling. The Knicks’ offense ran through RJ Barrett and Julius Randle. That left Burks as a point guard in name only. The microwave scorer looked comfortable off-ball though. He knocked down catch-and-shoot opportunities for efficient scoring.
Burks’ limitations as a lead ball-handler did cause some brief problems. A line-up with Burks, Fournier, and Reddish along the perimeter seemed particularly stuck in the mud. Burks can be effective playing off a centerpiece like Barrett or Randle, but he’s no lead ball-handler.
I have another gripe with Burks. The new starting point guard went under screens too often. That meant Kyle Lowry and Tyler Herro were free to launch. Herro in particular found a rhythm and hurt the Knicks. Burks did score and rebound well, but he didn’t truly fill the point-guard role. That leaves him with an impact score of 2 out of 5.
Evan Fournier: 13 PTS (5/16 FG, 3/10 3PT), 2 AST, 3 REB, 1 TO in 36 mins
Evan Fournier has a habit of starting games hot and fading after. It’s not an every game issue but occurs often enough to be notable. He gave us one of those performances tonight. Fournier came out the gate with a three-pointer and a nice drive against PJ Tucker. But he struggled to find any sort of rhythm after that point.
On the bright side, Fournier wasn’t forcing things. That’s about the only compliment that I can give him. The would-be scorer provided just thirteen points from sixteen shots. The Heat deployed a zone, and Fournier failed to punish the move. He missed too many good looks.
Fournier has had a strong run recently, but these sorts of performances pop up periodically. I suppose that’s the nature of the game for a shooter who doesn’t have a second go-to skill. Fournier can provide a little bit of everything, but without his jumper falling his impact wanes regardless. Fournier gets a 1.5 out of 5 for his tough shooting.
RJ Barrett: 46 PTS (13/22 FG, 6/11 3PT, 14/22 FT), 2 AST, 9 REB, 3 TO in 38 mins
RJ Barrett returned from his ankle injury with the best performance of his young career. He got right back to driving into the heart of the defense. If he wasn’t finishing through contact, he was drawing whistles to the tune of twenty-two free-throw attempts. The fact that he knocked down six three-pointers made him impossible to guard. Defenders had to go over screens to stop the jumper, but conceding an extra step meant Barrett would score inside.
Barrett’s two assists are misleadingly low as well. He was a willing passer when the Heat collapsed too far. But would-be dimes in transition turned into free throws and kick-outs often turned into misses or hockey assists. The important note here is that RJ was using his gravity in a variety of ways. He was at his best attacking for points, but he passed often enough to keep Miami’s elite defense off-balance.
Doris Burke called Barrett unguardable. Post-game comments from Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo painted Barrett as the future star and face of the franchise. If he makes half of his eight missed free throws, RJ drops fifty. He was that good. I haven’t even mentioned that his defense was tough against Butler. He challenged Butler until foul trouble inhibited him and was one rebound away from a double-double. RJ Barrett gets the easiest 5 out of 5 that I’ve ever given. He was New York’s entire offense for the middle quarters.
Julius Randle: 11 PTS (2/15 FG, 0/4 3PT, 7/8 FT), 8 AST, 8 REB, 1 STL, 4 TO in 36 mins
I really wanted Julius Randle to find his jumper. The big man did a lot of things right and gave a strong effort. But he couldn’t drive without Bam Adebayo flying over to deny attempts. That meant Randle’s best chances to score came on catch and shoot opportunities. He got plenty of good looks, but they refused to fall.
Randle did everything else well though. He whipped some beautiful passes to shooters along the perimeter. Even his turnovers came from pressing to feed hot hands. Randle never looked perturbed by RJ Barrett’s success. He did seem frustrated with himself after a few misses though.
The big man played spirited defense too. He had miscommunications and was overzealous at times, but his effort didn’t wane. Randle made a nice run on the recent road trip, and I don’t think his approach differed against Miami. He ran into a tough defense and rusty shooting which dragged his performance down. But good effort or not, New York needs its highest-paid player to be better than he was tonight. Randle gets a 1.5 out of 5 for missing too many shots.
Mitchell Robinson: 0 PTS (0/1 FG), 9 REB, 1 STL, 1 BLK, 3 TO in 29 mins
Mitchell Robinson had some nice moments defensively, but that’s about it. Robinson challenged shooters at the rim and kept Miami’s second-chance opportunities to a minimum. But Mitch had less success when he switched on perimeter players. His deep drops to protect the rim meant extra space for jump shots.
Robinson had almost no impact on the offensive side of things. Bam Adebayo boxed Mitch out and kept him off the offensive glass. The Heat also erased roll opportunities for New York’s big man. That left Mitch with no offense.
Robinson has had a fantastic stretch for the Knicks, but this game highlighted some of his limitations. He doesn’t have ways to create offense for himself. The big man has grown into a fantastic defender and rebounder, but his offense remains stagnant. Add a few turnovers from rushing passes off rebounds, and this performance was well below what we’ve come to expect from Mitchell Robinson. Robinson gets a 1 out of 5 for a tough night.
A younger look for the Knicks’ second unit, but the struggles continue
Immanuel Quickley: 7 PTS (3/7 FG, 1/5 3PT), 2 AST, 2 REB, 2 TO in 17 mins
Immanuel Quickley threw two of my favorite passes of this game. Both came in transition. The first was a no-look dime to Cam Reddish in the corner. The second was a drive and kick to Julius Randle, who drove and found Barrett for three. IQ’s vision and craftiness explode when he gets to play with pace.
Unfortunately, Quickley’s playmaking wasn’t as effective in the half-court. He was hampered by the fact that his jumper was missing yet again. The sophomore knocked down two floaters inside but made just one of five attempts from outside.
The end result was another night under twenty minutes for IQ. He’s the closest thing New York has to a playmaking guard. But he’s still limited in that function, and much better as an off-ball scorer. His inability to separate enough from Burks as a playmaker is not a good sign. IQ gets a 2 out of 5.
Cam Reddish: 8 PTS (2/4 FG, 2/3 3PT, 2/2 FT), 1 AST, 1 STL, 1 TO in 16 mins
Cam Reddish and RJ Barrett have obvious chemistry. The pair had some fun plays feeding each other for drawn fouls and open looks. Reddish drove to the basket and seemed to predict exactly where RJ would cut for his one assist. The two also played two-ball well on a fast break sparked by Cam’s steal.
Reddish knocked down two corner threes. That’s a crucial shot for any player to earn extra in the rotation. The new acquisition only got a handful of opportunities to attack off the dribble. He’ll have to convert catch and shoot opportunities to stay productive with his limited touches.
The former Duke wing’s defense was a mixed bag. His effort was there, but he had a few lapses. Kyle Lowry gave Cam trouble in particular. But overall, this was a solid night in just about fifteen minutes for Reddish. The former Hawk picks up 2 out of 5 for a solid bench performance.
Obi Toppin: 3 PTS (1/3 FG, 0/2 3PT, 1/2 FT), 2 REB, 2 TO in 13 mins
Speaking of the importance of hitting corner threes…Obi Toppin came into tonight fresh off winning a dunk contest. But I’m not sure he received a single pass with momentum going to the basket in this game. His best opportunities were a pair of corner threes that he missed badly.
This is a rare occasion in which I don’t think Obi deserved more minutes. He was struggling to get free anywhere but outside. There isn’t a player on the Knicks that needs a point guard more than Obi. But New York lacks true playmakers and Obi Toppin falls short of fifteen minutes again.
Jericho Sims: 0 PTS, 1 AST, 4 REB, 1 STL in 18 mins
Jericho Sims gave us a glimpse at his potential in the backup center role. He challenged a few shots at the rim, demonstrating verticality. Talented scorers like Jimmy Butler drove into Sims, but the big man held up well.
Sims was in the same situation as Robinson and Toppin offensively. The Heat denied opportunities to find roll men and cleaned the glass. That means that Sims never got touches near the basket and never even attempted a shot.
Sims flashed potential but that’s all. He wasn’t particularly productive and his defensive impact limited itself to a few moments at the rim. The young big man is an incredible athlete, with genuine size and a great motor. It’s easy to see the upside for Sims, but there’s a long way to go. He’ll need minutes and opportunities to start taking steps in the right direction. Sims gets a 1.5 out of 5 in a solid but limited performance.
Miles McBride: 0 PTS (0/1 FG), 1 AST in 2 mins
It’s hard to glean much from the barely two minutes that Miles McBride played. I’d like to see him get a genuine opportunity sometime soon. Considering the news that Rose will be out for a couple more weeks, there’s no better time than the present.
Quentin Grimes:
Quentin Grimes left the game after badly twisting his knee defending through a screen. It looked pretty bad, so let’s all wish him well.
Some welcome changes, and familiar issues with Tom Thibodeau
Tom Thibodeau:
Tom Thibodeau’s rotation took a step toward youth. I doubt that I’ll ever be a fan of Burks as the point guard, but at least he gives Barrett space to operate. Starting Immanuel Quickley would leave the Knicks’ bench searching for playmakers until Rose returns. I wonder if that’s why we got a brief look at Deuce McBride. The bench needs a pilot for the time that RJ and Barrett are resting, and Burks can’t handle it alone.
If I have a complaint about Thibodeau, it’s his handling of Jimmy Butler. Butler posted up often and was able to bait players into foul trouble and draw help to open kick-out options. When Randle gets going in similar situations, coaches disrupt his comfort. Thibodeau never found a way to break Butler’s rhythm.
I’ve pinned plenty of losses on Thibodeau’s shoulders. I won’t do that with this result against Miami. The Heat were the better team, and I’m not sure any coaching decisions could change that. New York needs a true lead ball-handler to avoid meltdowns like the turnover-prone fourth quarter. But at least the coach put the ball in RJ’s hands and let the youth work. Thibodeau gets a 2.5 out of 5 for giving us a glimpse at the future.
Closing Thoughts
I’m not sure that I’ve ever felt better after a double-digit loss for the Knicks. I won’t be content with a play-in slot for a team that earned home-court advantage last year. So I desperately need a reason to be hopeful, and the future is all that’s left. The shift to a younger team might confirm that this season is over, but that would be true with vets playing too.
I wish Grimes a speedy recovery. It’s truly frustrating that we won’t get to see him paired with RJ Barrett on the wings for a while. But Grimes helped us stay sane while RJ was out and Barrett just put his stamp on a star-turning run while returning. If RJ Barrett hasn’t fully made the leap, he’s at least proven that he’s got star potential with his two-month dominance.
The new-look Sixers are next, with another overwhelmingly talented squad. New York plays the Philadelphia 76ers twice in a row, then the league-best Phoenix Suns, then the tough LA Clippers. Our Knicks are four games away from the last play-in spot as this brutal stretch approaches.
But even a losing streak won’t matter if players like Barrett, IQ, or Sims can step up and show us the future. This season didn’t go the way that we expected. But the emergence of recent draft picks could ease this otherwise brutal season. We’ll see who shines and who fades after the next one 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 CP on WFAN discussing why the Knicks can’t attract big stars.
