The New York Knicks defeated the Los Angeles Clippers 116-93. New York got a boost from their youngest possible line-up.
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The New York Knicks blew out the LA Clippers 116 to 93. New York led from start to finish, largely thanks to dominating the paint. The Knicks cleaned up the offensive glass, allowing shooters to catch rhythm even if they needed extra shots. The Knicks also put together a quality defensive performance for the first time in weeks. New York’s performance was so great they had the Clippers waving the white flag with eight minutes left in regulation.
The big story of this game was the youth. After another 20-point lead dwindled to 12 by the end of the third quarter, Tom Thibodeau gave his youngest players the floor. With Jericho Sims (23) as the oldest player in the game, New York went on a game-closing run. They earned extra minutes and helped the starters rest before a back-to-back.
RJ Barrett and Mitchell Robinson led the Knicks’ starters with a boost from Alec Burks. Cam Reddish and Immanuel Quickley led the young Knicks’ second unit. So, let’s go over the best performance New York has seen since Golden State.
Barrett and Robinson continue to thrive for New York’s starting unit
Alec Burks: 15 PTS (5/10 FG, 4/8 3PT, 1/2 FT), 4 AST, 4 REB, 1 STL, 2 BLK in 26 mins
It feels like Alec Burks has begun to find his jumper. The microwave scorer knocked down his first two three-point attempts and stayed hot from there. The starting point guard rarely had to lead the action. Instead, Burks enjoyed open looks from kickouts by other ball handlers.
I wasn’t always thrilled with Burks’ defense in this game. He feels a step slow around screens on too many possessions. But for every late closeout, the vet managed a nice hustle play to stop a fast break or a force a turnover. Add in his typical share of long defensive rebounds, and Burks was a net positive at both ends.
Off-ball Burks is a valuable player for most rotations. He got to float around the perimeter and take open shots for a rhythm tonight. That set the shooter up for an efficient night from the field with production across the board. Alec Burks picks up a 3 out of 5 for his impact because of his strong performance.
Evan Fournier: 7 PTS (3/8 FG, 1/5 3PT), 1 AST, 1 REB, 1 BLK in 29 mins
Evan Fournier had some ugly possessions. He air-balled a floater, and a couple of his missed three-pointers were bricks. The wing never looked particularly comfortable or in rhythm. However, at least, he did have a couple of excellent step-back jumpers fall.
There’s never much to say about Fournier’s defense unless I want to be negative. He didn’t stand out as particularly bad in this game, which is the best we get. He didn’t have those glaring sequences that can sometimes haunt his nights. But that shouldn’t be mistaken for a good defensive performance, either.
Despite playing 29 minutes, there isn’t much for me to say about Evan Fournier’s night. That’s because he didn’t shoot the ball well and didn’t do anything else to make up for it. Fournier had a quiet night, but plenty of players picked him up. Fournier gets a 1 out of 5 for failing to impact this one.
RJ Barrett: 24 PTS (8/18 FG, 1/2 3PT, 7/7 FT), 4 AST, 9 REB, 2 TO in 33 mins
The ascent of RJ Barrett continued with another strong performance. Barrett is getting into the paint at will on a nightly basis. His struggles in Phoenix didn’t deter the young wing from driving aggressively throughout the entire game. He mixed in just enough jumpers and kick-outs to keep LA’s defenders honest.
If there was an adjustment from Barrett’s game against the Phoenix Suns, it was looking for shooters. Barrett frequently found baseline scorers off his drives. That simple read allowed the youngster to get teammates involved and spark ball movement from everyone on the floor.
Barrett was a driving force for New York. His gravity and rim pressure opened up rebounding opportunities, space for shooters, and driving lanes. The team fed off his attack. The Knicks’ identity is becoming intertwined with Barrett. They’re becoming a grittier team as he takes the reins and attacks. Barrett gets a 4 out of 5 for leading the way to this win.
Julius Randle: 10 PTS (4/16 FG, 0/1 3PT, 2/3 FT), 4 AST, 8 REB, 3 TO in 29 mins
Julius Randle played hard again, but not smart. I’ll credit him for taking most of his early attempts near the basket. Randle often got into a deep position, which led to his jumpers coming inside 16 feet. But even the close shots didn’t fall. That left Randle missing everything but his layups.
Shooting woes aren’t so bad when everything else works. Randle got after boards and completed some nice passes. But his secondary production was marred by turnovers. Randle’s habit of dribbling into traffic led to frustrating turnovers. In a closer game, those mistakes can change momentum and prove costly.
Defensively, I saw some notable improvements. Randle anticipated rotations better than usual, which meant he was a step closer on closeouts. He also seemed to be communicating better on switches. These don’t flip him from a negative to positive on that end, but they’re steps in the right direction. Overall, Randle’s shooting and turnovers hampered his impact. He gets a 1.5 out of 5 for the tough night.
Mitchell Robinson: 12 PTS (6/8 FG, 0/6 FT), 11 REB, 1 STL, 2 BLK, 1 TO in 26 mins
Mitchell Robinson was a force inside. The Clippers didn’t have a big enough body to keep Robinson off the glass. If they cheated on screens, ball handlers could lob to Mitch or count on him to rebound a miss. Robinson marked this game with frequent putbacks and second-chance tap-outs.
The big man was a force on defense as well. Reggie Jackson was constantly attacking pick and rolls. The point of attack defenders deserve credit, but Robinson’s drop coverage was also crucial. He found the sweet spot between denying Jackson’s shot and staying close enough to Zubac.
The apparent weak spot to this performance is free-throw shooting. Mitch missed all six of his attempts from the line. He’s a force in the middle, but if he can’t convert at the charity stripe, it won’t matter. Robinson’s quality performance would leap to another level with the conversion of some foul shots. Mitch picks up a 3 out of 5 for his double-double, but it would be even higher with some made free-throws.
A breakout fourth quarter for Cam Reddish leads New York’s second unit
Immanuel Quickley: 21 PTS (8/15 FG, 3/5 3PT, 2/2 FT), 6 AST, 10 REB, 1 STL, 1 TO in 28 mins
We’re finally seeing Immanuel Quickley thrive after a long spell of struggles. Quickley found his range early, knocking down a pair of threes in space. From there, he mixed pull-up jumpers with floaters and drives as a scoring threat. With IQ’s ability to score established, passing lanes became available. Add a healthy dose of transition offense, and this game played into all of IQ’s strengths.
Quickley seemed to grab every long rebound available. That has value beyond closing out defensive possessions because it allows the sophomore to push the pace. Even on some Clipper makes, IQ flew up the floor to start possessions before the defense was settled. The team’s pace with the lineup of IQ, RJ, and Cam especially stood out.
This was one of Quickley’s best performances of the season. He was efficient from the field, smart as a playmaker, and part of a lockdown defensive unit. Best of all, the sophomore looked like a true lead ball-handler. He made the right choices between shooting and passing. IQ gets a 4 out of 5 for helping the second unit thrive.
Miles McBride: 3 PTS (1/3 FG, 1/3 3PT), 1 REB in 18 mins
Don’t worry about the quiet stat line. Miles McBride got extended minutes for the first time since half the team was sick. Sadly, he was relegated to corner duty. We’ve seen this role for newcomers to the rotation before, namely with Cam Reddish. It’s a thankless position, with few opportunities to create beyond the odd catch and shoot. Deuce made one of three shots and virtually never got to initiate the offense.
But that doesn’t mean that McBride was bad. His harassing defense on Reggie Jackson was visible right away. Deuce played physical defense that frustrated Jackson, even if it led to foul calls. New York has struggled to stop players at the point of attack for weeks. That narrative changed for a night, mainly because of Miles McBride’s addition.
It’s no fluke that McBride joined the second unit for its best defensive performance in weeks. His aggressive defense was a welcome addition to Cam’s length and Sims’ motor. Hopefully, McBride’s confidence on defense will lead to assertiveness on offense. We need to get a look at how McBride can contribute to the offense beyond shooting from the corners. But even in limited action, Deuce picks up a 2.5 out of 5 almost entirely thanks to his defensive play.
Cam Reddish: 16 PTS (4/7 FG, 2/4 3PT, 7/8 FT), 2 REB, 1 STL, 2 TO in 25 mins
Cam Reddish finally had a breakout of sorts, scoring nearly all his points in the fourth quarter. The trade addition got himself going by driving to the basket. If he wasn’t finishing layups in traffic, Reddish was visiting the free-throw line. He showed off an ability to get to the basket at will.
When Reddish found his rhythm, the three-ball started falling as well. He shot confidently, and everything felt like it was going in. Also, his threatening first step forced defenders to give him space. So Cam would either fly past nearby defenders or shoot above them in space. He added plenty of pressure by getting out in transition as well.
It’s also noteworthy that Cam’s defense was solid. He constantly played the passing lanes forcing players to receive the ball from wider angles. That slight shift can buy defenders a needed split-second to rotate on time. Reddish showed his value and did so in spells with RJ and Randle. Reddish nets a 3 out of 5 for a big performance in the win.
Jericho Sims: 4 PTS (2/3 FG, 0/2 FT), 11 REB, 1 TO in 20 mins
Thanks to Mitchell Robinson’s dominant interior presence, Jericho Sims had a tough act to follow. But Sims managed to fill Robinson’s shoes respectably well. Sims grabbed an offensive board almost the instant he touched the floor. The big man would compile rebounds and create second chances at an even more impressive rate than his starting counterpart.
The gap between Sims and Mitch came on offense. While Robinson frequently flew to the hoop for easy points, Sims only received a few lobs. The big man was so unlikely to shoot that Walt Frazier chuckled at a missed floater. The rookie must make sure that he’s established as a finishing threat to round out his game.
Even without much scoring, Jericho Sims came away with an impressive performance. His easy athleticism against an undersized Clippers led to plenty of rebounds. He may not have tallied blocks, but Sims challenged plenty of players that roamed into the middle. Nevertheless, the youngster put together a game that fans can appreciate. In just twenty minutes, Sims gets a 2.5 out of 5 for solid production.
Ryan Arcidiacono: 3 PTS (1/1 FG, 1/1 3PT) in 6 mins
Ryan Arcidiacono came on for garbage time and knocked down a baseline jumper. He was relegated to corner duty, so that was it for his brief action.
Tom Thibodeau’s shift toward youth is rewarded in this victory
Tom Thibodeau:
The Knicks dominated a game from end to end, with the youth leading the way. I’ll have to rack my brain for any significant complaints about Tom Thibodeau after this one. He even managed to keep every players’ minutes reasonable. RJ Barrett was the sole player to receive more than 30 minutes of action. Thibs executed this game to perfection.
Though a blowout typically leaves few options for a coach to stand out, there was a third-quarter timeout. The Knicks were beginning to let their dominance wane, but Thibs shifted to the bench. The young players entered the fray and closed the door. It’s an excellent sign that Thibodeau trusted his youth instead of clinging to the starters during a rough patch.
This was a much-needed win for Thibodeau. The loss to the Suns began to push New York’s losing streak into Murphy’s Law territory. But they managed to maintain momentum and close this game as strong as they started. My only complaint is that I’d like to see Deuce McBride run a few plays. Otherwise, Thibodeau had a great outing and earned a 4 out of 5 for the easy work.
Closing Thoughts
Whether the Knicks won or lost, I’d have taken this game just off the strength of which players shined. RJ Barrett led the way, with IQ and Reddish not far behind. Mitchell Robinson and Jericho Sims dominated the interior while Deuce McBride changed the perimeter game. The success of young players is the prize, and the win is a cherry on top.
The interesting question is, “where do we go from here?” Tom Thibodeau has faced a million questions about whether or not he trusts the youngsters. He’s finally playing them together in a second unit with no veterans to lean on. They responded in a big way against LA, and hopefully, that has earned the benefit of a doubt from Thibs.
New York is still over five games out of the play-in with less than twenty games to go. Their schedule is rough, and the teams ahead of them have easier roads. So I’m valuing the minutes we see from young players over any results. Win or lose, I want to see the Knicks’ future on display. The Sacramento Kings are next, with no breaks in-between. After that, we’ll see if extra rest and some momentum can lead to a late winning streak. I’ll see you after the game, 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’s interview with the Daily Dot on growth strategies and tips for aspiring content creators.
