The New York Knicks defeated the Toronto Raptors 105-94. Immanuel Quickley and Obi Toppin go off and give fans a glimpse of the future.
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The New York Knicks closed the season with a victory over the Toronto Raptors 105 to 94. Both teams showed up missing key pieces, but the Knicks’ youth stepped up in a big way. The Knicks were a step ahead as long as Immanuel Quickley was on the floor. Obi Toppin looked unstoppable en route to a career-high scoring performance. Meanwhile, the leader in plus/minus for the night was Jericho Sims.
The last game of the season got sloppy in spells. The Knicks let leads slip, with bench players struggling at times. But this is the kind of feel-good win you hope for before a long offseason. The promise of tomorrow showcased itself in two notable performances and one last victory. So let’s take a look at how everyone played.
Knicks’ sophomores make a late case to be starters next season
Immanuel Quickley: 34 PTS (12/26 FG, 4/11 3PT, 6/8 FT), 12 AST, 10 REB, 3 TO in 42 mins
We finally got to see Immanuel Quickley start (better late than never). Quickley responded by controlling the action with a thirty-point triple-double. He shot the ball well, mixing in heat-checks with a couple of long threes. IQ didn’t rely on the floater much this time, electing to drive through the basket for multiple layups instead.
But the most exciting part about Quickley’s recent emergence is his playmaking. We’ve talked about his reads and pace ad nauseam by now, so let’s discuss ball-handling. IQ’s hesitations and speed changes have always kept defenders off balance. But he’s added a push dribble similar to the one Kemba Walker used to beat double-teams and help defense early in the season. The addition allows Quickley to cover a lot of space and create new angles to complete passes or drive.
The steady improvement in Quickley’s rebounding seems as sustainable as his playmaking. Since March, he’s averaged more than five boards per game by tracking down long boards and sneaking along the weak side. In addition, Jericho Sims is good at boxing out which clears space for guards like IQ and Burks to grab the loose balls.Â
IQ’s triple-double in his lone start serves as a bit of notice to the front office and coach. He’s developing fast and looks like a true point guard. Moving forward, whatever decisions they make should consider the sophomore’s work ethic and growth. Quickley gets a 5 out of 5 in an exclamation point to his season.
Alec Burks: 10 PTS (4/7 FG, 2/4 3PT), 8 AST, 6 REB, 1 STL, 4 TO in 40 mins
Alec Burks hit some early shots but once again took a backseat. Quickley’s insertion into the starting lineup allowed Burks to play his natural shooting guard position. Burks responded by hitting open looks and creating his own shot because of IQ’s gravity. It was night and day to watch Burks operate from weak-side attacks instead of creating from the top of the key.
Burks ran into some issues protecting the ball. This is a rare enough issue to consider a fluke, though. He generally attacks with a shoot-first mentality, leading to free throws and frustrating misses. This time, the scorer took on a passing mindset, which translated to a lot more dimes and a couple more turnovers.
I feel for Alec Burks because he spent this year miscast. He filled in at point-guard and tried his best, but the result was a career-low field goal percentage while his assist numbers barely budged. We didn’t need half a season to realize that Burks isn’t a point guard, but apparently, Tom Thibodeau did. Burks finished the season with a decent, efficient performance that filled the stat sheet and reminded us that he’s a much better shooting guard than a point. Burks gets a 2.5 out of 5 for a solid night.
Evan Fournier: 6 PTS (2/11 FG, 2/9 3PT), 5 AST, 3 REB, 2 STL, 2 BLK in 33 mins
Evan Fournier took a step back in the offense as well. That didn’t prevent him from hoisting up plenty of threes. But the Raptors did well to challenge him, making the looks difficult or forcing him to adjust and dribble into those shots. As a result, the French wing had to force some ugly shots, leaving an inefficient night from the field.
On the bright side, Fournier showed life in the other areas of the game. I mentioned that he stepped back, and the assist tally displays that. This marks his fifth game with five or more assists since February. He drove and dished or sent extra passes to shooters (the playmaking helped cover his poor shooting).
Fournier also showed up on defense. His ability to anticipate kick-outs has improved throughout the season, with help from the team’s point-of-attack defense getting better as the year wore on. His blocks were a pleasant surprise to go with the rest of his work. Fournier’s defensive effort has improved in the second half of this season, and he deserves some credit for it. Nevertheless, the French wing closes the season with a 2 out of 5 for his impact on this tough shooting night.
Obi Toppin: 42 PTS (16/28 FG, 6/14 3PT, 4/4 FT), 3 AST, 10 REB, 1 BLK, 2 TO in 40 mins
I must have written “Obi Toppin needs more minutes” on a quarter of these breakdowns (or more). It’s nice that Toppin got his minutes and proved myself and virtually all of the Knicks fandom correct for believing in him. Toppin was a force that found points through a myriad of approaches which meant that there was no easy way for Toronto to slow him down.
Obi started with some flashy dunks by beating defenders on the break. He turned multiple defensive stops into quick outlet dunks. He took his three-pointers with growing confidence in the half-court and knocked them down frequently. When the defense closed out on those shots, Toppin dribbled past the first man and displayed his touch around the basket. Obi’s athleticism and smarts are apparent, but his touch around the basket helps capitalize on those features.
We should discuss Toppin’s defensive chemistry with Jericho Sims. They both cover a ton of ground as front-court bigs. They’re mobile enough to be switchable and keep up with small guards. This sometimes backfires when their inexperience shows, but both bigs have significant upside as multi-position defenders. Obi’s defensive improvement from a sieve as a rookie to a contributor now highlights his development. Toppin gets a 5 out of 5 for his efficient 40 point double-double.
Jericho Sims: 6 PTS (3/4 FG), 1 AST, 14 REB, 2 STL, 3 TO in 39 mins
Jericho Sims consumed virtually every loose ball that got within his orbit. The big man had no problem getting position down low and was immovable once planted. He either gobbled up the boards for himself or cleared out enough space for a guard to grab those rebounds.
The rookie also displayed his defensive upside despite failing to register any blocks. He frequently rotated to the middle fast enough to force slashers to think twice. Their panicked kick-outs were intercepted repeatedly by the Knicks’ wings. Sims’ interior presence was undeniable, from rim protection to finishing with the rebound.
My nitpick for Sims is that he should look to the basket more. He received multiple passes or offensive boards at the rim. Sims frequently passed those looks outside instead of going straight up for a finish. He could have had a double-double simply by taking the ball up without hesitation. That will come with time, reps, and confidence, though. Sims picks up a 3.5 out of 5 for complete control of the middle.
Some nice minutes from new faces for the Knicks’ second-unit
Ryan Arcidiacono: 5 PTS (2/5 FG, 1/4 3PT), 2 AST, 1 REB, 1 TO in 23 mins
Ryan Arciacono has a likable approach to his game. He put most of his energy into playing aggressive defense. While you don’t see any steals on his sheet, he produced TO’s by swinging to the middle and drawing charges. His on-ball defense was good, too, harassing ball handlers in a manner reminiscent of Deuce McBride.
Offensively, Arcidiacono has to his open looks from three. He missed a few good looks, only canning one of his four long-range attempts. But the newcomer didn’t hesitate and also didn’t force anything. He played within the flow of the offense, and that’s how he produced his shot attempts.
Arcidiacono’s production was limited for twenty minutes of action, but he was solid. He gave just enough breaks to his teammates without the wheels falling off. His defense was enough to bring value to the floor. This performance didn’t demand more time or an extended look, but it proved that he could hang. Arcidiacono picks up a 2 out of 5 for a decent night off the bench.
Taj Gibson: 2 PTS (1/4 FG, 0/1 3PT), 3 REB, 1 STL, 2 BLK, 1 TO in 17 mins
Taj Gibson never really got it going. He missed his signature corner three-point attempt and then missed another shot at the elbow. Those accounted for half his attempts as he didn’t play big minutes and only received a handful of touches along the way.
But Taj Gibson did provide some defense. He had a pair of memorable blocks, including the one above. Taj’s defensive presence was evident as he made fast rotations and got in front of any attempts inside. But he also seemed to slow down, maybe hampered by a bump or bruise after some contact.
Gibson wasn’t particularly visible in this game. His blocks stood out, but little else did. He ended on a team-low plus/minus, but the second unit went negative on that note. The reality is that Taj did his job, just as the other bench players did. They bought some time and rest for teammates, keeping things steady in stints. Taj gets a 1.5 out of 5 for a lackluster night.
Feron Hunt: 0 PTS (0/2 FG), 1 AST, 1 REB, 1 TO in 7 mins
Feron Hunt looked a bit nervous out there. On multiple occasions, he fumbled passes for would-be easy scores. But the fact that he was involved in several plays with just seven minutes of action is a compliment, albeit a small one. He was active as a cutter and found open space on the floor.Â
It’s easy for new guys to be stuck in the corner and vanish from the offense. However, Hunt was assertive enough to get some touches with his limited time.
Tom Thibodeau makes do with a limited roster
Tom Thibodeau:
Eight players suited up for the game, and one of those players wasn’t on the bench immediately after halftime. I point that out to clarify that Tom Thibodeau didn’t have many choices in this game. The starters played ridiculous minutes because they didn’t have any back-ups. That said, Thibs got his guys enough breaks to close strong despite forty-minute nights for four out of five starters.
We can look at the success of IQ, Obi, and Sims in one of two ways. They could be examples of Thibodeau and the coaching staff successfully developing young guys and helping them improve. Or those players are examples of Tom Thibodeau holding back the team by refusing to give opportunities to these contributors sooner. I tend to think that it’s both. I’ve wanted to see these kids get chances much sooner, but there’s something to the fact that they’ve responded when called upon and clearly grown since early in the season.
With a limited roster playing against a similarly light opponent, Thibodeau didn’t have heavy lifting to do. I’m not sure how much I can credit him with trusting players since they were his only options. But I suppose it’s notable that everyone played hard despite this game being meaningless. The guys that got chances to prove themselves all stepped up, and the coach gets some points for that. Thibodeau receives a 3 out of 5 for the strong close to the otherwise disappointing year.
Closing Thoughts
So the season is over, and Leon Rose stopped by MSG to let us know that he understands how disappointing it was. Rose also made sure to co-sign the coach, the star player, and everyone else that was involved in this struggle of a season. His message seemed that even though this was a bad year, everyone did okay, given the circumstances. I don’t find that response acceptable, and the platitudes are why I never felt much need to hear him talk.Â
I came away from that interview with no better idea of what direction the front office wants to move in this offseason. It sounds like they like everyone, and there wasn’t even a hint at roster changes or staffing overhauls. I assume the front office is smart enough to realize that they’ll be walking on eggshells into next season. If things don’t look good early, things will get ugly fast, and the endorsements of the status quo from Rose will be repeated as proof he’s equally to blame as the star and coach that he made excuses for.
But there’s always a second side to the story. Rose’s sole point of emphasis was youth development. I like that idea, and I’m willing to hold the front office accountable. They just came out and told us to pay attention to the young guys. So now it’s on the front office to create room for those young guys to show us their development and the coaching staff to prove they’re making it happen.Â
The year is over, so we don’t have another game to look forward to until next season. But I’m sure we’ll have offseason discussions over free agents, draft picks, and potential trades. But for the time being, this farewell for a while. Thanks to everyone who read these recaps and rocked with the Knicks fam despite things getting ugly and challenging. We’re a community that found each other through a love of basketball and the Knicks, and I’m grateful for all of you. So until next time, Knicks fam, take care.
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, check out CP and Jonathan Macri, Dean of Knicks Film School, discuss the state of the Knicks.
