The New York Knicks defeated the Orlando Magic 102-89 on the backs of Quentin Grimes and Miles “Deuce” McBride.
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The New York Knicks will likely make the Summer League Championship game after defeating the Orlando Magic 102 to 89. New York got off to a fast lead by attacking the rim, with the usual suspects leading the way. Unfortunately, their defense didn’t pressure the passing lanes as successfully as in previous efforts, which allowed Orlando to shoot themselves into a competitive game. But Quentin Grimes, Miles McBride, and Jericho Sims always had an answer for a run from Orlando.
It’s game four, and we’ve settled into some patterns with most players, but the focus on slashing helped uncover new wrinkles from some starters. Let’s have a closer look at the key players and how they made their impacts.
More dominance from the Knicks’ second-year starters
Miles McBride: 23 PTS (9/13 FG, 1/3 3PT, 4/5 FT), 5 AST, 5 REB, 3 STL, 6 TO in 29 mins
Deuce McBride finally attacked the paint with frequency, leading to his best scoring performance of the summer. He hit jumpers at all three levels and finished lay-ups and floaters from inside. Those forays into the middle also helped McBride to pick out shooters or cutters for assists. He finally showed a capability to consistently get into the teeth of the defense.
McBride’s turnovers climbed as he took more risks off the dribble. But that’s a fair trade for the amount of creation he provided for himself and his teammates. So we’ll take the errors with the signs of growth and learning.
Deuce’s work on the defensive end helped make up for any mistakes he might make. As promising as his shooting and playmaking have been this summer, his defense will always be his calling card.
Quentin Grimes: 22 PTS (7/19 FG, 4/11 3PT, 4/6 FT), 4 AST, 6 REB, 3 TO in 30 mins
Quentin Grimes continued his impressive run with another high-scoring affair. Grimes continued to flash improved ball handling. It looked like the wing could get into the lane at will, and he finished through contests and contact.
Grimes mixed in plenty of pull-up jumpers when he got separation and knocked down difficult shots. By the latter portion of the game, defenders were caught off balance as Grimes unleashed his arsenal. He mixed pump fakes, head fakes, and hesitation moves to put opponents on skates. He also used a spin package that always seems to create opportunities to pull up.
Grimes’ defense didn’t present anything new to discuss. Despite some of those shots falling over him, he was almost always in a position to contest jumpers. His defense is already stout, and his offensive game appears to be expanding (Perry, Perrin, and Rose found a gem).
Trevor Keels: 10 PTS (4/11 FG, 0/2 3PT, 2/3 FT), 4 AST, 4 REB, 2 STL, 2 TO in 31 mins
This game was my favorite performance for Trevor Keels. He continued to impress when passing out of the pick and roll. On top of that, whenever Keels matched with smaller guards, the youngster could power right through them for lay-ups, and quick kick passes. With limited opportunities to create, his passing has continually flashed.
The young rookie doesn’t play perfect defense, yet a reasonable effort can cover up small mistakes. Keels managed a couple of nice steals through simple ball pressure and staying attached to his man.
I don’t see an NBA-ready player, but I see solid vision for a guard built like a running back. I wonder what a few years of fine-tuning can mold Keels into.
Feron Hunt: 13 PTS (5/11 FG, 0/3 3PT, 3/4 FT), 3 AST, 4 REB, 1 BLK in 31 mins
I was pleasantly surprised to see Feron Hunt use face-up attacks to create for teammates. Even when big defenders gave Hunt space, he used crossovers to generate space and momentum. That allowed him to blow by slower defenders and pass to cutters before help defenders caught up.
But Orlando gave Hunt space because his jumper never looked threatening. His few attempts missed badly, and I’m not a fan of his form either.
I feel like the undrafted free agent’s defense has lost some of its bite in the past couple of games. He’s missing the deflections and steals that tormented passing lanes. That said, his pressure on ball handlers is always fantastic. I see why he earned a two-way contract, and a strong training camp could push him onto the main roster (especially if a particular trade creates extra roster space).
Jericho Sims: 12 PTS (5/5 FG, 2/5 FT), 1 AST, 10 REB, 1 STL, 1 TO in 28 mins
We didn’t get to see as many wild lobs and putbacks as Jericho Sims has shown in some previous efforts. Instead, he stood out for dribbling with confidence at his defenders and trying to make some kick-out passing of his own. That didn’t result in assists, but it forced the defense into motion so that guards could attack the imbalances.
Sims’ work to get position and grab rebounds caught the attention and praise of the broadcast. He never stopped working and pulled down tough rebounds for a double-double. At one point, he drew an offensive foul while being completely boxed out initially.
It only happened once, but we also got a glimpse of Sims’ touch when he launched a floater from a few feet away from the rim. The shot hit nothing but net. Nevertheless, it’s a flash of offensive potential.
Defensively, I’d argue that this was the first game where Sims’ positioning was less than stellar. He still impacted plenty of plays, but the Magic scored on the interior more frequently while Sims was a step behind (especially Tommy Kuhse).
Another promising PG prospect off the Knicks’ bench
Daquan Jeffries: 8 PTS (3/6 FG, 2/3 3PT), 2 AST, 6 REB, 2 BLK 18 mins
Daquan Jeffries had fairly nondescript numbers, but his two three-pointers were timely. Orlando was pushing for a lead and began to close the gaps for ball-handlers in the third. Jeffries knocked down a pair of threes that helped preserve New York’s lead and re-established spacing for everyone else.
Jean Montero: 10 PTS (5/7 FG, 0/2 3PT), 1 AST, 2 REB, 2 TO in 16 mins
Jean Montero joined the party, attacking the rim for some nice lay-ups and floaters. His feel for the game is apparent, and you’ll spot him communicating with teammates even when he’s not the ball handler. But he missed his jumpers again.
More success for Dice Yoshimoto’s steady approach
My only new note for Dice Yoshimoto is referenced in my introduction. It was clear that the Knicks’ staff put the onus on getting inside the defense first. Miles McBride even mentioned that he focused on playing downhill. That focus helped McBride to his best offensive performance and gave us some nice new flashes from Feron Hunt and Trevor Keels.
But just in case the Knicks don’t make the championship game, I want to give Yoshimoto his props. This was another game where the broadcast booth quickly remarked about the quality of basketball they were watching. The Knicks have played sharp, selfless basketball, and the coach deserves some love for keeping players locked in during these exhibitions in Sin City.
Closing thoughts
This Summer League has been so much fun that I’m hoping we can watch one more game. I wonder if bragging rights and SL champion stakes will bring out the best in our young players that have already shined. But even if we don’t get another game, Knicks fans have a new distraction to consider.
Yesterday, we received several updates about New York’s trade negotiations with the Utah Jazz for Donovan Mitchell. Shams Charania even gave us an update during the game and said that New York is the focus of Utah’s trade efforts. But we also saw the news that Danny Ainge looked at New York’s picks and young talent and essentially said, I want all of that. All we know about Leon Rose’s counter is that it was called “substantial” and did enough to turn the Knicks into the “focus.”
I’m a “wait-and-see” kind of guy. I don’t see any excuse for the Knicks to avoid pushing and making an aggressive offer for a 25-year-old star with local ties. I get that his fit next to Brunson is clunky due to size, but Mitchell Robinson got the bag to clean up for the defense. That worked even when Kemba and Fournier were on the perimeter.
My only word of advice to Knicks fans is not to let the media narratives drive them crazy. Danny Ainge is famous for demanding too much in trades, and Leon Rose has been notoriously conservative. This sounds like a recipe to drag things out and potentially end with an anticlimax where nothing happens. I love New York’s youth, I’ve written thousands of words about their development from game to game…but let’s see if the trade happens and what’s included before we draw conclusions.
The Summer League championship is on Sunday. If New York plays, I’ll be watching and writing about it after. So let’s cross our fingers for one more chance to enjoy watching the young guys before another break sets in where all we’ll have is trade rumors. See you next time, 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, check out CP’s post-game reaction when the Knicks defeated the Portland Trail Blazers and interview with Quentin Grimes!
