The New York Knicks defeat the Philadelphia 76ers 108-97. The Knicks were down 21 points, but were able to comeback and secure the win.
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The New York Knicks staged their biggest comeback of the season by defeating the Philadelphia 76ers 108 to 97. The Knicks started slow; they still looked shell-shocked from Nicolas Batum’s three-pointer, and their overtime defeat the night before. New York was down 21 points before the bench entered the game and injected life into the Garden.
RJ Barrett’s absence meant minutes for Evan Fournier, who stepped up by draining big three-point shots for the Knicks. Miles McBride and Isaiah Hartenstein made significant contributions off the bench as well. The second unit kept things close while Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle made big plays down the stretch to seal the comeback victory.
The Knicks continue to look like they belong, battling and defeating some of the best teams in the league. So let’s look at how they took down a team that had won 9 of their previous 10 games.
New York’s starters show heart despite their fatigue
Jalen Brunson: 21 PTS (6/16 FG, 1/3 3PT, 8/12 FT), 7 AST, 5 REB, 2 STL, 1 TO in 39 mins
As usual, Jalen Brunson provided efficient scoring, though it wasn’t quite the 40-point performance from the night prior. Brunson still made timely baskets, particularly after checking in for the fourth quarter. He didn’t shoot well from the field, but the clever guard used trickery to draw fouls and steal points at the charity stripe.
Brunson collected 7 assists throughout the night, including a few crucial passes during crunch time. He found Evan Fournier for a pair of three-pointers that built the lead and momentum for New York. He also chipped in defensive rebounds around the baseline.
New York’s leader looked like an All-star again. He didn’t play a perfect game, but he made the big plays whenever New York needed them. Sometimes those were shots; other times, they were drawn fouls or dimes. Nevertheless, Brunson found ways to come through for the team, and that earns a 4 out of 5 for his impact score.
Quentin Grimes: 13 PTS (5/11 FG, 1/5 3PT, 2/3 FT), 1 AST, 3 REB, 2 TO in 30 mins
Quentin Grimes struggled from three but didn’t let that stop him from attacking. He earned points in transition and with quick cuts to the basket. The Sixers picked him off when he tried to drive and kick, but that created lanes for his finishes inside the paint.
Grimes and Quickley both deserve praise for their defensive performances. Grimes continually matched with James Harden and held his own. The defensive ace kept Harden from making any threes but leaped into a few bad fouls in the process. That’s not bad considering Harden’s scoring prowess.
The sophomore proves that he can provide offense even without his patented jumper. Teams can chase him off the line, and he’ll punish them with scoring and passing. He’s a reliable starter, with his defense bordering elite territory. Grimes picks up a 3.5 for solid offense and great defense.
Immanuel Quickley: 5 PTS (2/8 FG, 0/3 3PT, 1/2 FT), 1 AST, 3 REB, 1 STL in 28 mins
Immanuel Quickley never got much offense going. He shot poorly and didn’t find a rhythm while sharing touches with the Knicks’ starters. Quickley was a fourth option and couldn’t do much with such little usage. Case in point, one of his only two field goals came after he rebounded a missed free-throw and ran the length of the court for a finish.
But offensive struggles didn’t stop IQ from providing strong defense. He often defended bigger opponents, which put him in a position to hedge and rotate for help defense. It was easy to catch Quickley closing out on a would-be open shooter.
Quickley seems more comfortable leading the second unit’s offense, but his impact on the defensive end is consistent. The starters held Philadelphia below 100 points despite missing their defensive anchor, Mitchell Robinson. New York’s defensive rotations were on point throughout the night, and IQ played a massive role in that. He earns a 2.5 out of 5 for his defensive impact.
Julius Randle: 24 PTS (8/19 FG, 1/8 3PT, 7/8 FT), 7 AST, 9 REB, 3 TO in 33 mins
Julius Randle played an up-and-down game, but his highest highs came in crunch time. Randle knocked down two difficult floaters in the waning minutes of the action to help secure New York’s victory. Randle didn’t shoot well from three but did a fantastic job attacking the basket for buckets and free throws.
The big man threw some beautiful dimes along the way. He trusted his shooters with kick-outs, and they repeatedly rewarded his passes with makes. However, there were moments Randle was out of control with some of these plays, whipping passes off-target and too hard to control. But I’ll take the tradeoff of a couple of bad passes if they come with so many dimes.
I’m a little frustrated that PJ Tucker put up 10 points, but that feels like a nitpick. Nevertheless, Randle played hard despite struggling with his jumper. He even kept his cool even when the refs missed some blatant fouls. And he’s also shown maturity this season, encouraging younger players and leading the way for the team. Randle gets a 4 out of 5 for another productive performance.
Jericho Sims: 8 PTS (2/2 FG, 4/6 FT), 1 AST, 7 REB, 2 STL, 1 TO in 21 mins
Jericho Sims has faced some challenging match-ups recently and understandably struggled. Joel Embiid represents another elite opponent that gave New York’s sophomore big a tough night. Sims spent long chunks of the night in foul trouble, but he held his own when he settled in and avoided hacking.
Sims worked well on the boards, and his mobility was helpful in pick-and-roll defense. His defensive positioning still needs refining, considering he struggled in face-up situations with Embiid’s combination of shooting and ball-handling. But Sims’ discipline improved as the game wore on.
The big man made one of two free throws with a minute left in the game and followed that with a dunk to put the score out of reach. He came through with some big plays in crunch time, and that’s promising even as Hartenstein outperformed him again. Sims gets a 2 out of 5 for coming along late.
The Knicks’ second-unit steps up in a big way
Miles McBride: 14 PTS (3/8 FG, 3/6 3PT, 5/6 FT), 2 AST, 3 REB, 1 TO in 23 mins
Miles McBride is on a mini-hot streak. This marks his third straight game scoring 8 points or higher and knocking down two or more threes. McBride made both three-pointers in the fourth quarter against Philly, but he got his shot falling with trips to the free-throw line. Deuce has shown more comfort probing off the dribble, which allows him to earn more assists, draw fouls, and hit a rhythm from the field.
The best part about the sophomore guard is that his defense was already justifying minutes. But now that he is making buckets, his minutes have started to tick up. McBride’s 23 minutes of action represent the most he’s played in 18 games.
Another attractive edge to McBride’s game is that he looks comfortable shooting off the catch and off the dribble. We’ve seen a willingness to shoot from midrange and long. There’s more to his game than meets the eye, and I hope this is the beginning of further development. McBride picks up a 3 out of 5 for productive minutes, including an extended stay in the fourth quarter.
Evan Fournier: 17 PTS (6/11 FG, 5/8 3PT), 1 AST, 1 REB, 1 STL in 24 mins
RJ Barrett wasn’t scratched from the game until the last minute. So, Evan Fournier likely didn’t expect floor time in this game. But he remained prepared, knocking down 5 three-pointers en route to a 17-point performance off the bench.
Fournier won’t win any awards for defense, but he at least hustled into his rotations. His defense held up enough to keep his shooting on the floor throughout the fourth quarter until he fouled out. No one deserved a night like this more than Fournier, who has put his head down and worked despite being out of the rotation for an extended time.
Fournier gets a 3.5 out of 5 for his floor spacing performance.
Obi Toppin: 4 PTS (1/3 FG, 1/3 3PT, 1/2 FT), 4 REB in 14 mins
Obi Toppin saved his scoring for the fourth quarter. He hit a three along the baseline and then drew a foul off a full-court dash in transition. His three tied the game, and the free throw gave New York a lead that it wouldn’t relinquish again.
But Obi is still operating in 15-minute intervals. Julius Randle is a leader for this team, so even a good performance for Obi will have a minute-based lid on it. Toppin earns a 2 out of 5 thanks to the importance of the points he provided.
Isaiah Hartenstein: 2 PTS (1/1 FG), 1 AST, 14 REB, 1 BLK in 26 mins
Isaiah Hartenstein’s game is easier to appreciate when he’s not scattering missed layups throughout the night. The big man finished his only field goal attempt in this game, then focused the rest of his energy on positioning and rebounding.
Hart offered fantastic work on the glass. He closed out defensive possessions and got the ball out quickly for transitions. He and Sims picked up 4 offensive boards each, creating second chances that have been missing in Mitchell Robinson’s absence.
Hartenstein is coming into his own. He’s found a nice rhythm with the second unit and looks more comfortable with the starters than he has in months. The big man might not provide scoring punch inside but makes up for it with heady passing and rugged work on the glass. He and Sims needed nearly all of their fouls to contain Embiid, but they did a respectable job against an MVP candidate. Hart picks up a 3.5 out of 5 for his hard work against elite competition.
Trusting the bench pays off for Tom Thibodeau
Tom Thibodeau HAD to trust his bench with this game. The starters played tough but showed signs of fatigue all night. The Knicks had played their second OT game of the week less than 24 hours earlier, so tired legs were understandable. But that left room for a huge night from the second unit, whose plus/minus tallies ran from a low of +17 for Obi to a high of +34 for McBride.
I’m tempted to use New York’s late-game execution as anecdotal proof that a few extra minutes of rest can change the outcomes of close games for the Knicks. Julius Randle hit big shots late, Jalen Brunson made some excellent passes, and role players had enough rhythm to come through in the clutch. I don’t think that’s a coincidence, but we’ll need more examples to point to to build this case.
Tom Thibodeau stuck with what was working. He didn’t rush the bench off the floor at their first sign of adversity. Instead, he kept every starter but Brunson below 35 minutes played, and the shorthanded Knicks beat the fourth-best team in the league. Thibodeau gets a 4.5 out of 5 for this win.
Closing Thoughts
As the trade deadline approaches, the current Knicks roster is beginning to make a case that it’s competitive as is. In the last two weeks, New York has beaten Cleveland, Boston, Miami, and Philadelphia; and they were a miraculous three from Batum away from defeating the Clippers as well.
All five of those opponents are in the top 10 in the league. The Knicks battled those squads without their starting center and played a couple of those games without one of RJ Barrett or Jalen Brunson. They’ve played competitive ball with the best teams in the league despite missing key players.
So what should they do about the trade deadline? I’d still like to see a big swing forward brought in for players too tall for Grimes or Quickley. But I don’t think New York should be pressed to deal first-round picks for an OG Anunoby-type game-changer. I’m not sure that would tip them into contention, and I’d like the war chest full for the following trade demand from a star like Kyrie…hopefully, a player without the baggage.
The Knicks face the Orlando Magic next, and that’s an essential winnable game. The schedule gets tough again after, with Philly and the Utah Jazz in a back-to-back. Let’s see how the Knicks handle a lesser opponent and meet back here to discuss. I’ll see you then, Knicks fam!
Stay tuned to KnicksFanTV.com for the latest Knicks news, rumors, and recaps throughout the NBA season. And in case you missed it, check out CP’s interview with The Legendary Chuck D to discuss how Knicks and how hip-hop changed the world!
