The New York Knicks avenged their season opening loss to the Indiana Pacers, with a 106-102 win. The game was competitive from start to finish. New York consistently did damage from inside while Indiana fought behind three pointers and free throws.
This was a game in which Indiana refused to let Julius Randle be the man to beat them. But players like RJ Barrett and Mitchell Robinson stepped up big. Randle, meanwhile, might not have been able to help with robust scoring but he did answer with defense…a sentence I’d never picture writing last season.
The young Knicks never got the chance to let up. It was a dog fight with one of the best teams of this early point in the season. Indiana entered the contest 4-1, riding All-NBA caliber play from Domantas Sabonis. Randle kept Sabonis in check and New York did the same with anybody not named Malcolm Brogdon. It was a pressure filled joy to watch! Let’s take a closer look at how everyone performed.
Elfrid Payton: Elfrid Payton scored the first points of the game and would continue to cause trouble with his feet in the paint all night. The Pacers played the passing lanes instead of collapsing on the point guard. Elfrid responded by taking the shots he was given from point blank range. This helped Payton to the second leading score for the Knicks.
EP finished 34 minutes with 19 points, 5 assists and 8 rebounds with 3 turnovers. He shot a respectable 8/17 from the field, 0/1 from three and 3/4 from the free throw line. It was obvious at times that Payton wanted to look for others, but the Pacers took those options away. The point guard stuck with his aggression and the results were rewarding. Elfrid was unable to contain Malcolm Brogdon on the other hand, which meant a point guard duel on the night.
A 3.5 out of 5 marks the fourth straight strong performance from Payton. The point guard benefited from Indiana refusing to give him space. The Pacers crowded him and allowed for more dribble penetration and attack. A better defensive performance or improved assist to turnover ratio would bump Payton’s score closer to 5. That said, Payton has come on strong of late by driving with intent to score.
Reggie Bullock: On a night when more than half the rotation reached double-figures, Reggie Bullock was nondescript again. He made a single three-pointer in each half and that was it for Bullock’s scoring. But the Knicks’ starting SG did put together a strong defensive performance against Victor Oladipo forcing the former all-star to generate most of his offense at the free throw line. Still, for 33 minutes of play, you’d expect a bit more out of a shooting threat.
After 33 minutes, Reggie compiled 6 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal and a turnover. He shot 2/6 from the field and 2/5 from three. Bullock missed his only free throw attempt which came from a technical foul rather than something the shooting guard did himself. Bullocks stand out moment came in a streak of bad plays late. A turnover, a missed shot and a bad personal foul with five minutes left in the game saw Bullock benched for Austin Rivers to seal the close contest.
Despite the limited production, Bullock’s defense lifts his performance up to a 2 out of 5. Victor Oladipo had one big burst of scoring in the second quarter but was bottled up the rest of the way. With the Pacers offering a lot of single coverage to anyone not named Randle, Bullock saw less open space. But Reggie has got to be better when teams crowd him. He provided no production inside the three-point line. With Rivers playing well and Burks returning at some point, Bullock needs to step up soon or his role will see a reduction.
RJ Barrett: The defensive heroics of Randle and Robinson sealed the game, but it was RJ Barrett that made the Knick offense work. In the first half, RJ saw a mismatch against undersized Aaron Holiday and exploited it. The second half saw Indy adjust with Oladipo on Barrett, and then Oladipo was on the ground while Barrett was finishing lay-ups. This was bully ball embodied and what made it even more effective was that the sophomore found his jumper.
RJ was the Knicks’ engine for 42-minutes, scoring a game high 25 points with 5 rebounds and 3 assists to just 1 turnover. He was the picture of efficiency, shooting 8/15 from the floor, 4/5 from three and 4/5 from the free throw line. The young prospect had missed 21 consecutive three’s before he sunk his first attempt in this one. The key was waiting for open and in-rhythm looks at range while attacking inside otherwise. Barrett flashed his midrange pull-up as well, which is something I asked for after last game.
This one’s an easy 4 out of 5 for Barrett. He led the team in minutes because the offense needed him. Julius Randle was drawing the lion’s share of attention which left the Maple Mamba to capitalize on single coverage and late help. He’ll have to prove that he can stay efficient when the jumper isn’t falling. But this marks a perfect example of how dangerous RJ becomes when teams can’t cheat off him or defend in space.
Julius Randle: Indiana threw everything but the kitchen sink at Julius Randle and he responded with a near triple-double. Randle took a while to adjust to the aggressive double teams and traps that Indiana sent his way. He attempted some rushed, off-balance jumpers that bricked early on. But as the game continued, the Knicks’ leader found his offense by looking for the open man and attacking in quick, explosive bursts. The shocker of this game is how Randle defended Domantas Sabonis. The Pacers Center has been one of the best big men in the entire NBA. Randle shut him down in the closing minutes of the game.
Randle played 37 minutes for 12 points, 11 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 steals and 4 TO’s. He shot 5/16 from the field and 2/5 from three. Randle’s struggles scoring might be best defined by the fact that he didn’t draw a single shooting foul. The big man found himself stuck in traffic all night and didn’t always make the best choice. But Randle more often made plays for others than not, and even his turnovers came more from passing or looking to move the ball than any blatant forces.
This marks another 4 out of 5 performance for Randle who overcomes the tough shooting by sheer force of will. The shots weren’t coming easy, so he stepped up defensively instead. Nothing says, “this is a new Julius Randle” quite like his celebration after getting a big stop on Sabonis with a minute and a half left in the game. It wasn’t just the defense on that play, it was the leadership that came through in that moment. Randle gave the signal to everybody, “I’m not letting us lose, even if I have to do it with defense.”
Mitchell Robinson: I bet the Pacers were tired of Mitchell Robinson’s put backs before the first quarter was even over. They didn’t stop him from continuing to grab offensive rebounds for second chance points, but they probably got tired of it fast. Mitch was a force on the offensive glass, taking advantage of Elfrid Payton’s many havoc causing attacks inside. Defensively, Robinson played Myles Turner from a distance. He cheated into the lane and disrupted anything inside, but the trade-off was that Turner got off some three’s and scored the ball well.
Mitch played 29 minutes for 16 points, 9 rebounds, an assist and 2 blocks. The big man was 8/10 from the field with everything coming right under the rim. 6 of his boards came on the offensive glass. The standout play for Robinson came on a game sealing block with less than a minute to go. The Knicks were up by four and Malcolm Brogdon pushed the pace through a screen from Sabonis. Mitch moved toward the play (Sabonis was Randle’s man but broke free in transition) and got a hand on Brogdon’s three pointer from well behind the line. Not only did the big man block the shot though, he also grabbed the loose ball with one hand and then flipped it up the court to Elfrid Payton who promptly picked up an assist. Every element of Mitch’s defensive potential was on display.
Robinson gets a 3.5 out of 5 for the strong game. Second chance points can be back breakers for a defense and Mitch put that pressure on Indiana all night. He loses points for straying too far from Myles Turner at times, otherwise this would have jumped into the range of a 4 or 4.5. New York’s shot blocker didn’t show many new wrinkles to his game in the win. But he did show what makes his skillset such a nightmare for defenses already. Mitch will command attention as long as he’s out there, face up game or not.
Immanuel Quickley: Immanuel Quickley had a promising start to the season before going down with a hip injury. The rookie guard returned to the Knicks without missing a beat. Quickley was back to drawing fouls, knocking down shots and bringing constant aggression. The kid’s game is smooth, and he continues to boast an advanced feel for offense through all the fouls he draws. IQ did make some mistakes, picking up overzealous fouls and turnovers. But some of that could be rust and a lot of it is acceptable anyway because the mistakes are drowned out by the positive plays.
Returning from injury meant just 15 minutes for IQ in this one. He put up 9 points, 2 assists and 2 boards with 3 turnovers. Quickley was efficient as ever scoring on 3/4 from the field, 1/2 from three and 2/2 from the free throw line. It feels like a matter of time before he’s consistently stealing free points at the line. The rookie drew a lot of whistles where he wasn’t given the continuation but knew to try for it. I’d also expect to see some steals tallying soon, as IQ’s defensive effort is as aggressive as his offense.
For the big production in limited minutes, Quickley gets a 3 out of 5. It was a good enough performance that I wanted to see him out there longer. That’s despite Elfrid Payton having a good game. IQ just adds a different dimension to the offense. His shooting already has gravity and his aggression is a trait rather than something he’s trying to add. I respect Tom Thibodeau bringing the youngster along slowly, but he already looks prepared to shoulder more responsibility.
Austin Rivers: Since Alec Burks went down with an ankle injury, the Knicks’ bench has lacked scoring punch. Austin Rivers provided that missing element against Indiana. Rivers was even more aggressive than Quickley, roaming the perimeter for open space like a heat seeking missile. He was never afraid to shoot and could do damage off the dribble when defenders gave chase. The second-generation New York Knick was such an effective weapon that Tom Thibodeau trusted Rivers as the only player off the bench to close with the starters.
Rivers put up 15 points and 2 assists to 3 turnovers in 17 minutes of play. The Knicks newcomer shot 6/9 from the field and 3/6 from three. 10 of those points and 2 of those three pointers came in that fourth quarter where he made four out of five attempts. Rivers came up big in the clutch, providing exactly the kind of attack that has been sorely missed in Burks’ absence. The turnovers felt similar to Quickley’s, not good but acceptable as long as they came from aggression that led to more positive than negative overall.
Rivers nets a 3.5 out of 5 for scoring a point for almost every minute that he played. He was essential the Knicks’ fourth quarter success. Rivers had a strong debut at back-up PG, but he looked even more comfortable in the SG role. Allowing the veteran to focus more on scoring and less on creation proved beneficial. We saw a similar dynamic with Burks although the gap in performance is more subtle with Rivers.
Kevin Knox: It was a poor outing for Kevin Knox who hasn’t been effective since injuring his hand. Knox was still aggressive, but he couldn’t knock down shots. The highlight of Kev’s night came when he blocked Doug McDermott. McBuckets went off last game with Knox chasing him around constant screens and cuts. McDermott tried to do the same in game two and Knox wasn’t having it. So while the third year forward couldn’t score, his motor didn’t falter.
With just 15 minutes to work, Knox was scoreless with 2 rebounds, an assist and a block. He went 0/4 from the field and 0/3 from three. His shooting hand was conspicuously taped which may have impacted his jumper. That said, those secondary statistics are at least a nice indication that he was working while he was on the floor even without scoring.
Knox finishes with a 1.5 out of 5 performance. I think this could be worth a mulligan because his hand is injured which limits his most important weapon. But that would also miss out on the notable improvements from the former ninth pick defensively. Even on bad shooting nights, Knox isn’t killing the Knicks on the opposite end of the floor. He’ll need to produce behind that effort as the team heals up, but it’s a genuinely positive step for this young man’s development and game.
Nerlens Noel: The Knicks continue to trot out a combination of defensive centers that make life difficult for the entire run time of games. Nerlens Noel didn’t put up a gaudy stat-line, but there were little disruptive nuances to his defense that aren’t tallied. Noel’s hands stuck out especially as he poked and prodded at ball handlers, causing chaos without fouling. The big man also had a nice dunk by faking the hand-off at the top of the key and dribbling into a long gather for two.
Noel played 17 minutes for 4 points, 6 boards and 1 steal. He shot 2/2 from the field. It’s nothing dramatic or new. The veteran big man is a defensive presence that does his most visible work on the glass.
It was another steady night from Noel. He grabs a 2.5 out of 5 and is quickly becoming old reliable for Tom Thibodeau. Robinson is playing too well for Noel to see a bigger role right now, but that’s not an indictment of the back-up Center. Thibodeau’s tandem at Center is showing up as advertised in recent contests and anchoring one of the league’s better defenses so far this season.
Tom Thibodeau: It’s hard to complain about with the job Tom Thibodeau accomplished against Indiana. His first adjustment showed up right at tip-off as Thibs switched Randle onto Sabonis for the Knicks’ second match-up with Indy. Randle’s strength and athleticism proved to be a difference maker defensively. The other bookend decision was Rivers entering the game for Bullock with 4 minutes left in the game.
There may be a bit of frustration from Knicks fans over the fact that vets played a heavy role in this win. Immanuel Quickley got short minutes while Payton and Randle led the team in attempts despite RJ Barrett being the best scorer for the game. But the reality is that RJ and Mitch both got big minutes while Knox and Quickley also played keyed roles in a 9-man rotation. The young players that were healthy all had opportunities to produce and it’s hard to get mad when Thibs coached this team to another win over a playoff team.
Thibs gets a season high 4.5 out of 5 on this coaching performance. Other victories came with margins that left little concern for the small adjustments and tweaks that a coach stands out for. This closer competition brought out the best in Thibs though. His substitutions and use of time outs were effective throughout the night. Randle is once again the proof that this new staff has impact. It was a brave choice to put Randle against an elite big and the inspired effort that Thibs’ best player responded with was the reward.
Closing thoughts: The Knicks started the season with a nightmare schedule. So far, they’ve have responded by shocking everybody. I don’t think anybody predicted a .500 record through the first six games against such quality opponents. The only real caveat is that it’s early so far. New York has played one game against a team with a losing record so far; four of their first six games have come against teams in the top three of the Eastern Conference at this moment. They’ve had every excuse to fold from injuries to schedule to occasional bad luck with the refs. But there’s no excuse necessary when you deliver the way the Knicks have.
The questions going forward are exciting ones. Can the Knicks keep this up? How does the rotation shift when players get healthy? Should Leon Rose sell high on successful vets or ride this out to see if it’s real? We’ll only know by watching this season unfold, but it’s going to be fun to watch. This is the easiest Knicks team to root for in a long time. The vets really feel like leaders instead of mercenaries. The youth is hardworking and showing promise. Everyone has a chip on their shoulder and even the scores have a bit of that old-school, hard-nosed New York Knicks flair.
It’s too soon to say whether any of this is sustainable. But this feels like a New York Knicks team with a culture like the 90’s Knicks I grew up watching. I’m excited to find out if it’s real!
CP and J. Ellis went live after the Knicks big win against the Indiana Pacers. Check it out below.
