The Knicks spent most of their 91-99 loss to the Pistons looking dazed and confused. The Pistons adjusted from their game one loss by employing a zone defense and doubling pick and roll ball handlers every single time. Even the Knicks’ lead ball handlers struggled with the increased pressure. To make matters worse, New York couldn’t break the zone with shooting…they tried, it wasn’t pretty. The defense took a step back too, allowing Detroit to score more efficiently from everywhere on the floor. Less stops meant less transition attacks, less transition attacks meant far less easy buckets. It was a domino effect that New York couldn’t avoid.
Let’s look at the individual performances and try to find some bright spots after a tough loss.
Alec Burks: On a night when the Knicks needed shooting desperately, Alec Burks was the only player to answer the call. Burks showed off his quick release and ability to knock down jumpers with even a hint of space. The shooting guard found openings in the zone defense and exploited them whenever the ball swung his way, and it should have swung his way even more. The Knick newcomer never forced the issue and just piled up positive touches throughout his night on the floor.
After 21 minutes, Burks had compiled 15 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists on 5/9 from the field and 3/5 from three-point land. He didn’t turn the ball over and while he only took 2 free throws, he was the only Knick to shoot 100% from the line. On a night where some Knicks looked good by comparison, Burks was flat out good and has only needed 2 games to solidify a likely starting role.
RJ Barrett: The absolute bright spot of the night was RJ Barrett. Barrett’s three ball still wasn’t falling but he managed to put together an efficient scoring night by attacking inside and from midrange. That midrange jumper is looking very promising in these early games and could help cover for a developing long game. Barrett also looked to do more creating for others. He never quite got on the same page as Nerlens Noel, but he looked for the big man on multiple pick and rolls. Barrett also had a beautiful assist to Burks in the third quarter, feeding a hot hand at the time.
Barrett was far from flawless, but his upside was truly on display with 25 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists over a 36-minute run. While RJ was only 1/5 from three, he managed 10/17 from the field overall and hit 4/5 free throws. If he becomes a consistent free throw shooter, Barrett could be a 20 ppg player sooner than later. The three-point shooting isn’t his only blemish though. RJ turned the rock over 4 times including a couple of those mistimed passes to Noel I’ve mentioned. But I’d rather see RJ making mistakes while working on his playmaking than coughing it up while forcing his own shot (we’ll get back to this idea in a minute).
Through the first two games, RJ has looked like a player that is poised to take control of the offense. He’s had by far the most field goal attempts and has led the team in scoring comfortably. He had a bit of tunnel vision in the first Pistons match-up but that wasn’t the case last night. Let’s hope he keeps building momentum.
Julius Randle: I bet there are people that look at Julius Randle’s stat lines and question why Knicks fans are so frustrated with his play. Even when you watch the game, there are moments where Randle looks like an absolute force. When the highest paid Knick wants to be, he’s a solid creator for others as well. But for every nice pass by Randle, there are two or three moments where he’s looking off a wide open shooter or barreling into a double team with his head down. That’s before we get to the points he gives back on the defensive end. Randle giveth and taketh…and taketh…and taketh.
Randle put up 18 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists on 4/11 from the field, 1/3 from three and 9/12 from the free throw line. His trips to the line are offset a bit by 5 turnovers. The frustrating thing about this game is that it feels like Randle could have been so much better. I can think of at least three missed field goals that came after he missed an open shooter. Let’s hope Thibodeau, Payne and the rest of the staff can get him to make needed adjustments.
Nerlens Noel: While the Pistons zone limited Nerlens Noel’s scoring options, his interior play and defense was good enough to make up for it. There’s nothing flashy about the production that Noel provides. He gets to work inside and grabs board, he challenges shooters and he has a constant impact without needing the ball. Even when Isaiah Stewart appeared to throw a punch at Noel’s side late in the game, the big man handled the situation with in an effective but composed manner. That’s how his entire game feels.
Noel spent 21 minutes producing 3 points, 10 rebounds and 2 assists. He did struggle from the field a bit though, shooting 1/4 and making just 1 of 3 free throws. He missed two late free throws as the game was slipping away which did hurt. But he’s not on the floor for points, it’s everything else he provides.
It also warrants mentioning that Noel added another block and steal to his preseason totals while picking up just 2 fouls. On a night like last, where Mitch ran into trouble; Noel’s ability to stay on the floor is going to be important.
Dennis Smith Jr: After starting the preseason with a promising performance, Dennis Smith Jr. took a step backward as he struggled with the Pistons double team pressure. Smith made mistakes in game one, but he always moved with purpose. The Pistons doubles left Smith indecisive and caused the entire offense to stall. Plays were getting broken up, passes were deflected, and Smith just never looked comfortable out there.
DSJ closed out 17 minutes of play with 2 points, 3 assists and 1 board. He shot 1/5 from the field, 0/2 from three and failed to reach the free throw line. It felt like he barely got into the teeth of the offense while his impact relies on attacking. As a small victory, Smith only turned the rock over 1 time, but he may have been better off risking more TO’s to put the defense on its heels a bit.
Another concern for Smith was that his defensive play was no where near as active as in game one. It may be that the offensive struggles seeped into his defensive mentality as well. This also might be a case where the opening night excitement energized him, and his motor returned to the median. We’ll have to see more to get a better idea.
Reggie Bullock: After playing a third string type of role in the first game, Reggie Bullock saw his role increased last night. With the young second unit needing spacing and composure to break the zone, this felt like perfect timing for a veteran to provide relief. That didn’t happen though. Bullock struggled with his jumper all night and he failed to impact the game positively without it.
Bullock shot 1/8 overall and 1/7 from three, tallying 5 points and 4 rebounds in a 21-minute stint. He wasn’t missing thanks to intense closeouts or anything else. These were looks that we’re used to Bullock knocking down. So it was a disappointing night from the vet but also one that I don’t expect to become a trend.
Frank Ntilikina: Whereas Reggie Bullock felt like the odd man out in game one; Frank Ntilikina held that third stinger role for this second match-up. Frank came into the game after an abysmal first half stint for the second unit and he paired with Immanuel Quickley well. The two immediately improved the Knicks perimeter defense and though the results on offense were mixed, the result was positive. In the fourth, Frank was clearly pressing and it translated to a slew of fouls in quick succession.
Ntilikina fouled out after just 12 minutes of play with 3 points, 1 rebound and 1 assist on 1/3 from the field and 1/2 from three. The good news is that his jumper looks confident and smooth. He’s knocking down the open ones on limited attempts so far. But there are still moments of hesitation and he needs to find more ways to produce offensively if he wants to avoid a third sting role…especially when Austin Rivers returns.
It does warrant mention that Frank continues to be the Knicks best perimeter defender. At a minimum he’ll likely earn spot minutes being a defensive piece. But in order for the French Prince to earn his moniker, he’ll have to do more than knock down his easiest jumpers.
Immanuel Quickley: The second of the Knicks first round picks saw some action Sunday and I’m cautiously optimistic with the limited viewing we got. Quickley tried to make his touches meaningful even if some nerves were obvious off the rip. The rookie made quick decisions with the ball and that’s exactly what you want to see against a zone. His first basket came inside after being chased off of the line, showing that he wasn’t afraid to put the ball on the ground and work for his baskets.
Quickley played a humble 9 minutes for 2 points, 1 assist and 2 rebounds on 1/3 from the field and 0/1 from three. It’s way too early to make any proclamations about the kid. But he gave Thibodeau good minutes, especially in the first half pairing with Frank.
Kevin Knox: It’s far too early to overthink this, but Kevin Knox needs to find his jumper to be successful. Facing a zone defense that ought to create for jumpers, Knox failed to hit a three and rushed attempts at times when he was forced off the line. This was another case where the Pistons pressing led to a young player wilting. Knox must hit jumpers or figure out a way to productive without them, but he can’t afford to have nights like last if he wants to rebound from a tough sophomore year.
The young forward finished a 12-minute stint with 2 points and 4 boards on 1/6 shooting plus 0/2 from three. Knox is has attempted 5 three pointers so far without knocking down one. He’s 3 for 12 overall from the field. He’s making the gimme baskets but nothing else and a lot of his shots felt rushed yesterday.
One thing that I will highlight though, is that the 4 rebounds in 12 minutes were indicative of increased effort compared to years prior. Usually, his offensive struggles would bleed into his effort everywhere and I haven’t felt like that’s the case in this early going. He’s also made a couple of nice passing reads through these first two games that at least flash improved vision. It’s year three and game has to start slowing down for the kid to realize his potential. It’s not time to sound the alarms, but that time will come on fast if Knox doesn’t make improvements.
Obi Toppin: This felt like revenge for the Pistons. Obi Toppin had come out for his debut and caused chaos all over the floor. In his follow-up, Toppin faced a zone defense that kept him out of the post and forced him to shoot three pointers to virtually no success. Obi struggled attacking from wing possessions because of the same ball pressure that I’ve referenced for most of these young players. He just never got into a groove.
Toppin played for 24 minutes and ended with 4 points, 4 boards and 1 assist on 1/9 from the field, 1/6 from three. The rookie also had 2 TO’s and a handful of moments defensively where it certainly looked like he was in the wrong place. If the first game of the preseason showed us all of Obi’s potential, the second game put a lot of his weaknesses on display. It was a nice reminder that Toppin is still a rookie with plenty to work on, so we need to temper expectations some.
I will say one thing, I don’t mind the Knicks’ top pick being a willing shooter. Some of his jumpers were taken a bit too far out, but if he develops into a three-point threat then he’ll be a nightmare to defend. Obi’s motor wasn’t a problem and his aggressive style reminded me a bit of RJ Barrett when he was trying to figure things out early. We’ll see nights like this, but I think we’ll also see plenty of nights where Obi explodes.
Mitchell Robinson: Much was made of Tom Thibodeau’s comments on Mitchell Robinson in the preseason. Last night made me think of one single word that Thibodeau mentioned, “Discipline.” Mitch was a more effective offensive big man than anyone not named Randle and that was just off getting to the right spots and seeking the ball for dunks. But he was over eager on the defensive end which led him to bad fouls, including a flagrant foul on Blake Griffin after he’d been pump faked into a badly mistimed block attempt.
Robinson put up 8 points and 5 rebounds in 19 minutes. He didn’t add any of the blocks or steals which buoyed his performance in the opener. Whereas some players seemed too relaxed on defense, Mitch was too impatient. This is where developing discipline will be crucial. Mitch can be a tone setter on defense, but he has to find the balance between being a menace and being cautious. Nerlens Noel struck that balance perfectly last night and that’s likely the reason Noel is starting.
Tom Thibodeau: When Tom Thibodeau talked about tweaking some things, I didn’t expect him to remove a tertiary ball handler from the second unit in exchange for a shooter. It’s not a bad idea in a vacuum, but Frank Ntilikina’s presence took pressure off DSJ in the first game. Both players struggled as the sole ball handlers in brief stints. Reggie Bullock didn’t respond well to the change either.
This game took on the feel of a very long teachable moment. Thibs let his young players take the court after the starters led an effort filled comeback and he let the youngsters stay out there despite a losing result. These moments are what the preseason is meant for, I’m certain Payton and Burks would see more time in a regular season situation.
That said, this wasn’t just a lackluster game from the players. Not enough was done to address the zone or the double-teams on ball handlers. Players made the same mistakes repeatedly and I was especially frustrated that a briefly successful Quickley/Ntilikina backcourt wasn’t revisited in the second half.
Closing thoughts: After the success on Friday night, I had to keep repeating to myself “don’t get too excited, this is the preseason.” After a worrisome game for most youngsters, I’m saying “don’t get too low, this is the preseason.” We already came into this knowing that this season is a rebuilding one. The Knicks oldest player is 29 years old, and for a very brief moment, a rookie was the oldest Knick on the floor. We’re going to see plenty of growing pains.
The biggest concerns statistically come down to abysmal three point and free throw shooting. The high turnover rate is worrisome too. But these struggles track with a young team that needs development. No team averaging 90 points per night is going to be successful, there isn’t enough defense in the world to pull that off in the modern NBA. The Knicks need to find chemistry and they need some of these guys to knock down the easy ones. We’ll see if the struggles are more about an abbreviated camp or a lack of the necessary pieces as we watch more games.
Check out CP and J Ellis’ breakdown of last night’s preseason loss to the Pistons below.
