The New York Knicks defeated the Atlanta Hawks 116-114. Julius Randle leads the way with an almost triple-double!
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The New York Knicks picked up a win over the Atlanta Hawks 116 to 114. The Knicks got off to a hot start, but New York’s turnovers and timely shooting by Atlanta kept this game close. By the second half, the close contest picked up playoff intensity, with Atlanta taking a fourth-quarter lead after trailing most of the matchup. But New York’s stars stepped up with just enough execution and free-throw shooting to steal a win in Atlanta.
The Knicks saw significant contributions from Jalen Brunson, Julius Randle, and Immanuel Quickley. That was crucial as RJ Barrett sat out, and Quentin Grimes left the fourth quarter injured. Let’s see how each player contributed to the hard-fought victory.
The Knicks’ stars are finding heating up
Jalen Brunson: 24 PTS (8/19 FG, 6/10 3PT, 2/2 FT), 8 AST, 3 TO in 41 mins
Jalen Brunson’s jumper was crisp enough to get him through a challenging night in Atlanta. The Hawks sent defenders his way in waves. He was facing an instant trap from whoever would cheat off Josh Hart. That left Brunson distributing more than average, and he made some sharp passes but scattered some ugly turnovers in the early portions of the game.
Brunson knocked down big shots throughout the game. His shot fell from everywhere but the paint–most of his close-range attempts rimmed out. He beat Jalen Johnson with a clever spin move twice, but his touch failed him on both wide-open bunnies. Luckily, he pulled up for long and midrange jumpers and connected when it mattered.
Brunson is getting close to last season’s play. He didn’t always have it going from the field, but when crunch time hit, he came up with a huge assist and a midrange jumper to all but seal the game. Once his touch at the rim returns, the sky’s the limit. New York’s leader gets a 4 out of 5 for his clutch play.
Quentin Grimes: 11 PTS (4/10 FG, 3/7 3PT), 1 AST, 1 REB, 1 STL, 3 TO in 29 mins
Quentin Grimes finally showed some aggression. The Hawks often gave in to Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle’s gravity, which left Grimes with space to take shots. He fired without hesitation, coming up big in the third quarter. His quick trigger punished the Hawks for focusing on New York’s stars.
In RJ Barrett’s absence, Grimes got some minutes with the bench unit. He tried attacking off the dribble, which is something I’ve been waiting for. But it didn’t work well in this game, as the shooter picked up some bad turnovers while attacking inside.
The Knicks were clinging to a lead when Grimes reached on Bogdan Bogdanovic and injured his hand. The young defender immediately left the game for the locker and didn’t return. That shortens an otherwise strong performance and leaves Grimes with a 2.5 out of 5.
Josh Hart: 9 PTS (4/10 FG, 1/5 3PT), 5 AST, 8 REB, 1 BLK, 2 TO in 33 mins
Do you remember the JR Smith days? He’d often take shots that left you screaming, “What are you doing?” only to leave you celebrating when that jumper went in. Josh Hart has a similar but opposite effect. You’ll scream, “Why aren’t you shooting?” only for him to make a big play off the dribble. That’s Josh Hart’s entire fourth quarter in a nutshell.
Throughout the game, Hart gave us familiar impressions. He chased down boards and turned them into transition assists and finishes. After making his first try, the three-ball abandoned him, but his pump fake and drive led to more positive results than bad.
But nothing Hart did could keep defenders from cheating off him. Teams will live with Josh Hart beating them over Brunson or Randle getting hot off easy looks. The former Blazer came up with just enough good to get this win, but I like him better with the second unit. Hart gets a 2.5 out of 5 for his impact.
Julius Randle: 29 PTS (12/24 FG, 3/5 3PT, 2/2 FT), 8 AST, 10 REB, 1 STL, 1 TO in 39 mins
From the opening tip, Julius Randle was in attack mode as if he could feel his best game of the season coming on. Randle knocked down a pair of early jumpers and immediately rushed a heat check after. The crazy thing about his lovely efficiency is that a handful of misses came from similar heat checks.
But it’s easy to accept the quick trigger moments when Randle plays with so much force. He powered through players to score in the paint and punished double teams with kickouts. For the second time in three games, he picked out Mitchell Robinson on post mismatches, and those passes led to easy points. Randle’s decision-making was strong, even with some overly aggressive moments.
The performance was just short of perfection, thanks to some lazy moments on defense. But I have to nitpick heavily to come up with any complaints at all. Randle played a brilliant game, coming just shy of a triple-double. He gets my first 5 out of 5 of the season for carrying the Knicks and bouncing back from a terrible start to the season.
Mitchell Robinson: 6 PTS (3/3 FG), 15 REB, 3 STL, 1 BLK, 1 TO in 31 mins
I’d give Mitchell Robinson the game ball if not for Julius Randle. Whenever New York felt momentum slipping, Mitch would come up with a critical offensive board or make an essential play on a defensive stop. The Knicks regained their fourth-quarter lead off a Robinson rebound and kick (the type of pass I’ve been asking for) and protected the lead by blocking Dejounte Murray.
Robinson’s impact is on display in Clint Capela’s rough stat line. Capela grabbed a season-low 3 rebounds and rarely found much impact in the offensive paint. The Knicks grabbed 12 more rebounds than Atlanta during the night, and a lot of that is thanks to Mitchell Robinson.
I know I’m getting repetitive, but Mitch needs to be in every Defensive Award conversation right now. I found him buried in DPOY odds on a few sportsbooks, which tells me that everyone is still sleeping on our big man’s impact. Mitch gets a 4.5 out of 5 for his outstanding presence in the middle.
New York’s second-unit gets a boost from IQ
Immanuel Quickley: 20 PTS (6/11 FG, 3/5 3PT, 5/6 FT), 4 AST, 1 STL, 2 TO in 28 mins
Immanuel Quickley played strong basketball throughout the night, with scattered mistakes in the first three quarters. He knocked down some incredible fading jumpers, but also passed up or missed opportunities in the paint and turned the ball over. So, his game started promising but didn’t leap off the screen.
Quickley’s trajectory changed after his final substitution into the game. The Hawks were on a run, having just taken a 7-point lead. IQ stepped onto the floor and scored 5 consecutive points. While the Hawks’ defense keyed on Brunson and Randle, Quickley stepped up and handled some playmaking and creation. The end result: Creating easier looks for New York’s stars and crucial baskets for their sixth man.
IQ was having a good, quietly impactful game for most of the night. But he stepped it up to another level in crunch time. He led the Knicks in +/- by a considerable enough margin to warrant mention, even if I’m not fond of that stat. Quickley gets a 4 out of 5 for stepping up in RJ’s absence.
Donte DiVincenzo: 6 PTS (3/8 FG, 0/2 3PT), 3 AST, 4 REB, 2 STL, 4 TO in 22 mins
We’re still in feast or famine mode with Donte DiVincenzo. He hasn’t found consistency with his shot, and his reckless play style can become a double-edged sword. His typical chaotic trips into the paint became a slew of ugly turnovers in this game, while his jumper wasn’t helping.
But DiVincenzo is never a complete dud because his activity forces results. His off-ball cuts led to some of the best passing sequences in the game, though they also led to the aforementioned turnovers. His defense and rebounding kept his performance above water despite some glaring warts.
I’m still preaching patience with “the Big Ragu.” DiVincenzo has shown us his upside in some previous performances. If he finds consistency, the entire bench can take a leap, even as it routinely outscores opponents. Regardless, he’s getting a 1.5 out of 5 for this tough night.
Isaiah Hartenstein: 11 PTS (5/9 FG, 1/1 FT), 4 REB, 1 STL in 17 mins
Isaiah Hartenstein didn’t do anything wrong to be stuck under 20 minutes of action. He provided a needed scoring punch off the bench with an aggressive approach inside. I-Hart even got in on the fast break fun for the second time in the past three games. He’s playing effective basketball, though his typical passing acumen didn’t appear in Atlanta.
The one thing holding Hartenstein back is Mitchell Robinson’s leap. But that New York can count on its backup big any time Mitch struggles or needs a break is a luxury many teams can only wish for. I-Hart gets a 2.5 out of 5 for pouring in 11 points in just 17 minutes.
Tom Thibodeau calls a perfect timeout
I make a lot of complaints about Tom Thibodeau’s feel for in-game moments, or lack thereof. He even made a bizarre and wasteful challenge against Atlanta. But Thibs called a great timeout that trumps any mistakes he might have created. Atlanta went up by 7 in the fourth, Grimes had left injured, and the Knicks couldn’t get anything to fall. Thibodeau trotted out Immanuel Quickley, who capitalized on the Hawks dropping into the paint with a pair of baskets, and New York took back all the momentum they needed.
Tom Thibodeau got the offense back on track just in time and deserves his flowers for a perfect timeout.
Closing Thoughts
As much as I complain about the Cardiac Knicks, that was a fun win. There’s something about playoff intensity in Atlanta that energizes me. It takes me back to the year when this franchise felt like it finally turned a corner. Now, I’m counting on New York to reach the playoffs for the third time in four years, and their two wins over Atlanta have given me much-needed confidence.
The Knicks left the postseason three years ago, with Atlanta considered to be on a better trajectory. But that’s all changed, and the only thing that might deter New York’s success is bad luck with injuries. So, I’m hoping RJ Barrett and Quentin Grimes heal quickly. Maybe their youth can help them to fast recoveries.
But back to reminiscing, that first playoff team was flawed but fun. Three years later, this squad feels more confident and carries more upside. They’re not a surprise success anymore; we have expectations that they’re poised to live up to. It’s an excellent time to be a Knicks fan.
The Knicks begin yet another back-to-back on Friday, starting with the Wizards and ending with Charlotte. This is their chance to finally have success on short rest, thanks to a pair of struggling opponents. I’ll see some of you at the KFTV watch party on Friday. Then, I’ll compare performances from both games after Charlotte on Saturday. I’ll see you then, Knicks fam!
Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below! Also, 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 on WFAN talking Knicks with the legendary Bill Daughtry!
