The New York Knicks defeated the Charlotte Hornets 121-102. The Knicks’ defense took advantage of an injured Hornets team.
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The New York Knicks beat the Charlotte Hornets from start to finish, 121 to 102. The Knicks started slowly with just 22 points in the first quarter, but once their offense started rolling, it never looked back. Their defense was fun to watch again, as the new rotation’s physicality continued to bother ball-handlers and shooters alike. It was an easy win over another depleted opponent.
New York is now 13 and 13, tied for 6th place, riding the strength of their three-game win streak. They’ve caught some breaks from their opponents, but the team’s energy feels different. The defense is sharper, the ball movement looks cleaner, and it appears the team has found some chemistry that was inconsistent before. So let’s look closely to see what drove them to a third win in a row.
RJ Barrett and Julius Randle rewind the clock for New York’s starters
Jalen Brunson: 11 PTS (3/13 FG, 1/4 3PT, 4/4 FT), 11 AST, 1 REB, 1 STL, 2 TO in 27 mins
Jalen Brunson struggled from the field for his second straight game. Teams are giving him extra attention whenever he gets to his mid-post positions and taking away his chances to use footwork inside. But despite the poor shooting, Brunson drew defenders in to find open teammates all game long. That means even on an off-night, Brunson picked up a double-double with 11 points and 11 assists.
My only note on Brunson’s defense is that I caught him starting some possessions on PJ Washington. Brunson would cheat to the middle of the court while Washington waited in the corner. That’s a fine way to hide Brunson and use his anticipation to disrupt plays inside with time to close out on shooters.
This still counts as a subpar performance compared to the Brunson we’re used to. But his playmaking and heady play were still valuable. That’s enough for a 2 out of 5 for helping other players get going without his scoring.
Quentin Grimes: 11 PTS (4/8 FG, 1/4 3PT, 2/2 FT), 6 REB, 1 BLK in 28 mins
Quentin Grimes’ energy and effort helped him generate decent scoring without many touches. He scored on cuts, fast breaks, and trips inside. Grimes’ game looks smooth on his trips into traffic, and he’s finishing better than his college numbers would ever suggest. We saw a flash of the shooter’s athleticism on a fast-break dunk. Even with another cold night from three, Grimes was efficient as a scorer.
Don’t let Terry Rozier’s numbers fool you. Quentin Grimes played fantastic defense that left Rozier frustrated for most of the night. The shooting guard also picked up Kelly Oubre and PJ Washington for stretches, handling their power moves and post-ups just as well. Rozier didn’t put up numbers until garbage time, during which Grimes sat.
Clyde called Grimes the perfect player for this system. He doesn’t need the ball to be effective and adds energy to the floor for every teammate. His impact is consistently more extensive than his stat lines which are never bad to begin with. Grimes gets a 3.5 out of 5 for another strong performance.
RJ Barrett: 26 PTS (9/18 FG, 1/3 3PT, 7/8 FT), 4 AST, 7 REB, 1 STL, 2 TO in 35 mins
RJ Barrett started the game by missing three shots and turning the ball over. But his aggression turned positive with eight consecutive field goals after his initial missed bunnies. He had more explosion than average, dunking the ball three times and finishing through contact. In addition, Barrett was more selective about when to drive, keeping his head up and attacking space instead of rushing into traffic.
Even better, Barrett moved the ball effectively in this performance than he has for weeks. The scorer threw multiple lobs off pick and rolls, sent clever passes ahead in transition, and finished the game with some hockey assists. He replaced turnovers in traffic with quick passes that allowed teammates to capitalize on the imbalanced defense.
It wasn’t a perfect game, though. Barrett got his pocket picked for a fast break dunk by Kai Jones and gave up another blow-by to a slow player in PJ Washington. That said, this is far and away his best performance in a very long time. Barrett grabs a 4.5 out of 5 for giving the Knicks a massive boost en route to the victory.
Julius Randle: 33 PTS (9/21 FG, 4/10 3PT, 11/14 FT), 2 AST, 7 REB, 1 STL, 1 BLK, 2 TO in 36 mins
Julius Randle jump-started the Knicks’ offense by knocking down a few early threes before attacking the Hornets inside. He had some robust finishes, and despite an inefficient field goal percentage, he played a smart game. That’s evidenced by his ridiculous 14 free throw attempts for the night. Randle was a force, and the Hornets had nobody to stop him.
I was pleasantly surprised by Randle’s defense in this game. He had a nice block at the rim and generally stepped up against the Hornets’ mobile big men. Of course, that doesn’t mean the former all-pro was perfect, but his effort was impressive.
Randle is having a great season on offense, and this performance included a better defensive effort. We’re seeing more from Randle on the defensive end since Grimes entered the starting line-up, though I can’t tell exactly why. That gets Randle to a 4 out of 5 for the game, slipping a notch only because his rebounding and field goal percentage is a drop-off from his best games of the year.
Mitchell Robinson: 6 PTS (3/7 FG), 13 REB, 1 STL, 3 BLK in 30 mins
Before any of the Knicks’ usual suspects got hot, Mitchell Robinson’s presence inside kept the team ahead. He dunked the ball to start the game and added rebounds and emphatic blocks to keep the Hornets’ offense at bay. Robinson’s missed field goals came on attempted putbacks because he repeatedly beat Charlotte’s big men for tip-in attempts.
Speaking of beating the Hornets’ bigs, Mitch dominated the glass while he played. Even when he didn’t come down with the offensive rebound, Hornets players often knocked the ball out of bounds trying to get rebounds away from Robinson. He’s hit a groove dominating the paint, even against bigger and stronger bodies.
I didn’t say too much about Robinson’s defense, but he was the same presence you’ve become used to. His three blocks were as impressive as ever, and players shied away from testing him as the game wore on. Mitch gets a 3 out of 5 for coming within a couple of tip-ins away from a double-double.
The Knicks’ second unit starts to gel
Deuce McBride: 10 PTS (3/7 FG, 2/4 3PT, 2/2 FT), 1 AST, 1 REB, 2 STL, 1 TO in 24 mins
I’ve never enjoyed watching a player’s off-ball defense the way I do Deuce McBride. He bumps players off the paths they want to take, hedges at ball handlers, and anticipates passes as well as anyone on the team. McBride’s defensive play on the ball is physical and disruptive as well. He was so good on defense that I had to start this review by gushing about it instead of discussing offense.
But McBride also had his best-scoring performance of the season. He knocked down a pair of threes that both came when he fired without hesitation. As the game wore on, he started to test defenders off the dribble as well, although it was more like dipping his toes than diving into the deep end. But McBride is showing signs of comfort as he plays a more consistent role.
The beauty of McBride’s early success is that there’s so much room to grow. His defense already feels reliable, but he’s barely scratched the surface on offense. He’ll have to attack defenders off the dribble and shoot when he has space to stick, but we’ve seen signs that he can develop in both areas. Deuce gets a 3 out of 5 for his outsized impact and promising signs on offense.
Immanuel Quickley: 11 PTS (4/11 FG, 3/7 3PT), 4 AST, 2 REB, 2 TO in 28 mins
Immanuel Quickley played well again, knocking down his jumpers instead of his usual finishing inside (that’s interesting because I thought his two most memorable plays came from attacking off the dribble). First, he used a head fake and hesitation for his lone field goal in the paint. On another play, he broke Kelly Oubre’s ankles but missed the ensuing attempt at the rim.
IQ fit right in with the Knicks’ new and improved defensive play. He’s spent most of this season as the team’s best defender, but Grimes and McBride have supplanted him. That only means he’s taking on lead ball handlers less, though his defense hasn’t slipped at all.
I’d have more to say, but you’ve heard it all. IQ’s been one of New York’s better players all season. He’s a consistent defender and adds scoring punch to the bench. As his jumper comes around and his playmaking takes shape, he could become an even bigger impact player. Quickley gets a 3 out of 5 for leading the second unit.
Jericho Sims: 2 PTS (1/2 FG), 1 AST, 2 REB in 12 mins
Jericho Sims stepped in to play minutes at Power Forward, and it worked out. He didn’t play big minutes, but his combination with Isaiah Hartenstein threw a different look at the Hornets. When Hartenstein rolled, Sims set off-ball screens to open things up for shooters rather than setting up on the baseline as Obi might.
Defensively, Sims moved well enough to cover ground and cover fours. His mobility and size should help with closing out possessions for boards. It was only a 12- minute test, but this was promising. We’ll have to see how it looks for longer stretches to gauge impact truly.
Isaiah Hartenstein: 11 PTS (5/5 FG, 1/1 3PT), 2 AST, 8 REB, 2 BLK, 1 TO in 18 mins
Isaiah Hartenstein looked like the player I expected when we signed him. He got more touches in various areas on the court, which allowed him to show more diversity. Sometimes Hart dribbled and tried to make plays, while other times, he rolled to the hoop and picked up easy buckets. He’d established a nice rhythm by the time he cut to the baseline and knocked down a corner three.
Defensively, Hart looked strong as well. His second block was a beautiful stand against a strong driving dunk attempt. The big man also seemed to be in a good position for every board.
Hartenstein picks up a 3.5 out of 5 for his production in under twenty minutes, and I hope to see this variety of looks and touches more often for the big man.
New York’s defense shows up for Tom Thibodeau again
Tom Thibodeau’s rotation changes started three games ago, and each game has been an impressive win. Despite the undeniable results, all three games could have some asterisk that would leave us skeptical. I don’t think the defensive efforts or energy will disappear in the face of tougher competition. I’m optimistic that Thibs found something.
The only significant decision Thibs faced was how to replace Obi Toppin in the rotation. He went with a jumbo-sized line-up, which worked for at least one game. I like how the Sims/Hartenstein front court allowed Hart to be more assertive. Even if that combo doesn’t stick, I hope it gives the second unit more chemistry utilizing their backup center.
I can’t give Thibodeau too much credit for such an easy victory. But I can give him extra points for the team’s energy change. They didn’t let up even when this game was comfortably out of reach for Charlotte. So Thibodeau picks up a 4 out of 5 because there’s momentum building.
Closing Thoughts
It’s easy to make rationalizations for this three-game run being a mirage. New York played teams that were missing key pieces. So, they still have to get over the hump of showing us they can defeat an elite opponent. But that doesn’t mean these wins didn’t show us visible improvements in essential areas.
This team looks closer to competing with those quality opponents than ever, and that’s because it’s finally playing defense. Alan Hahn mentioned that opponents shot 20 percent from three over the past three games. I don’t care who the opposition is; that’s an impressive defensive statistic. The Knicks are playing physical defense that makes opponents uncomfortable and breaks up their rhythm. That’s a recipe for success against anyone.
We’ll see this new-look defense tested by a top-five offense next. The Sacramento Kings are an early success story, outscoring opponents rather than stopping them. That’s a chance for a statement win and to cement the hype around this win streak. So let’s meet back here to discuss the results, whether they’re promising or frustrating.
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 the analysis and fan reactions from when the Knicks played the Atlanta Hawks!
