The New York Knicks defeated the Chicago Bulls in overtime, 128-120. The Knicks big three were cooking, but Brunson was the closer.
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The New York Knicks pulled off a thrilling overtime victory against the Chicago Bulls, 128 to 120. The Knicks’ offense shined with more movement and better shooting than they’ve shown since blowing out the Detroit Pistons. But Chicago converted more than 50 percent from the field, carving up the Knicks’ defense through its stars. The Knicks led most of the way, but fouls and turnovers meant the Bulls were always a run away from the lead.
Late in the game, New York protected the lead with solid defense while the offense became stagnant and predictable. Nevertheless, the Bulls managed to force overtime, and then Jalen Brunson took over. His creativity got the offense back on track, while New York’s defense was stingy enough to win.
This was a hard-fought win in a tough away game. Let’s see how the Knicks took their fifth win in a row.
Randle sparks things again, but this time Jalen Brunson closes
Jalen Brunson: 30 PTS (11/21 FG, 3/6 3PT, 5/5 FT), 7 AST, 2 REB, 1 STL, 2 TO in 39 mins
Jalen Brunson leveled up as the game went along, which was an impressive feat for a player who almost didn’t play. He missed his first few shots and looked rough in the first quarter. But after that, Brunson was a maestro for whom Chicago found no answers. He flew past big bodies, posted up smaller ones, and hit jumpers in space. Brunson made everything work.
Yet the team’s leader didn’t just beat Chicago with scoring. He scattered dimes into his attack, including a beautiful lob to Mitch. His varied approach kept Chicago’s defense from ever finding a solution. But as I mentioned earlier, Brunson took control in overtime, sparking ball movement and knocking down a decisive three that claimed Alex Caruso’s ankles.
Call it a bounce back. Brunson entered the game as a question mark due to a foot contusion. But the diminutive guard had been laboring through nagging injuries for a while and appeared to be slowing down. The two-day break seems to have done wonders because this was one of his best performances of the year. Brunson gets a 4.5 out of 5 for leadership through the win.
Quentin Grimes: 14 PTS (5/8 FG, 4/7 3PT, 0/1 FT), 2 AST, 5 REB, 1 STL, 1 BLK, 2 TO in 37 mins
We can add “clutch” to Quentin Grimes’ game descriptors. Grimes’ offense included the usual array of valuable cuts, clever passing, and quick drives. But he also came up big with a go-ahead three-pointer late in the fourth and another in overtime. Grimes has made timely plays all season long, but these shots were massive.
Grimes’ defensive play is always a bright spot, but let’s talk about his late-game defense on Demar DeRozan. DeRozan was shooting over players and drawing whistles in the clutch portions of this game. But Grimes came up with big stops in overtime, applying pressure without fouling. Chicago’s closer still made a slick basket early during the extra time, but Grimes shut him down after.
We often attribute the Knicks’ defensive turnaround to Grimes and McBride’s increased roles. But Grimes’ presence has also had a visible impact on offense. Players cut with more vigor, and the ball movement has improved. This team of scorers trusted Grimes to hit big shots in the clutch, and he came through. Grimes gets a 4 out of 5 for making big plays when it mattered most.
RJ Barrett: 22 PTS (8/17 FG, 4/7 3PT, 2/2 FT), 2 AST, 6 REB, 1 BLK, 3 TO in 34 mins
RJ Barrett played some incredible first-half defense, holding Demar Derozan to 1 field goal made. It’s the type of defensive performance I’ve been waiting for all season. As the game wore on, Barrett was the victim of a few sketchy calls and a few earned ones. The important thing is that he locked in and gave a gutsy performance against an elite scorer.
Offensively, RJ Barrett has escaped the pit he spent all of November in. The 22-year-old knocked down his open looks from three and showed finishing ability whenever he got to his left hand. He also repeated that cross-court kick to the baseline I lauded in the last recap. That pass indicates his processing is improving by leaps and bounds compared to his rough streak.
Barrett was efficient from the floor and made better passes than his 2 assist tally indicates. He also came up with big rebounds and timely scoring. RJ added 8 points in the third quarter when everyone else seemed cold. His recent improvement has been overshadowed by the arrival of the sophomores and the star turn for Randle, but he’s in the midst of a nice run. Barrett gets a 3.5 out of 5 that’s on the verge of a 4 if he hadn’t fouled out.
Julius Randle: 31 PTS (8/19 FG, 3/7 3PT, 12/15 FT), 7 AST, 13 REB, 6 TO in 46 mins
Julius Randle once again sparked the team’s early offense, pouring on 15 points in the first quarter. He played a brilliant first half and only slowed down after Chicago sent double and even triple-teams his way. The former All-Star proved to be a willing passer, looking for kickouts and picking out cutters from traffic. His shooting percentage isn’t stellar, but 31 points on 19 attempts is a strong figure, no matter how you cut it.
Randle’s problem is that he tried to do too much at times. This stood out mainly in the fourth quarter, as he continually iso’ed against Alex Caruso but waited for double teams instead of attacking. He looked to make the pass but created late shot-clock situations and tricky angles by waiting too long. That translated to 6 turnovers and some ugly possessions during the clutch moments of the game.
But we shouldn’t let those late struggles mar another outstanding performance. Randle was unstoppable in isolation and looked to make the pass even when he failed to complete it. His 13 rebounds were huge for the Knicks, and so was his overall performance. Unfortunately, the turnovers and late inefficiency force him down to a 4 out of 5 for impact, but that’s still a big night.
Mitchell Robinson: 8 PTS (4/8 FG), 1 AST, 10 REB, 2 BLK in 35 mins
Mitchell Robinson’s second block needs to be described. The game was in overtime, and the Bulls’ wing scorers had been stopped in back-to-back possessions. So Chicago set up Vucevic in the post to use his footwork. Mitch almost bit on a head fake but stayed with Vuc and came up with a huge block that sealed New York’s momentum.
Robinson’s defensive play is the story of his night. His presence on the interior left Chicago relying on mid-range jumpers for most of their success. Even Vucevic took jump shots more than he attacked inside. The only Bull to score successfully at the rim consistently was Zach LaVine.
Mitch also tagged his calling card on the offensive glass. He prolonged possessions and gave the Knicks extra opportunities. The board work stood out when Mitch grabbed a rebound and found Grimes cutting baseline early, then again as he made a fourth-quarter putback dunk. Mitch gets a 3.5 out of 5, with room to argue that his play warrants a 4 or higher.
The Knicks’ second unit wins the match-up of the benches
Deuce McBride: 6 PTS (2/2 FG, 2/2 3PT), 1 AST, 1 REB, 1 STL, 1 TO in 14 mins
Deuce McBride knocked down a pair of threes in short order during the first half. He looked confident in his jumper for those couple of opportunities. But he didn’t attempt another shot and failed to attack much after that. He’s still too passive on offense, though his jumper is coming around.
And he never looked at the rim again, unfortunately.
McBride’s defense lived up to its reputation. Players who scored on him had to knock down contested shots, except for one play in which Alex Caruso crossed him up badly. But his defensive presence remains a constant positive. McBride gets a 3 out of 5, thanks to tough defense and flashes of his jumper.
Immanuel Quickley: 9 PTS (4/10 FG, 1/4 3PT), 4 AST, 3 REB, 4 STL, 1 TO in 34 mins
Immanuel Quickley made some questionable decisions amid an otherwise strong performance. He passed up some open looks to drive into more challenging shots and rushed a few jumpers he didn’t need to take. IQ always takes rushed jumpers when the Knicks are in a 2-for-1 situation at the end of a quarter but never seems to convert the shots.
Quickley’s defensive qualities stood out more clearly. He was an absolute pest in the passing lanes, picking the ball off. His hands were also impressive in on-ball situations, he even stole defensive rebounds from bigger players on the Bulls.
Quickley also flashed his playmaking ability with 4 assists. His overall production remained strong and covered for any mistakes he made. He also covered for RJ Barrett after the starter fouled out. Quick picks up a 3.5 out of 5 for helping out across the board.
Jericho Sims: 2 PTS (1/1 FG), 1 BLK in 8 mins
Jericho Sims didn’t play enough minutes to have much impact on the game. But he did manage a nice alley-oop dunk that showed off his leaping ability. The team doesn’t look worse for wear while he’s on the floor, though defenders cheat to the middle of the court when Sims is in the corner.
Isaiah Hartenstein: 6 PTS (2/5 FG, 1/1 3PT, 1/2 FT), 1 AST, 8 REB in 16 mins
Isaiah Hartenstein made solid contributions, especially with a well-timed three that came as the shot clock wound down. Sadly, his patented floater didn’t fall, and a few putback attempts rimmed out. But his presence on offense was positive, thanks to good ball movement and off the ball movement.
But Hart found himself overpowered a few times, leading to an and-one for Patrick Williams and multiple offensive rebounds for the Bulls. His defense was solid for most possessions, but it took time before he settled into the physical aspects of the game.
The big man continues to show comfort in an expanding role. He’s doing more with extra touches in new spots on the floor. His defense sometimes stands out due to mistakes, but it’s much more consistent than those moments might suggest. Hart gets a 2.5 out of 5 for another solid night.
A formulaic fourth-quarter mars an otherwise great night from Tom Thibodeau
The Knicks have won five games in a row, making it hard to criticize Tom Thibodeau. We’ve come a long way from a week ago when the pitchforks were out over Cam Reddish. The new rotation has chemistry after six games together that we never saw in the first 20 contests. Their defense finally slipped, but a big chunk came down to whistle-happy refs that impacted both teams.
Thibodeau made a glaring mistake when he let Julius Randle iso against Alex Caruso for what felt like every play in the last three minutes. I understood the idea, but the play was too predictable and stopped working as early as the third. The Knicks looked bad running clock-kill offense a game prior as well, so this is an issue worth watching.
But I won’t let perfect be the enemy of great. The new-look Knicks have persevered in tough competition, survived losing players at times, and continue to roll. Thibodeau gets a 4 out of 5 because the offense’s chemistry is catching up to the defense.
Closing Thoughts
It’s incredible what a few changes to the rotation can bring about. Quentin Grimes has stabilized the starting unit, and Miles McBride has injected energy into the bench. In addition, Mitchell Robinson might be playing his best stretch of basketball ever by dominating the inside every night. Meanwhile, RJ is hedging closer to his play from last season, and Julius Randle is flashing qualities from two seasons ago.
The pieces are coming together for this team to solidify a playoff position. Even Richard Jefferson and Kendrick Perkins said they view New York as “above the play-in tournament.” I usually expect those guys to be haters.
Success on the court has also seemed to set the front office at ease. The latest rumors are that New York is in no rush to dump salary, despite being active on the phones. The team is rolling with an abundance of young players leading the way, which affords everyone time to wait and see how this all unfolds.
I’m cautiously optimistic about the direction of this team, though the next game feels like a trap. New York will play Chicago in Chicago for the second straight time. That hardly feels fair after a hard-fought overtime victory. But it’s also a welcome test for a team that’s found its footing amid the parity of the East.
I’ll see you after the next one, Knicks fam!
Stay tuned to KnicksFanTV.com for the latest Knicks news, rumors, and recaps throughout the NBA season. And in remembrance of Anthony Mason on his birthday, check out CP’s interview with Chris Herring, author of Blood in the Garden: The Flagrant History of the 1990’s New York Knicks, and their discussion of Mason!
