The New York Knicks started down 16 points to the Portland Trail Blazers, but the Knicks’ second unit sparked a comeback to win 123 to 107.
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The New York Knicks got off to another slow start but turned things around to beat the Portland Trail Blazers 123 to 107. The Knicks played sloppy basketball early, with turnovers and missed shots defining most of their first quarter. The Blazers led by double-digits before New York made a field goal, but the bench helped spark the tired team again.
The Knicks outscored Portland in the next three quarters, following a 49-point first half with a 42-point third quarter. But by the fourth quarter, New York controlled the game when their bench made another strong push to put things away. They turned a slow start into a dominant night, with three starters scoring more than 20 points and two bench players coming close to that mark.
The Knicks still looked tired, but they scrapped their way to a 2-2 road trip after dropping the first two games. But let’s see how they turned the final match of their journey to the West into a success.
New York’s starters bounce back after a slow start
Immanuel Quickley: 26 PTS (8/14 FG, 4/8 3PT, 6/7 FT), 3 AST, 10 REB, 1 STL, 1 TO in 34 mins
Immanuel Quickley looked unstoppable after he got going. The stand-in at starting point guard covered Jalen Brunson’s role but with a perimeter-oriented approach. He fired away from deep, knocking down shots from well behind the arc. Quality defenders like Mattise Thybulle tried crowding IQ, but he drove past them to knock down jumpers in the lane. Quickley feasted against a defense that couldn’t afford to leave him open and lacked rim protection.
I have one complaint about Quickley’s work as the point guard in this game. New York took a long time to get into its initial sets and action. That meant possessions started later in the shot clock, leading to some rushed plays. I mentioned the Knicks’ sloppy start above; this was a crucial factor.
Slower initiation aside, he had a fantastic performance. Quickley supplied scoring that Jalen Brunson typically shoulders and threw in 10 rebounds to boot. In addition, he provided help that opened the floor for RJ Barrett and Julius Randle, who both found success attacking space in ways we’ll discuss below. As a result, IQ receives a 4 out of 5 for filling in the Jalen Brunson role as well as anyone could ask for.
Quentin Grimes: 4 PTS (1/3 FG, 1/3 3PT, 1/2 FT), 1 REB, 1 STL, 1 BLK, 3 TO in 20 mins
Quentin Grimes is going through a lull. He seemed caught between firing from deep or taking the baseline on multiple possessions. Grimes beat his man off the dribble a few times, only to turn around and reset the play. Those were moments when the sophomore would soar for a dunk or find Mitchell Robinson across the paint. But there’s a hint of hesitation in Grimes’ decisions from this baseline action.
Grimes deserves leeway for struggling to contain Damian Lillard. Lillard shot for a poor percentage from the field but knocked down some ridiculous three-pointers en route to a 38-point night. New York’s defensive ace was never too far, but Dame is electric.
Grimes has been out of rhythm lately. Over the past four games, he’s shot 30 percent from three and averaged 1.8 turnovers. His 3 turnovers against Portland are the most he’s had since December. The long season has caught up to his legs. Grimes gets a 1.5 out of 5 for continuing his tough stretch.
RJ Barrett: 22 PTS (8/13 FG, 1/3 3PT, 5/7 FT), 5 REB, 3 BLK, 2 TO in 28 mins
RJ Barrett picked up a pair of ugly turnovers that worried me. But he also knocked a three-pointer for New York’s first field goal of the night. He wouldn’t hit another jumper until a midrange shot late, but Barrett didn’t need to shoot. RJ relied on slashing instead, powering into the lane and finishing through any defender he faced. Despite a goose egg in the assist column, New York’s highest-drafted player did throw a few kick outs that were good reads.
The Knicks were a step slow to start, but Barrett was the most active starter early. He chased after boards and defended with gusto. I’m used to the entire team sprinting at closeouts, even when their rotations are late. That wasn’t the case for most of the game in Portland, except for when Barrett was the closest defender. His defensive effort paid off with 3 blocks scattered across the action.
Don’t look now, but Barrett is heating up. Despite an off night against the Clippers, Barrett’s averaging 24 ppg on 45 percent from the field over the past six games. He’s doing this while shooting abysmal splits from distance. If his jumper comes around, his scoring could take a monstrous leap, thanks to the already improved touch around the basket. Nevertheless, RJ gets a 3.5 out of 5 for a solid all-around performance.
Julius Randle: 24 PTS (8/20 FG, 0/5 3PT, 8/10 FT), 4 AST, 10 REB, 2 TO in 33 mins
Julius Randle looks exhausted. It seems like he’s shooting a medicine ball from anywhere outside of 16 feet. Yet he fought his way to a 24-point performance through force of will. Whether that was bullying his way to the basket through an onslaught of contact (earning him 10 free throws) or having almost all of his shots drop inside the paint (he shot 8/15 inside the arc).
Now, Randle didn’t confine his effort to scoring. The big man battled for rebounds, adding another double-double to his impressive season. He also limited turnovers which is promising to see without Brunson. However, his defense took a step back. The big man looked tired chasing players through screens and off the dribble, but I’m chalking it up to fatigue.
While far from perfect, this was a decent night for Randle. I’m grading on a curve, considering how tired he looked and how badly New York needs his presence. New York clearly misses their leader, Jalen Brunson, but Randle’s hard work sets an example for the team. New York’s All-Star earns a 3 out of 5 for an inefficient night that was impressive nonetheless.
Mitchell Robinson: 2 PTS (1/2 FG, 0/2 FT), 4 REB, 1 STL, 1 BLK in 21 mins
Mitchell Robinson experienced his shortest stint since coming back from injury. I wouldn’t say he was terrible, but Mitch was quiet. He didn’t control the glass as we’ve grown accustomed to, and the big man barely touched the rock in the dunker’s spot. His teammates could do a better job finding him, but he also needs to be more assertive.
Mitch played defense like it was any other night. He didn’t let frustrating offense hurt his rim protection. That keeps his value positive, but Isaiah Hartenstein outperformed him and took some minutes away. So Robinson gets a 2 out of 5 for the quiet but ultimately okay night.
The Knicks’ second unit energizes the team
Miles McBride: 18 PTS (6/8 FG, 4/5 3PT, 2/4 FT), 3 AST, 1 REB, 1 STL, 2 BLK in 24 mins
I’ve clamored for Miles McBride to get more minutes, thanks to promising signs over the past handful of games. His performance against Portland felt overdue as a result. McBride couldn’t miss from three and added a transition finish and a clever drive in the half-court offense. His only drawback as a scorer came when he missed a pair of free throws that would have given him 20 points.
While Deuce filled up the points column, his defense may have been better. He picked the Knicks up with a first-half block, swatting a transition attempt into the crowd. McBride would finish the game with 3 Stocks (steals + blocks), marking the fourth time in five games that he clocks multiple stocks.
The sophomore point guard looked comfortable, finding a rhythm as his minutes increased. He applied pressure to the Blazers at both ends and put together his best game of the season. McBride gets a 3.5 out of 5 for his big night.
Josh Hart: 16 PTS (6/13 FG, 2/5 3PT, 2/2 FT), 8 AST, 9 REB, 3 STL, 2 TO in 37 mins
Josh Hart had the revenge game some fans were expecting from Cam Reddish. While the Knicks were still slacking, Hart came on and changed the pace of the entire team. He grabbed 6 boards in the first half and continually picked out teammates to score. Then, with everyone else awake, Hart began to find three-pointers and transition buckets for himself.
It’s safe to assume Hart will defend well every night. His intensity leads him to challenge shooters and pick off lazy passes. So, this is no surprise, but Hart also played great defensively. He’s New York’s two-way energy man, picking up 3.5 out of 5 and a near triple-double.
Obi Toppin: 11 PTS (4/6 FG, 3/5 3PT), 1 AST, 1 REB in 14 mins
Even when Obi plays great, he can’t crack 15 minutes. I’m frustrated with Thibodeau, not Obi Toppin, that the third-year power forward’s night wasn’t more impressive. Obi marked his first minutes with a pair of threes, including a transition stop and pop. He knocked down another in the second half, followed by an impressive drive to the basket for a finish over Nurkic.
Toppin didn’t make splashes with playmaking or rebounding, but he was present. He moved the ball when necessary and played respectable defense. As tired as Randle looked, this was the time to play Obi even more. Nevertheless, Tom Thibodeau will use Randle until his legs fall off, and Obi’s minutes won’t pick up even with a good performance. In the end, I’m giving Toppin a 3 out of 5 for fitting so much scoring in such a limited time.
Isaiah Hartenstein: 0 PTS (0/2 FG, 0/1 3PT), 4 AST, 11 REB, 1 STL, 1 BLK, 2 TO in 26 mins
Isaiah Hartenstein is becoming the king of the impressive 0-point performances. He didn’t score but produced points off offensive rebounds and intelligent passes. Big Hart was a force on the boards, moving into the league lead for most rebounds off the bench with his 11-rebound performance. He also got it done defensively, challenging players at the rim and protecting the paint.
I really wanted Hartenstein’s baseline three to fall. He took the shot late in the game with a commanding lead, a perfect time to try and catch shooting rhythm. But, alas, we can’t have it all. The big man clocks in with 3 out of 5 despite failing to register a field goal because he did everything else well.
Back on track with a Thibs-style win
Nothing says “Tom Thibodeau” like a team starting slow, only to pick up steam by methodically getting to the free-throw line. The Knicks looked exhausted early but never stopped playing a physical style that eventually bent Portland to their will. New York’s defense looked sluggish until a few blocks recharged everyone’s batteries.
The game started ugly but blossomed into a stunning finish. That’s how most of Thibodeau’s seasons have gone. The team looks lost early, but he sticks to rotations and schemes well beyond everyone else’s patience. Then, just when it feels like the wheels will fall off, something clicks, and the pieces come together. Thibodeau didn’t do anything new as he coached this game (he even stuck with his starters late into a double-digit win, as usual). But there’s a charm to his habitual approach that always seems to force-feed me crow.
At least that will be the case unless these habits bite us in the playoffs. But that remains to be seen, and for now, I’m giving Thibodeau a 4 out of 5 for his competitive edge.
Closing Thoughts
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the home stretch. The Knicks head home to play a reeling Denver Nuggets before spending 9 of their last ten games against opponents with worse records. They’re sitting in fifth place in the East, with an outside shot to steal fourth. Jalen Brunson is getting rest, and the playoffs feel like a chance to make an authoritative statement. I’ve already tucked money aside to buy a ticket to the first postseason game at Madison Square Garden.
But New York got here by never looking past an opponent. They play every opponent with the same intensity, and that’s why they’ve been consistent since the new year. We, as fans, might be counting down to the playoffs, but I doubt Tom Thibodeau or the Knicks are. That’s why we’ve grown to love this squad. They have a 90’s edge with a 2020’s shot profile. It’s the best of both worlds.
So, the Nuggets are next with a scary record but a four-game losing streak. I’m genuinely looking forward to watching New York apply pressure to an elite team in the midst of struggles. Let’s enjoy the ride to the postseason and keep our fingers crossed for some pleasant surprises, 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 CP’s Bleacher Report Q&A, where he discusses how to fix the Knicks’ offense!
