The New York Knicks will again look for the entire team to step up as Julius Randle is on the mend with the playoffs near.
The New York Knicks defeated the Miami Heat 101 to 92, even with Jalen Brunson looking a little rusty and after Julius Randle went down with an ankle injury.
It was a complete team effort by the Knicks to pull out the win, led by Immanuel Quickley and Quentin Grimes. And of course, the Knicks got support from Josh Hart and Isaiah Hartenstein (aka the “Hart Foundation”).
But even as sweet as this victory was to watch the Knicks’ second unit close out the game and watch the home-grown talent step up when needed, there was a sour taste once Julius sprained his ankle.
Yesterday, we got word that Randle will be re-evaluated in two weeks. At that time, it’ll be two days before playoffs with no guarantee that Randle will be ready for game one.
The two-time NBA All-Star, who should be a second-team All-NBA player (at best), will be missed as New York aims to solidify the fifth seed. Randle has been dominant this season and is a big reason why the Knicks have had a turnaround season. He is averaging 25.1 points, 10 rebounds, and 4.1 assists with a slash line of .459/.343/.757.
As I wrote earlier in the season, what is so fascinating about Randle’s game is that his efficiency has been stellar while increasing in his three-point attempts – he is putting up a career-high 8.3 threes per game.
However, with Randle out, that is a void the Knicks will have to figure out to fill. Randle’s ability to draw double, and even triple teams, while Brunson is on the floor is critical to make the Knicks’ offense so lethal. On top of that, his physicality and rebounding are tiring for opponents to cover.
On top of that, he averages 18.1 field goal attempts per game. And for a team that averages 89 field goal attempts per game, 20.3 percent of the Knicks’ offense is missing. So which players are going to make up for that?
Brunson averages 17.3 field goal attempts, with Barrett following with 16, and Quickley with 11 – Grimes is next with 8, with Hart following with 6.4, so you can see it’s a massive drop off. So once again, this Knicks team will have to follow the next man up mentality to finish the season strong, with Randle missing some time.
(If you want my thoughts on how Quickley, Barrett, and Grimes should rise to the occasion, check out my last article here.)
The Knicks need Jalen Brunson
When Brunson was out, Julius had to operate the ship. Now the roles are reversed. But the significant difference is that Brunson is the engine for the Knicks’ offense since the ball is in his hands for most of the game. As for Julius, the purpose of signing Brunson was to remove the ball from his hand so he could easily get to his spots and be a scoring machine.
So for Brunson, he’ll need to continue to steer the ship. But will that be easier said than done? Brunson has always played next to a player that commands at least a double team – last year, it was Luka Dončić, and this year it is Randle.
When Brunson was on the Mavericks, the team went 8-9 without Luka during the regular season. Below is the list of the Mavs opponents that make up that record:
- 11/17/21: Phoenix Suns – Loss
- 11/19/21: Phoenix Suns – Loss
- 11/21/21: Los Angeles Clippers – Loss
- 12/04/21: Memphis Grizzlies – Loss
- 12/12/21: Oklahoma City Thunder – Win
- 12/13/21: Charlotte Hornets – Win
- 12/15/21: Los Angeles Lakers – Loss
- 12/19/21: Minnesota Timberwolves – Loss
- 12/21/21: Minnesota Timberwolves – Win
- 12/23/21: Milwaukee Bucks – Loss
- 12/25/21: Utah Jazz – Loss
- 12/27/21: Portland Trail Blazers – Win
- 12/29/21: Sacramento Kings – Loss
- 12/31/21: Sacramento Kings – Win
- 01/07/22: Houston Rockets – Win
- 03/05/22: Sacramento Kings – Win
- 03/23/22: Houston Rockets – Win
As shown from the mixed bag, Dallas didn’t defeat any top-end teams without Luka last year. But remember that Dallas relied heavily on Brunson and Dončić to stay competitive; Brunson only missed two games last season, so it was hard to gauge his impact. However, look at this season and how much of a cliff the Mavericks have fallen off without Brunson on that squad. Dallas isn’t even in the play-in tournament at this moment.
Nevertheless, what should give fans optimism was Brunson’s performance in the playoffs. Without Dončić to start the series against the Utah Jazz, Jalen led the Mavs to take a 2-1 lead. In those three games, Brunson averaged 32 points, 5.3 assists, 5.3 rebounds, and 39.4 minutes with a slash line of .507/.412/.850 – the games that stood out were game two, when he dropped 41 points, and game three, where he dropped 31.
Essentially, I am saying that Brunson can go Super Saiyan if he needs to and has demonstrated that when the pressure is at its highest, he can perform (we’ve also seen that this season, so this shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone).
The question is, can Jalen dominate right now while recovering from a sprained wrist? Jalen didn’t look like himself to start the recent matchup against the Heat, but he got back into rhythm in the third quarter. So hopefully, he can build off of that.
If Brunson can perform the way he was before his foot injury, this team should be in decent shape to close the season without Julius.
This is Obi Toppin’s time to shine
Without Randle, the only other TRUE power forward on this team is Obadiah Richard Toppin Jr. But will he be ready for the workload?
Looking at his current season averages, some would probably think he isn’t ready to see an increase in minutes. As of now, Obi is averaging 6.3 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 0.8 assists with .418/.327/.784 shooting splits, which are all lower than last season’s numbers (except for the free throw percentage). So the skepticism is understandable. I would also have a raised eyebrow if I looked at those numbers and hoped he could replace Randle’s production.
However, this season’s numbers don’t tell the whole story of what happened to Toppin.
Before Obi got injured against the Atlanta Hawks, he was doing well. From the start of the season to his injury (25 games played), Obi averaged 7.7 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1 assist, and 17.1 minutes with a shooting split of .421/.351/.824 – of his 6.8 field goal attempts, 3.9 were threes. These numbers were suitable, considering he was coming off the bench.
Unfortunately for Toppin, Julius became an All-Star again while he was sidelined. So that meant Tom Thibodeau would play his best player even when Toppin came back. And ever since Toppin returned, it has been difficult for him to see the court for more than 12 minutes on most nights.
Since Toppin’s return from injury (37 games played), Obi averaged 5.3 points, 2.1 rebounds, 0.6 assists, and 12.6 minutes with a shooting split of .415/.307/.750 – of his 4.8 shot attempts, 3.1 are threes.
But what has made this season so challenging for Toppin has been his utilization. Last season he was in a constant groove because he played most of the season and was utilized as a cutter and transition scorer. This season has been the opposite as we watch him spot-up in the corner.
It also doesn’t help that Rose isn’t on the court anymore because he constantly looks for Toppin. Since Rose’s benching, Obi’s teammates tend to miss him when he runs up the court (thankfully, Josh Hart is trying to change that).
It’s difficult to believe that Toppin will be able to produce right off the bat, considering it takes time for some players to get into a rhythm. As I wrote about Quickley, it wasn’t until December against the Golden State Warriors that he found his groove.
I mention this because ample game time reps are more beneficial to players than just practice, and Obi’s minutes have dwindled since his return.
Regardless, Obi will be asked to channel that similar production he demonstrated in the eight games he started at the end of last season. How likely will that happen when he played fewer minutes than last season and his role has completely changed? Can Toppin handle the bright lights? We’ll find out.
This end of the season is much different than the previous year. Last season, New York was essentially out of the play-in tournament, so there was no pressure. This time, Obi will receive critical minutes with playoff positioning implications, making the stakes much higher.
Hopefully, we will see that guy who seemed to love Madison Square Garden’s bright lights and flourished with the extra minutes at the end of last season. But expect Thibodeau to utilize a mixture of RJ Barrett and Isaiah Hartenstein at the four and not solely rely on Toppin.
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 Alex’s interview with Chris Fedor, where they preview the matchup between the Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers!
