The New York Knicks lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves 121-112. Even in a loss, the Knicks are looking promising this season.
Make sure to catch the whole Knicks Fan TV Postgame show on all major podcast platforms below:
• Spotify
• Apple Podcasts
• Google Podcasts
• Stitcher
The New York Knicks lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves 121 to 112. But don’t stress too much; the game was tied when New York’s regular rotation left the game after three quarters. The teams played a surprisingly intense match, at least for the preseason. Josh Hart dove into the stands, and RJ Barrett got into it with Naz Reid over a push.
Beyond the physicality, this game didn’t give us too many new wrinkles to discuss. But some trends from the first preseason game and prior carried on. Let’s take a quick look at the players’ performances.
The Knicks’ starters live at the free-throw line
Jalen Brunson: 9 PTS (1/5 FG, 7/7 FT), 4 AST, 2 REB, 1 STL in 14 mins
Jalen Brunson showed some rust, missing shots despite getting the looks he typically wants. But that didn’t make him any less of a maestro on the floor. Brunson drew several fouls and threw some dimes en route to a productive fifteen minutes.
He looks ready.
Quentin Grimes: 4 PTS (2/5 FG, 0/3 3PT), 1 AST, 3 REB, 2 STL, 1 TO in 22 mins
Quentin Grimes seemed to pump fake off every pass he caught. He’d threaten to shoot, then take a step toward the lane. Theoretically, this should create hesitation in defenders when Grimes lets loose from deep. But he failed to knock down his jumpers, looking best when he exploded toward the paint.
It’s tough to say much about Grimes because the rest of the starters are handling the lion’s share of offense. We can complain about him not asserting himself, but I still think he’ll be fine when everyone plays regular minutes. The looks will come, and his weapons will be more potent as teams adjust to the Knicks’ downhill attack…hopefully.
RJ Barrett: 23 PTS (6/15 FG, 2/8 3PT, 9/12 FT), 2 AST, 2 REB, 2 STL, 3 TO in 26 mins
Despite shooting the ball poorly from the floor, I doubt anyone will be too mad about RJ Barrett’s performance through two games. While he’s 3/15 from deep, his work inside the arc has been promising. Barrett finished strong against Minnesota, making 4/7 attempts inside the arc, including a pair of and-ones and a midrange jumper.
Barrett also made quick reads for some beautiful passes. He sometimes threw passes too hard or just off target but with the right idea in mind. Other times, he found open shooters or picked out Mitch cutting (see below). Poor three-point shooting aside, it felt like RJ’s game has matured during the postseason and FIBA, and the preseason has continued the pattern so far.
Julius Randle: 7 PTS (2/8 FG, 2/5 3PT, 1/4 FT), 4 AST, 8 REB, 2 TO in 23 mins
This wasn’t Julius Randle’s sharpest performance. He struggled from the free-throw line and couldn’t attack inside as freely against the Wolves massive frontcourt. But Randle moved well, passed the ball wisely, and every action came with a clear intent. This is simple stuff, but the decisive action gets the big man to his best performance.
Mitchell Robinson: 8 PTS (4/4 FG), 7 REB, 1 BLK in 21 mins
The New York Knicks’ defensive anchor looked great in a match-up with the premier defensive big in the league. Mitchell Robinson finished every opportunity inside, cleared space for rebounds, and picked up a beauty of a chase-down block. It’s everything we could ask for in a preseason performance, minus that one three-point attempt some Knicks fans have pined for.
Mitch and RJ show us that games can continue to mature well past a first contract. They must keep this up, but they both seem improved, making the starting unit more potent than ever.
New York’s second unit looks scrappy
Immanuel Quickley: 9 PTS (2/8 FG, 0/2 3PT, 5/5 FT), 1 AST, 3 STL, 2 TO in 22 mins
This was not a great outing for Immanuel Quickley. He has nights like this, where his decisions on when to pause and when to pull the trigger feel off. That led to poor shot selections and some missed opportunities on the attack.
But it’s a testament to IQ that he was still productive despite the struggles. He drew fouls, played excellent defense, and a bit more playmaking would have made any issues easy to ignore.
Evan Fournier: 15 PTS (6/10 FG, 3/6 3PT), 4 REB, 1 TO in 19 mins
Evan Fournier stepped on the floor and filled it up. He got going by driving past closeouts and finishing with floaters. Then Fournier knocked down a few threes, living up to his reputation as a shooter. He likely won’t crack the rotation, but he’s proving he can help if the team needs spacing or an extra wing.
Donte DiVincenzo: 4 PTS (2/3 FG, 0/1 3PT), 3 AST, 3 REB, 2 STL, 1 TO in 20 mins
I can’t think of a better introduction to the Garden than to turn a pair of steals into two dunks in short order. Donte DiVincenzo’s numbers aren’t flying off the paper, but his game carries the same qualities that make Josh Hart endearing. He’s aggressive on defense, smart on offense, and has a habit of making plays out of nothing.
Josh Hart: 3 PTS (1/2, 1/1 3PT), 1 AST, 1 REB, 1 TO in 8 mins
Josh Hart barely got his feet wet before flying into the stands after chasing a long pass. I could hear CP the Fanchise yelling, “We don’t need that,” in my head. But that’s Josh Hart for you; he plays at 100 percent at all times.
In limited time, Hart knocked down a three and went coast to coast for a near miss at the rim. So, it wasn’t anything new compared to last year, but that’s just fine.
Jericho Sims: 2 PTS (1/1 FG), 2 REB in 14 mins
I won’t hammer Jericho Sims for being stuck out of position. But I haven’t been impressed by Sims at power forward, and it looks like a clunky fit. This is the right time for the team to get Sims reps and look for chemistry with him in that role. It hasn’t gelled yet.
Isaiah Hartenstein: 7 PTS (3/5 FG, 1/1 3PT), 1 AST, 4 REB, 1 STL, 2 TO in 16 mins
Don’t sleep on Isaiah Hartenstein in this preseason. He has thrown some beautiful passes from the top of the key, shot at range when open, and added a nice attack off the dribble. I-Hart looks like a player who worked on his skills from space, and he’s been aggressive in the preseason.
In discussing players showing improvement, I’d list Hartenstein, along with RJ Barrett and Mitchell Robinson, as the early standouts of the preseason.
Miles McBride: 16 PTS (6/6 FG, 4/4 3PT), 2 AST, 1 REB, 1 STL, 2 TO in 11 mins
Miles McBride was the bright spot in an otherwise ugly fourth quarter. He came into the game and knocked down three-pointers with confidence. If he can shoot with this much confidence and consistency in the regular season, he’ll force his way into rotation minutes.
One note on the rest
Isaiah Roby was the lone standout of the end-of-bench crew. He was active, moving well for his size and piecing together a productive eleven minutes of 5 points, 2 assists, and 2 rebounds.
Tom Thibodeau’s defense might have one concern
It wouldn’t be a Knicks’ preseason without me acting concerned about something that could be nothing. Naz Reid came off Minnesota’s bench with a green light to shoot and knocked down five deep jumpers. He’s 6’9, and continually shot over closeouts from players that are 6’4 or shorter.
This is my main concern about the short second unit that New York is expected to deploy. Taller forwards that can shoot will have the space to launch over shorter defenders. But we’ll have to see if this becomes a trend or an outlier.
Closing Thoughts
The second preseason game is over, and I’m ready for the matches to matter. As much as I enjoy experimental line-ups, I’d rather watch Jalen Brunson run the offense for extended periods. I want to watch RJ chase thirty points on a night like this. I prefer to cheer when Josh Hart dives for a loose ball rather than cringe.
But what that really means is that I’m confident. I’ve seen enough of these Knicks’ players to set my expectations high. They look ready now, and that’s how they’ve looked since the KFTV watch event that kicked off last season. These preseason games are just a warm-up; I’m ready for the real thing! See you next time, 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 and The Athletic’s Fred Katz breaking down the Knicks training camp.
