The New York Knicks fall to the Toronto Raptors 121-123 in overtime. It was a physical match from start to finish, but the Knicks were tired.
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 an overtime thriller against the Toronto Raptors 121 to 123. The Knicks started slow but settled into a physically taxing battle. Neither team shot well, so trips to the free-throw line and hustle points became crucial. The Knicks fought to a 9-point lead with about five minutes left in action. But the Knicks faded late and missed a pair of free throws in the final minute, leaving the door open for a Toronto comeback. RJ Barrett forced overtime with a dunk on Scottie Barnes, but New York came short in overtime.
The Knicks were betrayed by free throws again. But another win was within reach, despite the demanding schedule. So let’s look at how they scrapped and nearly stole the game of their back-to-back.
Clutch play from RJ, but the Knicks’ starters fade again
Jalen Brunson: 26 PTS (11/29 FG, 2/6 3PT, 2/4 FT), 2 AST, 7 REB, 1 BLK, 4 TO in 43 mins
The Raptors’ length and physicality are an issue for Jalen Brunson, considering they’ve held him below 40 percent from the field in two out of three contests. Brunson fought his way to a nice 26-point tally, but he needed 29 attempts to get there. That struggle stemmed from a lack of whistles as Brunson drove into the paint but often found himself stymied once there. He usually draws fouls or passes out when the shot isn’t there, but the Raptors stole his passes and miraculously managed to avoid foul calls.
Brunson defended well for the most part, forcing Fred VanVleet to take tough shots throughout the game. But FVV won their shot-for-shot battle, mainly by taking and making more threes. By the end of the action, Quentin Grimes was handling the Van Vleet match-up more than Brunson.
This is as subpar as Brunson has been in a long time. The fact that he still poured in 26 points, with 2 assists, and 7 rebounds, is impressive. But the Knicks’ leader was inefficient as a scorer and playmaker, which pressed everyone else into iso-heavy possessions. The Knicks could’ve run away with this victory if Brunson had played up to his typical standards. Nevertheless, Jalen Brunson picks up a rare low score for impact, getting a 1.5 for his inefficiency and another missed free throw in the clutch.
Quentin Grimes: 10 PTS (3/5 FG, 2/4 3PT, 2/2 FT), 2 AST, 7 REB, 1 STL, 1 BLK in 39 mins
The Knicks’ lack of ball movement slowed Quentin Grimes down a bit. He still scored an efficient 10 points while chipping in a couple of pretty dimes when he attacked the paint. But Grimes only shot the ball five times in 39 minutes of action. That’s painfully low for the team’s best shooter. It’s possible that Toronto’s length played into Grimes’ hesitance to launch shots, but I felt his teammates looked him off more than usual.
Grimes’ defense was stellar, as routine. He ran into some tougher match-ups than expected, with FVV hitting contested jumpers and Scottie Barnes posting up smaller defenders. So, Grimes gave up more scores than usual, but that’s not an indictment of his defensive effort. The sophomore wing challenged everyone, stepping up to any challenge.
I’ll have to keep an eye on Grimes during games with low usage. I’m tempted to credit the Toronto defense more than blame Grimes for not doing more. The sophomore picked his spots well, and I’d have liked to see more aggression. But I can’t fault him for his highly efficient performance despite limited production. Grimes gets a 2.5 out of 5 for the night.
RJ Barrett: 32 PTS (10/23 FG, 2/9 3PT, 10/11 FT), 2 AST, 7 REB, 3 TO in 49 mins
RJ Barrett started the night off with struggles. But he sprinted out of half-time with a big third quarter, clutch free throws, and an overtime-forcing dunk. Barrett’s jumper wasn’t consistent, but he made things work by picking out mismatches in the post. As we saw, he frequently attacked switches by backing down and scoring over Fred Van Fleet and Gary Trent Jr.
Barrett drew a tough defensive assignment in Scottie Barnes. He struggled with Barnes’ size and strength, needing help defenders in the post. But Barrett fought hard, holding his own in a problematic mismatch. His game-tying dunk was a make-up play after giving up an offensive free throw and sending Barnes to the free-throw line on the play prior.
Barrett’s still shaking off the rust after his finger injury. On top of that, his jumper hasn’t regained consistency. But his downhill game is gaining steam, and he was the best Knick scorer in the clutch. He picks up a 3.5 out of 5 for a second half that nearly stole a win for New York.
Julius Randle: 21 PTS (7/20 FG, 1/6 3PT, 6/9 FT), 8 AST, 15 REB, 1 STL, 3 TO in 41 mins
Julius Randle started the game hot, making his only three and dunking the ball twice in the first quarter. However, he’d struggle to score for the rest of the action because Toronto defended New York’s big scorer with physicality and frequent double teams. Randle responded with nice passes but struggled from the field and picked up costly turnovers.
Randle’s defensive effort was strong but had more miscues than in other recent performances. The Raptors’ scorers often dragged Randle to the perimeter, causing him to miss some rotations. But the big man’s effort in switch situations was still impressive, and his rebounding is consistently excellent.
I have a hard time blaming Julius Randle for a slow night. He poured in 42 points in 40 minutes of action against Detroit a day before the battle with Toronto. His effort didn’t wane even if his fatigue showed through his jumper. It’s incredible that he had a near triple-double, and I consider it a step down in performance. Randle picks up a 3 out of 5 for a solid but tired performance.
Mitchell Robinson: 11 PTS (5/8 FG, 1/2 FT), 2 AST, 8 REB, 1 BLK, 1 TO in 36 mins
Mitchell Robinson enjoyed another match-up against a team with no center, but the Raptors spent bodies and energy to limit Robinson on the boards. Regardless, the big man was a force inside, receiving passes and finishing frequently. Mitch showed life in overtime when everyone else seemed exhausted by blocking a shot and grabbing offensive rebounds that kept hope alive. The big man’s energy nearly propelled the Knicks when everything else had failed.
The downside of small-ball opponents is that they can drag Mitch from the paint. It’s fun to see Mitch close out on shooters with so much size, but that’s not the best use of his defensive presence. The big man was out of position for offensive rebounds, and his teammates failed to pick up the slack. Robinson would chase a shooter and force a miss, only for Toronto to grab the offensive board and score in the scramble.
I’ll give Robinson one last shout-out, which is that he’s been beating bigs down the court lately. He’s throwing down one or two dunks per game where he outruns the opposing center for an easy two. We credit Mitch for his work on the boards all the time, but how he’s been running the floor is a new element. Robinson picks up a 2.5 out of 5 for a solid night with plenty of closeouts to shooters.
New York’s second unit gets one significant contribution
Miles McBride: 0 PTS (0/2 FG, 0/1 3PT), 2 REB in 6 mins
My recaps for Miles McBride are getting repetitive. His defense stood out, but he didn’t produce anything on offense. I’d like to see him get more time to settle in, but he’s not doing enough to warrant the minutes.
Immanuel Quickley: 14 PTS (3/7 FG, 1/4 3PT, 7/7 FT), 1 REB, 1 BLK in 21 mins
I’m frustrated that Immanuel Quickley didn’t get to do more. He turned 7 attempts into 14 points, mainly through trips to the free throw line. He didn’t shoot well from the perimeter, but he remained a large enough threat that defenders were forced to closeout on his shots fast. That helped with the team’s floor spacing, opened up lanes for IQ to have blowby drives, and even earned him three free throws.
Quickley ran into foul trouble, contributing to fewer minutes and usage than average. Regardless, even with his limited minutes, the sixth man still produced by consistently challenging shooters and defending ball handlers tight (sadly, that led to some extra whistles). Unfortunately, since IQ was in foul trouble, it allowed the starters to settle into an iso-heavy approach that didn’t take advantage of IQ’s change of pace.
This represents a dip in impact and performance for Quickley. But that’s a result of foul trouble. Quickley gave Toronto headaches whenever he had the ball, and I only wish he’d have gotten more opportunities late in the game. He started the fourth quarter strongly but ceded minutes to Grimes and RJ. Quickley receives a 2.5 out of 5 for sound play in a limited time.
Obi Toppin: 5 PTS (2/4 FG, 1/1 3PT), 2 REB, 1 STL in 11 mins
Obi Toppin provided a necessary scoring punch in the first half. He knocked down a three and delivered his first fast-break dunk since returning from a knee injury. But Obi was also blocked at the rim, which makes me think he’s still getting his legs back.
Obi didn’t see much action in the second half, but his production is solid for the limited time he got. So we won’t talk about his midrange jump shot in this game, and we’ll wait for his minutes to increase before we start scoring the performances.
Isaiah Hartenstein: 2 PTS (1/1 FG), 1 AST, 5 REB, 1 BLK in 16 mins
Isaiah Hartenstein filled the backup center role well. He did a solid job, but nothing beyond that. Hart had lovely moments in rim protection but sent Toronto bigs to the free-throw line a few times. He grabbed some tough rebounds but nothing to write home about.
Hart’s 16 minutes were good enough to cover for Mitch. It still feels underwhelming, but his play has improved in the past few outings. For now, he’s doing just enough to earn a 2 out of 5, but nothing more.
Almost turning the corner with Tom Thibodeau’s team
It’s challenging to blame Tom Thibodeau when most of the team’s losses over the past month have come down to free throws. It’s possible to blame tired legs and his overuse of certain players, but he’s got the team exactly where it wants to be to end games. The Knicks have led in the fourth quarter of all but one of their past seven losses. That’s an impressive feat and shows that New York has a chance to win against any opponent.
Thibodeau asked his starters for a lot this time. They’d played extra minutes the day before and seemed exhausted by the end of regulation and overtime. These are instances where Thibs needs to trust his bench more, but if he doesn’t, then the onus falls on the front office to get him better depth.
I won’t keep repeating the same issue in every recap. We know that minutes management is a challenge, and I suspect the Knicks will make a deal to try and address it. Thibodeau can only work with what he has, and while I’d like to see him get more from those players, we know what to expect from Thibs at this point. Thibodeau receives a 2 out of 5 for failing to rest anyone on the second day of a back-to-back.
Closing Thoughts
I hate to be that guy, but this is a loss I can stomach. The Knicks fought hard, nearly overcoming fatigue on the second day of a back-to-back and some uneven officiating. They didn’t back down or give up despite playing against a formidable opponent. Even with rough shooting nights from their best players, New York had a chance to win.
Some losses help identify a team’s character: How do players handle adversity? Do physicality and jawing get to their heads, or can they stay composed? Can players handle high-pressure situations?
The Knicks didn’t seal the win, but they comported themselves like a quality club.
The next game will be another test. Some of New York’s best players ran for about 80 minutes over two days. They’ll get one day to recover before facing the Washington Wizards again. That’s a winnable game, but not the gimmie we might expect without the obstacles of fatigue and momentum. So let’s meet back here to discuss how the Knicks handle that next test. 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 Kristaps Porzingis discussing his Knicks tenure!
