Knicks basketball is back and for at least a couple of days, New York is preseason perfect. The Knicks beat the Detroit Pistons 90 – 84. The team was sloppy and shot poorly like a group that just started training camp; but they also made up for it with energy and defensive intensity. It was interesting to watch Tom Thibodeau blend old school sentiments with a more modern pace. The Knicks attacked from the elbows and post often, but they did so with an urgency that required fast, decisive action. Let’s take a closer look at how each player managed his season debut.
Elfrid Payton: If I could describe Elfrid Payton in a word, it would be “steady.” The point guard played his role and contributed across the board in a way that allowed play to flow through RJ Barrett and Julius Randle consistently. Payton was able to pick his spots and make a mark on the game although there weren’t many real stand out moments for the Knicks’ most likely starter.
Payton put up 10 points, 7 assists and 6 rebounds in 27 minutes. He shot 5/11 from the field but went 0/3 from the three-point line and 3 TO’s on the downside. For Payton, it’s all about being reliable. Everyone knows exactly what to expect from him. This can get hairy though, the Pistons almost sparked a comeback by packing the paint and daring guys like Payton to shoot.
Not much to write about defensively. Payton played good on-ball defense but didn’t stand out for much other than a nice steal in the first half.
Alec Burks: Despite starting, Alec Burks only got about 18 minutes to work. This was enough for the newcomer to the Knicks to just start getting into a rhythm before he came off the floor. Burks had a quiet first half but put his jumper on display from both midrange and three in the third quarter.
In his limited role, Burks posted 7 points, 4 boards and 1 assist on 3/7 from the field and 1/3 from deep. The most promising aspect of his performance was that he gave the Knicks a player that shoots without hesitation. When Burks had space, he got the shot off and it was starting to fall. We’ll have to see more but on a team with so few floor spacers, he could be more important than his game one role suggested.
RJ Barrett: It would be easy to blast RJ Barrett for having some serious struggles to start the game. Barrett opened the game aggressive but ineffective, missing his first 5 attempts including some wide open three’s. But the attacking mindset gave way to some nice finishes and midrange play once Barrett settled in and got going. To my eyes, he looked quicker than last season but we’ll see if that holds up.
Barrett managed a team leading 15 points to go with 5 boards and 2 assists on 7/16 from the field. That’s not bad considering he went 0/4 from the three-point line. His jumper could really unlock other parts of his game but even without it, Barrett’s aggression allows him to be productive. He may be best served building on his midrange jumper which flashed in the second half.
I’d like to see more playmaking from Barrett than what we got last night, but it was a solid debut that hinted at a bigger role than what we saw last season.
Julius Randle: The thing about Julius Randle’s performance is that it came about in the shadow of a new and a very promising prospect. Randle spent 29 minutes on the floor, having his biggest impact when playing out of the post. But he also attacked from the top of the key and the elbows at different times. Despite all the shiny new toys on the roster, Randle remained a focal point for the offense and managed to limit his turnovers right up until late when we got a spinning and falling moment.
The stat-line for Randle came out 11 points, 6 assists and 8 rebounds with a pair of turnovers. Randle was a solid 5/11 from the field and 1/2 from three, with his baseline long ball sealing the game late. But there were some staples of Knicks fan frustration too. The big man had some out of control takes and missed some open teammates while attacking. But it was a solid game all-around. The diversity of attacking positions played to Randle’s advantage often.
Nerlens Noel: It was easy to see why Tom Thibodeau picked Nerlens Noel to start this game. The big man was a defensive anchor that made life easier for everybody simply by his presence. Noel played smart and steady similar to Payton. The big man was effective inside and on the boards without needing the ball to have an impact.
Noel put up 10 points, 8 boards and an assist on 5/7 from the field. His defensive numbers jump out too, as Noel tallied 2 blocks and a steal with his activity. It was all about the interior presence that Noel provided for his 25-minute stint on the floor. Noel added the lunch pail energy that the starting unit needed.
Dennis Smith Jr: The back-up point guard role fell to Dennis Smith Jr. and he showed plenty of promise in an overall mixed bag of a performance. What stood out most in DSJ’s 21 minutes was that he attacked with more confidence than last season. Smith took jumpers, made some nice passing reads and attacked the defense in spurts. There were still moments where he picked up his dribble or missed an open look; but he never shied away. That’s a step forward from last season’s struggles.
Smith finished his play with 7 points, 2 assists and a rebound. He went 3/7 from the field and 1/3 from three. There were 4 turnovers attached to Smith last night, indicative of some lapses in concentration but they also point to the more concerted effort Smith gave to attacking. He’ll have to get more under control to keep his role, but this was game one after a very long lay off.
It’s also worth mentioning Smith’s defense. The young PG added two steals and was a constant threat in passing lanes. DSJ’s defensive effort in this preseason game was better than virtually anything he did last season. That’s a step in the right direction.
Frank Ntilikina: Similar to Dennis Smith Jr, Frank Ntilikina showed a lot of promising flashes in a mixed performance. Frank’s jumper was silky smooth when he chose to pull it and he made a beauty of a pick and roll pass to Mitch in the first half that led to free throws. Defense will always be Ntilikina’s calling card and he was disruptive as ever, blanketing the Pistons lead ball handlers throughout the night.
Frank put up 7 points and 5 boards on 2/5 from the field and 1/1 from three. He had 4 turnovers however and they virtually all came from hesitation. When Frank acts decisively, he’s an effective player that can do a bit of everything. But he still had moments where he pump faked instead of shot or jab stepped instead of attacking right away. He’ll have to reduce those mistakes in order to lock in more than the 19 minutes he got last night.
That said, it bares mentioning that Frank stayed on the floor late into the fourth quarter. His defensive presence will be a reason for Tom Thibodeau to find him minutes and the promising jumper could lead to even more.
Kevin Knox: If last night was the first time you watched Kevin Knox play, you’d never have guessed that the kid had motor questions. Knox came out and played aggressive basketball. There weren’t any deer in headlights moments for the third year SF. His jumper wasn’t falling but he got open looks that ought to land as he gets more reps. The Knicks ran Knox through a down screen from Frank that led to open three pointers in both halves, I hope we see more of it despite the misses this time.
Knox put up 5 points, 2 rebounds and an assist on 2/6 from the field and 0/3 from three over 17 minutes of play. He also had 3 TO’s but like some others, I think it’s more important that he was aggressive than that he gave the ball up sometimes. It’s a fairly pedestrian stat-line for a performance that showed a lot of promise. The kid played faster and moved with more confidence. His two-man game with Obi Toppin led to an assist for the highlight dunk of the night.
I’ve got to bring up defense too. Just like Dennis Smith improved his standing by adding some defensive intensity, Kevin Knox brought more energy and effort to defense than we’re used to seeing. The kid seems like a lock to figure things out offensively, his jumper is too smooth and the tools are legit. But it will be defense that decides how big a role Knox plays in the future.
Reggie Bullock: Reggie Bullock only got 13 minutes to put a stamp on this game and it’s hard to judge anyone in such limited time. That said, he put on a performance that reminded me a lot of last year. Bullock didn’t take much but capitalized when he had opportunities while playing solid everywhere.
The returning Knick finished his night on 5 points, 1 board and 1 assist off 2/3 from the field and 1/2 from the field. It was a solid performance in limited minutes.
Obi Toppin: If you scrolled straight to the Obi Toppin breakdown, I understand. It didn’t take long for the Knicks rookie to hit the floor and start having an impact. We got to see Obi work from the post, take the ball coast to coast, make some insane but risky passes and just attack whenever he can. Toppin’s athleticism is obvious but his vision and willing passing add a dimension to his game that adds even more to his upside. He combined this with a motor that meant for 20 minutes last night, the rookie was in non-stop attack mode.
Obi finished with 11 points, 7 boards and 1 assist on 4/9 from the field and 0/2 from three. The three pointers were the only ugly thing about his game and those looked rushed moreso than anything. If we’re looking for places to improve, there’s a lot of room to tighten things up. Toppin’s handle is good for a big but still pretty loose and he fired some dangerous cross court passes. He’ll also need to add some weight for dealing with big men as a few sequences with stronger Piston bigs stood out.
This was a really strong performance for a debuting rookie. Obi looks like a player you want to build with. His tools and motor are special, his vision and IQ are promising and we’re just scratching the surface. Just wait until the Knicks players figure out how to get their lobs right! Obi missed out on two or three dunks because of errant lobs, otherwise he might be a leading scorer on night one.
Mitchell Robinson: There have been a lot of whispers about Mitch and behind the scenes drama, but on the floor his motor continues to lead to good things. The big man essentially split time with Nerlens Noel at C and there was no drop off in defensive impact or intensity. The first thing Mitch did when he took the floor was tip an offensive rebound to Randle for easy points and it was 22 minutes of work from there.
Robinson finished with 2 points, 7 boards and 1 assist while going 0/1 from the field. Some of his inside rim running was ceded to Obi Toppin after all and he might get more opportunities if he’d improve at setting screens. But his gravity did open lanes and looks for others. His statline is never complete without visiting blocks and steals. Robinson had 4 steals and 2 blocks that mostly came in a second half barrage. His defensive impact was undeniable.
Tom Thibodeau: There’s something beautiful about calling time out in the opening minutes of a preseason second half to absolutely scream at guys for laziness. Tom Thibodeau set the tone for the Knicks with his own intensity. He coached this game like it mattered and the entire team responded. If the Pistons had back to back nice plays, Thibs called a time out to break momentum. When the game got tight late; Thibs added a defensive substitution of Frank for a quick stint.
The real question is whether this can hold and whether players will continue to respond…but for the opening night, everyone brought energy and seemed to buy-in to what the new Knicks coaching staff is selling.
Closing thoughts: The Knicks are no doubt benefiting from a preseason schedule that faces other rebuilding teams. The young guys got their feet wet with opposition that included a lot of developmental pieces. But the early promise of high energy and high pace is something that I can find optimism in. I hope Knicks fans will be patient a bit longer. This team will have plenty of struggles. Both free throw and three point shooting were worrisome last night. But effort means more than anything right now and the Knicks look like their poised to put in work. I’ll take that as a first step for a new regime, new roster and new season!
CP and J. Ellis discussed their takeaways from the Knicks’ first preseason game last night. Check it out below.
