The New York Knicks came back from a 24-point deficit but lost another game at home, this time to the Milwaukee Bucks 100 to 112.
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New York walled off the paint and shut down Giannis Antetokounmpo, but gave up 26 three-pointers in the process. The Knicks’ starters were outworked as they failed to close out on shooters and gave up second-chance points whenever Milwaukee did miss. The second unit stormed back from big deficits in both halves but didn’t have the energy to complete a comeback late.
Julius Randle and RJ Barrett were the only starters with a pulse on offense. The opposite held true for the Knicks’ second unit where every player produced and played hard. The Knicks keep repeating the same mistakes from the perimeter. Let’s look at the worrisome patterns and the promising developments.
Only Randle and Barrett show a pulse for the lifeless Knicks
Kemba Walker: 2 pts, 2 ast, 1 stl (1/7 fg, 0/3 3pt) 18 mins
Kemba Walker didn’t have his jumper to make up for his continued struggles getting inside on defenders. He showed some trickery off-the-dribble but was hesitant to follow through at the rim. He’d wow with a crossover, only to meander in the midrange. That left Walker without enough gravity to open up teammates and an inability to score.
The low production is made even worse by Walker’s deficiency on defense. Last season’s squad got away with giving shooters space because they closed out hard. The current starting unit isn’t getting out to shooters and Walker is a visible part of the problem.
The poor defensive play and lack of offensive punch caused Walker’s night to be cut short. He shifted from long range attempts to midrange jumpers by the third quarter, but nothing worked. I blame hesitance to go all the way to the rim for the struggles. Walker gets a 1 out of 5 for a nightmare performance.
Evan Fournier: 2 pts, 2 ast, 1 stl, 2 to (1/5 fg, 0/3 3pt, 0/1 ft) 19 mins
Evan Fournier isn’t playing with confidence at the moment. The shooting guard missed the good looks he took but more often hesitated and passed off. He didn’t pull the trigger, couldn’t get into the paint, and failed to have an imprint on the offense.
Fournier did have an impact on defense though, and that was overwhelmingly negative. Like every other perimeter defender, he collapsed inside often but rarely made rotated with enough speed or energy. That meant virtually no resistance for shooters as long as the Bucks made an extra pass or two.
It couldn’t be clearer that Fournier was overthinking things. He pump faked on slow closeouts that he normally shoots right over. The wing never got into much rhythm and hasn’t captured his early season two-man magic with Julius Randle in some time. Fournier gets a 1 out of 5 for defensive struggles compounded by non-existent offense.
RJ Barrett: 9 pts, 3 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl, 1 to (3/8 fg, 1/3 3pt, 2/4 ft) 21 mins
RJ Barrett started the game looking like a legitimate second option for Julius Randle’s hot hand. But Barrett’s offensive punch didn’t last, as he failed to register a field goal after the first quarter. RJ didn’t score in the third quarter and was benched along with the rest of the starters before reaching the fourth.
Interestingly enough, RJ’s three made-shots showed off a potential for variety. He hit one midrange shot, finished inside once, and knocked down a three over a closeout. Barrett also made four trips to the line but even his free-throw shooting was off. He has a full complement of moves to score at any level, but hasn’t developed the consistency to complete his bag.
While the starting unit struggled, I’d give Barrett some leeway for his effort. The 21-year-old tried to score in an assortment of ways and found some success. His night was cut short when the starting unit lost composure and momentum, but that was on all five starters. The developing youngster was in a tough place with a struggling unit, but showed more effort than his peers. Barrett gets a 2 out of 5 for his night.
Julius Randle: 16 pts, 5 reb, 1 ast, 1 blk, 2 to (6/15 fg, 3/7 3pt, 1/2 ft) 27 mins
As much as focus falls on Julius Randle, when the starters struggle, they’d have been completely unplayable without this time. That doesn’t mean he had a great game though. Randle struggled from the field and was far less effective on the glass than we’re used to. With the rest of the offense in a malaise, New York’s star fell into attempts at heroics rather than creating for teammates…but to be fair, that may have been his best option.
One promising sign in the performance was Randle’s three-ball. I was particularly happy to see him hit a couple of catch-and-shoot shots at range, because he’s seemed more comfortable shooting off of a dribble and a step back. The big man also found ways to score inside when space allowed. On his typical serving of minutes, Randle would have been the only starter scoring to our expectations. The starting unit was terrible, but this is a game where the blame belongs to everyone else before a finger points at New York’s star.
An issue that shined in this performance is how crucial Randle’s rebounding is to keep the starters afloat. With both teams shooting from far, many rebounds flew beyond the paint and out of the big man’s reach. Second-chance points are debilitating and, if Randle doesn’t hit double-figure rebounds then the opposition is liable to score quite a few. It all comes together for a pedestrian performance from a player we need to be a star. Randle gets a 2.5 out of 5 for at least having some life.
Mitchell Robinson: 3 pts, 6 reb, 2 blk, 1 to (1/1 fg, 1/2 ft) 23 mins
I’ll give credit where it’s due, Mitchell Robinson played impressive defensive on Giannis. The big man got a lot of help defense along the way, but he held up as a defender whether aided or not. The big man didn’t offer much offensively to go with that quality defense however.
Mitch was a presence against slashers and interior scorers, but that only means so much in a game where the Knicks give up an abundance of threes. Even when he did provide stops, the Knicks had trouble closing out plays on the boards. Robinson had his hands full with Giannis, but his low output rebounding and as an interior scorer limited his impact.
Mitch wasn’t particularly bad, but he felt like barely a blip on the action. His offense is heavily reliant on ball-handlers and offensive rebounds. This game was decided on the perimeter which meant low output for Mitch. Chalk this up as another forgettable night in a contract year. Robinson gets a 2 out of 5 of impact.
Nothing but positives from the Knicks second unit, but not quite a comeback
Derrick Rose: 22 pts, 3 reb, 7 ast, 3 stl, 1 blk (8/15 fg, 6/8 3pt) 30 mins
Derrick Rose was New York’s best player by a comfortable margin. The former-MVP found his shot from long distance after a recent drought. But even despite more than half his attempts coming at deep, Rose still maintained a downhill style on enough possessions to keep the defense honest. The end result was Rose drawing defenders with his jumper, exploding into the lane, and then hitting wide open shooters.
It’s no coincidence that every player off the bench was efficient from the field. Call it the Derrick Rose effect. Rose got everyone else into a rhythm by being a willing passer that attacked with purpose. Where Kemba might pull-up or reset, Rose was taking a couple of extra steps into the heart of the defense. It certainly helps to hit so many shots that defenders have to crowd you; but we’ve seen Rose’s gravity off the bounce even during his shooting drought.
This performance highlights the importance of attacking inside before settling for jumpers. Inside-out offense is an age-old philosophy in basketball, but the three-point era has complicated our views a bit. Players drive without any intent to finish; they’re looking for kickouts before spotting which defenders are rotating. Not Rose, the former-MVP is a throwback and understands the value of hitting the lane with reckless abandon and everyone else feeds off it. Rose gets a 3.5 out of 5.
Immanuel Quickley: 18 pts, 5 reb, 4 ast, 1 stl, 1 to (6/12 fg, 2/5 3pt, 4/4 ft) 27 mins
Immanuel Quickley was in his bag with a reminder about how good his offense can be. IQ hit a couple of threes early, including one right over a clapping Bobby Portis. Once he drew defenders to the perimeter, the sophomore blew by them for a series of floaters and lay-ups just beyond shot blockers’ reach. He had his swagger back, and that made him a crucial piece to comeback attempts in both halves.
IQ’s scoring drew more attention and gravity than he’s had all season. That added gravity also meant that he could flash some of his improved playmaking skills. Quickley is at his best on the attack, but he still made reads that got the rock to shooters and cutters. He punished bigs on the switch last season, and he was back at it against the Bucks for the first time this year. It’s a scary proposition to have to stop IQ when he’s scoring at will AND making the right pass out of danger.
Here comes a hot take…If Tom Thibodeau wants to make a shift to the rotation, I’d consider IQ switching with Fournier. Quickley’s three-pointer is rounding into shape and his confidence off the dribble would make him a better playmaking option than either starting guard. He can still be an off-ball menace but now when the offense runs stagnant, it would have a player with craft that can spark things. Quickley’s performance against the Bucks was that promising, I’m already envisioning how he might look next to starters! He grabs a 3 out of 5 for his best night of the young season.
Alec Burks: 14 pts, 1 reb, 3 blk (5/10 fg, 4/7 3pt) 29 mins
Speaking of rounding into shape, Alec Burks had his highest scoring game of the season. Burks was dynamite from three, feeding off the gravity that Rose, IQ, and rim-running Obi provided. The shooter found his rhythm early and provided just as much threat as his backcourt partners, albeit with less on-ball opportunities. He didn’t press or force shots, Burks played within the flow of action and had his best scoring night because of it.
I’m guessing that more than a few readers did double-takes at Burks’ three blocks. That’s no typo, the microwave scorer was an active defender. I’ve praised each bench player for their offense so far, but it was the second unit’s defense that drew the starkest contrast with the starters. No player embodies that quite like Alec Burks, who would sprint at open shooters and rotate with enough effort to cover ground and impact shooters. (Quick disclaimer: it’s worth noting that at the end of the fourth, even the bench rotations fell apart but I blame fatigue after extended minutes with no breaks for that).
I mentioned IQ for Fournier, but I think conventional wisdom would consider Burks instead. His hard rotations on defense and quick release from three make Alec Burks a great compliment to Randle and Barrett. While Burks didn’t rebound well in this particular game, he’s also more likely to track down the long boards that maligned New York’s starting backcourt. The microwave scorer is just finding his rhythm, and this was one of his most promising games so far. Burks gets a 3 out of 5 for a nice performance.
Obi Toppin: 14 pts, 6 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl, 1 blk, 1 to (5/9 fg, 0/1 3pt, 4/4 ft) 21 mins
Tom Thibodeau finally gave Obi Toppin extended minutes, and the sophomore prospect did not disappoint. Obi’s rim running and athleticism gave the Bucks fits all night. With New York’s bench shooters on fire, there was more than enough space for Toppin to wreak havoc with clever cuts and solid screens. The former top-ten pick displayed exactly how a player can impact the offense without needing the ball in his hands.
It’s worth noting that New York’s best defensive sequences came with Obi out there. He’s the most mobile big man on the team and that helps him rotate to perimeter shooters or get back into the lane with time to contest. Toppin has blocked his share of three-pointers this year thanks to speed and effort. He’s still young and has plenty to learn defensively, but his motor is producing more positive results than negative on both ends.
The Bucks shifted into a zone defense in the fourth quarter. That worked to limit ball-handlers but left Obi free to pick openings for cuts and force mismatches. During New York’s comeback, Toppin consistently drew George Hill as a defender and scored right over him. We’re seeing the sophomore blossom before our eyes and his case for extra minutes is getting stronger with each night. Obi gets a 3 out of 5 for the chaos he brought to Milwaukee.
Taj Gibson: 0 pts, 9 reb, 1 stl, 2 blk, 1 to (0/1 fg) 25 mins
Taj Gibson didn’t have to do any scoring to have a positive impact. The veteran bigman provided physicality that New York was sorely lacking. He absorbed contact and slowed down opponents, allowing help defenders to double-team and get back to their assignments without too much commitment. The former Bull only had two blocks, but he stepped up in the key and deterred more shots than his numbers show.
I’ve made some references to second-chance points and the Knicks being outworked. That magnifies the value of Gibson’s 9 rebounds in just 25 minutes. No other Knick had more than 6 boards, but of course Taj bucked the trend and provided what was needed. This is why we love Taj, he gives New York whatever they need and plays without ego.
It’s probably strange for me to highlight a player’s sole shot attempt and 0 points, but Taj is different. Look throughout the start of this season and it seems like players that aren’t getting offensive looks, or who are otherwise struggling, tend to check out mentally. Their offensive woes lead to lackluster defense which creates a spiral. Now check out Taj Gibson doing everything else he can to help despite all of the touches at the rim going to his sophomore teammate. Taj didn’t have to score for me to love his effort. Gibson gets a 2.5 out of 5 for his night.
Tom Thibodeau waits too long to see the writing on the wall
Tom Thibodeau:
Anyone that saw the first-half could have predicted how the third-quarter was going to go. The starters got washed in the first quarter, the bench cleaned up a mess, and then the starters leaked points to fall behind by 9 again before the buzzer. When the starting unit was flat again in the third, I would have liked to see swifter action to change things up. But this is Tom Thibodeau and we know he trusts his players to a fault at times.
The starters continued to play, and play, and play…New York was down by 24-points before the bench took over with four minutes and a quarter to try to get back in. The wildest part is that the second unit almost pulled it off. They fought back and even tied the game before running out of steam. But I’m left to wonder what might have been if Thibs benched either struggling backcourt player sooner or if he’d have trusted Obi Toppin to inject much-needed energy onto the floor a couple of minutes earlier than normal. Thibodeau stuck to his rotation for too long and dug the Knicks a hole that was inescapable.
There’s not a lot to make of this performance outside of the frustrating substitution patterns. A clever defensive scheme to stop Giannis left shooters wide-open and made Pat Connaughton the latest faux-splash brother to torch us. Some nice plays out of timeouts got a few easy looks but only really worked with players that already had hot hands. Thibodeau lived and lost thanks to his rotation…one that sees his starting five having played more minutes as a unit than any other five man grouping in the league despite continued struggles. For that, Thibodeau is getting a 1 out of 5, and I lay this loss at his feet.
Closing Thoughts
I’m a big proponent of preaching patience, but I also subscribe to recognizing patterns. Sometimes we catch trends that can be turned around with simple shifts of attitude or confidence but sometimes an issue lingers. The reason Knicks fans are stressed is that success has been inconsistent while the struggles always match a similar pattern. Three-point defense fails, players settle for jumpers, and opponents ride momentum to hot shooting quarters for the likes of Semi Ojeleye and Pat Connaughton…Seriously, I hate Connaughton for this loss.
The scary thing about Tom Thibodeau is that he’s been slow to adjust in the past. We’re all having flashbacks of Elfrid Payton struggling and I spent plenty of last season blaming the coach as much as the player for that situation. Thibs said the right things in his post-game presser. He made the right decision to bench his starters in the third as well. But I’m still skeptical and nervous about what comes next.
New York is 7-5 but it feels like they’re walking a tight-rope. The good news is that the sophomores are starting to show growth and the bench is a familiar buzz saw. But we’re also familiar with slow starts and prayers that New York will survive each third-quarter push from opponents. The Hornets are next with big bodies, clever ball handlers, and enough shooting to take advantage of every weakness and pattern we see. I’m nervous, but I’m watching for how Tom Thibodeau and his New York Knicks respond to this early adversity. I’ll see you then Knicks fam!
Stay tuned to KnicksFanTV.com for the latest Knicks news, rumors and recaps throughout the 2021-22 NBA season. In case you missed it, catch the KFTV panel discuss whether or not Obi Toppin deserves more consistent playing time below.
