The New York Knicks protected home court against the San Antonio Spurs, winning 102 to 98.
New York played a strong first half but almost let the game slip away in a brutal third quarter. The Knicks had to come back by as much as 17 points before storming back. Starters played heavy minutes, and star players made a big difference in pulling off the victory.
Julius Randle was brilliant. RJ Barrett complimented him. Alec Burks filled Derrick Rose’s shoes with his own unique brand of scoring. It was a team effort that came down to the wire. Some role players stepped up to help while others struggled mightily. Let’s take a look at how it all went.
Stars make the difference for the Knicks’ starters
Elfrid Payton: Elfrid Payton had one of his worst performances of the season. The starting point guard never scored and barely made a blip on the box score. His offensive struggles weren’t the biggest issue, though. Dejounte Murray lit the Knicks guard up for 14 points and 7 assists. Generally, Knicks fans can be a bit too hard on Payton for a player that only gets 15 minutes of action or so…but this one earned some ire.
Payton played 13 minutes and logged no points, 2 assists, 1 rebound, and 1 turnover. He went 0/4 from the field, getting blocked by Poeltl on his first attempt and becoming squeamish around the rim. The most frustrating part of all of this is that his second assist was a thing of beauty. Payton flew into the lane, scanned the perimeter, and lobbed a dime to wide-open Reggie Bullock for three. His ability to penetrate can create these perimeter opportunities, but Elf’s got to look for them.
If a performance could scream, “it’s time to make a change,” this was it. The Spurs actively targeted Payton and Noel in the pick and roll during their third-quarter run. They made their first 11 attempts during that stretch, and the Knicks didn’t turn it around until Payton and Noel had left the floor. Third quarters have routinely been tough during the recent run, and it has been more about surviving until Rose (or Burks this time) can retake momentum rather than building on leads lately. That can’t continue into the playoffs. Payton gets a 1 out of 5 for his impact score.
Reggie Bullock: Reggie Bullock made it two straight games of shooting woes. He struggled from the field, missing a plethora of good looks. That doesn’t mean he had a bad game. Bullock’s defense on Demar Derozan was tough all night, to the extent that Clyde was asking where Derozan was early in the second half. Bully’s defense did start to lapse late, but it was forgivable in a game where he virtually played the entire second half.
Bully ran for 39 minutes and spent the majority of it challenging Derozan. He put up 8 points, 3 assists, 4 rebounds, 3 steals, and 1 turnover on 3/9 shooting and 2/8 from three. His three-pointers were well timed in the second half, helping fight back from the third quarter pit New York had dug. It’s telling that one of Bullock’s only field goals came off his defensive effort. Reggie worked his tail off on that end and was laboring through most of the fourth quarter; Thibodeau owed him a breather.
Bullock’s numbers aren’t great, and Derozan put up a big score by the end of the game, but that doesn’t tell the whole story. Until Bully slowed down from fatigue, he was in Derozan’s grill on everything. The 3 and D guard managed to add all of the intangibles that we look for to make up for a poor shooting night. He gets a 2.5 out of 5 that probably goes higher if Thibodeau can find some minutes for Reggie to catch his breath.
RJ Barrett: RJ Barrett’s first half was tailor-made for the haters. His second half was a middle finger to those same folks. Barrett couldn’t buy a bucket in the first half. His scattered touches were hardly productive. But then the third quarter started, and it looked like the entire team aimed to feed RJ three-pointers. All of Barrett’s threes came off assists from three different players, with Julius Randle starting the dimes up. It was a thing of beauty to see the Knicks’ first option get their second option going for the stretch run.
Barrett played 41 minutes and managed 24 points, 5 assists, 9 rebounds, and 2 turnovers. He shot 8/19 from the field, 5/9 from three, and 3/3 from the free-throw line. My favorite part about this performance is that amid RJ’s shooting barrage, he began to make extra passes for assists. Alec Burks threw the final assist for a three to Barrett. RJ reciprocated with two assists to Burks for wide-open threes after. Barrett passed up decent looks to reward a hot hand just as his teammates had rewarded his own.
Barrett’s sharpshooting from three and unselfish ball movement isn’t all. His defensive play popped, sometimes for multiple possessions in a row. You could catch RJ denying challenging Lonnie Walker with the same physicality that Reggie Bullock displayed on Derozan. Barrett’s rotations were tight throughout the game as well. The sophomore has played good defense all year, but his play has taken another step on that end in recent efforts. Combine the defense with everything else, and RJ Barrett grabs a 4 out of 5 on the night.
Julius Randle: Julius Randle struggled with his shot but made up for it with rebounding, passing, and an uncanny ability to draw fouls. Randle had a quiet stretch from the second quarter to the midway point of the third. But he bounced back by attacking the Spurs inside and either drawing whistles or kicking the ball out to open shooters. The Knicks’ star sparked RJ Barrett with assists for three in quick succession and did the same for others along the perimeter. He wreaked havoc whenever he hit the lane, scoring on single coverage and assisting out of doubles or triples.
Randle played an exorbitant 45 minutes, tallying 25 points, 9 assists, 9 rebounds, 1 steal, and 3 turnovers. He shot 7/21 from the field, 1/5 from three, and 10/10 from the free-throw line. It’s incredible how often Randle goes to the line while his defender needs teammates’ help getting off the floor. New York’s star punishes players with his physicality on both ends of the floor. I’m curious to see the type of toll that style takes on opponents during a playoff series…it only took one game to send Anthony Davis into a one-game break.
While the shooting numbers aren’t great outside of the free throws, Randle’s clutch deserves some mention. His only three-pointer came on a huge make late in a close fourth quarter. It helped to seal the deal and close out a hard-fought comeback. The big man was a catalyst despite not having his shot to build off. He took on a ridiculous minutes load and led the team to another win. Randle gets a 4.5 out of 5 for his fantastic night.
Nerlens Noel: Nerlens Noel had a promising start to the night but struggled to contain the Spurs inside. He began the game with a dunk inside and a block on Keldon Johnson’s dunk attempt. But then Devin Eubanks, of all people, came in to give the shot blocker fits on the glass and inside. The Spurs targeted Payton and Noel to start the third quarter, running pick and rolls for points in the paint at a ridiculous pace. Taj Gibson came in and changed the situation in the nick of time. Thankfully, Noel got fourth-quarter minutes to redeem himself somewhat, but his night was a bust.
Noel put up 6 points, 5 boards, 1 steal, and 2 blocks in 27 minutes. He shot 2/3 from the field, with the second field goal being a putback. That’s an interesting quirk to Nerlens’ night; he only had one defensive rebound on the entire game. The Knicks have had some struggles keeping bigs off the glass in recent games, and it was their guards who stepped up in this one rather than bigs. Credit is due for the 3 Stocks that Noel added though, even on a night of below standard defense, we can count on the shot-blocker for a few blocks and steals.
For as much crap as we give Elfrid Payton, Nerlens Noel has been fairly inconsistent lately. He struggles against bigger bodies whenever a team throws them out there. That sort of weakness can be exploited in a playoff series, especially with New York’s potential opponents for the first round. As much as I respect Noel’s efforts, his mobility can be concerning in pick and roll situations. He also had a few butterfinger moments to remind us of another hole in his game. Noel finishes this night with a 1.5 out of 5 for his impact score.
Alec Burks plays hero in Rose’s absence
Alec Burks: Alec Burks was brilliant. His contributions were crucial in light of Derrick Rose’s absence. The bench scorer came into the game and dropped 14 points in a big second quarter, then had an even better fourth. Burks was elusive off the dribble and accurate from range. He threw a couple of ugly passes along the way but remained a threat on the ball despite his passes going awry at times. He gave New York a much-needed scoring boost in a game where every point mattered.
Burks rocked for 34 minutes, providing 30 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block, and 2 turnovers. He shot 11/20 from the field, 5/10 from three, and 3/3 from the free-throw line. His three-point shooting might pop off the stat line, but I enjoyed his trips inside the arc more. We got glimpses of the scorer being elusive but patient, driving past closeouts for finishes. His craft inside included pump fake, smart footwork, and off-hand finishing that San Antonio couldn’t contain.
The scoring wasn’t all either. Alec Burks has been a great rebounding guard all season, and he was especially good with San Antonio. The Spurs bigs were all over the glass on both ends of the floor, but you could catch Burks rising in traffic to grab some tough boards. His defensive play didn’t pop on-ball, but Burks sealed plays off when San Antonio missed. It was a welcome addition to his scoring, turning a nice night into a double-double. Burks gets a 4.5 out of 5 to share top standing with Randle in this victory.
Frank Ntilikina: Frank Ntilikina took on a defensive substitution role. He came in for the final play of the first quarter and blocked Patty Mills before sitting again. Ntilikina would pick up 6 minutes overall, with his longest stretch being a few minutes to close the first half. He played very strong defense throughout and knocked down his only three-point attempt of the night.
Frank finished his 6 minutes with 3 points, 1 rebound, and 1 block. The production wasn’t anything crazy, but Frank made an impact with his spot minutes. He performed well enough to warrant a longer mention. He deserved a chance to spell Bullock in the second half.
Immanuel Quickley: Immanuel Quickley’s return from an ankle injury was short-lived. Whether he needed more rest or was rusty, his shot was off. The rookie got good looks but couldn’t finish them and seemed out of rhythm. In 11 minutes, his only statistic was a turnover while shooting 0/4, including two badly missed three-pointers. He’ll be fine but clearly didn’t have it in this one.
Obi Toppin: Obi Toppin only played 3 minutes, partially because Julius Randle had a huge performance and partially because he got a quick hook for one defensive mishap. He got enough time to make a nice pass to assist a three-pointer, but that was it.
Taj Gibson: Taj Gibson was an absolute menace. He came into a third quarter with the Knicks struggling for stops and spiked an attempted lay-up like this was Top Gun. Gibson added his unique scoring element, seasoned vet moves, and footwork for some added buckets inside. The former Bull gave New York all the contributions that Nerlens Noel had been missing, some scoring, rebounding, and true interior defense that goes beyond the numbers.
Gibson played 21 minutes, tallying 6 points, 9 boards, 1 assist, 1 steal, and 4 blocks on 3/5 shooting. His numbers aren’t gaudy, but his impact plays well beyond them. I’m not so sure that Payton coming off the floor was the most important factor for New York’s comeback because Taj impacted the interior defense far more than Burks. He was a spark for the defense and a better passing target on rim runs…Taj came up big.
What Taj lacks in size and athleticism always comes back through smarts and sheer effort. He refused to be pushed around and brought a physical brand to the floor that the Knicks needed. Gibson plays a game that makes things easier for the players around him and had a team-leading +/- to reflect it in this one. Players trust him out there, and it shows. Gibson finishes with a 3 out of 5 for his outsized impact on the crucial comeback run.
Tom Thibodeau’s nerve-racking rotation decisions continue to work
Tom Thibodeau: I didn’t like how Tom Thibodeau coached this game. He got the win, so maybe I’m wrong for doubting the man. But the decision to ride more than half the starters for the entire second half of this game was a scary one. Reggie Bullock and Julius Randle both looked exhausted, and Bullock’s defense fell off by the end of the game. Bully picked up a bad foul for an and-one with less than 10 seconds left and a 4 point lead. That’s not a mistake he makes with fresh legs. To make matters worse, the alternatives either played well in the first half or never got the chance to. Thibs rotation didn’t allow players the opportunity to earn more minutes; it just rode starters until they were exhausted.
Dropping to what was essentially a 7-man rotation isn’t the only mistake either. Thibodeau wasted his challenge on a Reggie Bullock foul and lost. That’s especially egregious because the refs made a plethora of bad calls where the coach could have better spent his challenge. Thibs did have a nice move in using Ntilikina as a defensive specialist, but he didn’t reward the good play with any additional opportunity. He also showed a lack of trust in his rookies. With IQ back from injury, that’s somewhat understandable, but Toppin got benched for what seemed like one mistake.
The Knicks have clinched the playoffs, and moving back into a homecourt advantage for round one will require some help. The season is days away from ending with a back-to-back to close. I don’t think now is the time to hand 40 minutes on 3/5’s of the starters. Especially not when Thibodeau didn’t even give bench pieces a chance to spell those starters. The second unit was a catalyst in the first half and the only two substitutions of the second half had a similar impact. Maybe this game doesn’t come to the wire if fresh legs get a chance to attack a tired San Antonio team. I guess all’s well that ends well, though. Thibodeau gets a 2 out of 5 for pulling out the win in a fashion that had me nervous all game.
Closing Thoughts
One word to describe this season? Resilience. The Knicks started this season with the lowest projections in the league. No one believed in them. They’ve dealt with constant shifts in the rotation due to injuries to key players at inopportune times. It would be easy to fold and live down to the expectations that virtually everyone heaped onto this crew. But a coaching staff that believes and a roster of hungry players that refuse to go away continue to surprise.
We watched our playoff team live up to their brand again last night. The playoffs were guaranteed, and that 17-point deficit would have been the perfect time to pack it up and rest until the next one. New York didn’t do that, though. These guys fought back through gritted teeth and on exhausted legs. Alec Burks led the way, just back from his own stint on the injured list due to illness. They marched back without their recent X-Factor, Derrick Rose, who is currently injured as well. Players go down, and others step up. Teams throw punches, and these guys punch back. The culture isn’t just about winning. It’s about toughness.
Charlotte is next, a matinee at the Garden against an opponent fighting for play-in game seeding. They won’t make this easy for New York, who needs to win out for any hope of homecourt advantage in the first round. That’s fine, though, this roster embraces challenges in a manner that every fan can be proud of. They’ve spent the whole season fighting, and it wouldn’t make sense to close out any other way. They’re ready for the postseason, and fans are ready to support. I’ll see after the next one, Knicks fam, and win or lose, the playoffs are just around the corner.
Stay tuned to Knicksfantv.com for the latest Knicks news, recaps and rumors heading into the playoffs!
