The New York Knicks dropped their fifth game in a row, an especially tough loss to the short-handed Cleveland Cavaliers.
Three Knicks broke twenty points, but no one else hit double-digits. Meanwhile, Andre Drummond exploded for a 30, 20 game over a hobbled Mitchell Robinson. Costly turnovers followed the Knicks throughout the game. Head scratching decisions late exacerbated the problem. Against a team that was missing three starters, New York simply didn’t have enough.
The NBA season is long, and some losses are bound to hurt more than others. I like to strike a hopeful tone with these recaps, but a lot of this game fell into continuing trends. Tom Thibodeau’s lack of flexibility with his starters and rotation was especially problematic in the loss. The starting backcourt lacked playmaking, scoring or much of anything for that matter. Communication problems for the defense meant late rotations and wide-open shooters. Stagnant possessions and ugly turnovers had a domino effect that led to opposing teams’ winning any 50-50 plays with hustle. These problems are becoming patterns in the losing streak.
This was not a game the Knicks should have lost. They shot at higher clips from the field, from three and at the line. New York forced more turnovers, blocked more shots and had just as many steals as the Cavs. But he we are, lamenting another loss and searching for answers. I’m not being nice after that one; we’re gunning for more 1’s than binary code. Let’s take a cathartic dive into the ugly loss.
The Knicks starters struggle again
Elfrid Payton: Elfrid Payton’s performance can be summed up by 0 assists and 3 turnovers. Tom Thibodeau’s starting point spent 20 minutes without a single assist. This doesn’t get a “poor shooting teammates” pass either. The only other Knicks to touch the court without an assist were the Centers, but they rarely operate with the ball in their hands for long. Payton’s turnovers were deflating as well. They came right at the top of the key which left the Knicks with no chance to recover against the ensuing fast break.
In 20 minutes of play, Payton dropped 9 points and 3 rebounds. He shot 4/7 from the field, 0/1 from three and 1/1 from the free throw line. The efficient scoring came from moves inside and did little to aid with spacing. That scoring just isn’t enough to make up for the complete lack of playmaking that Payton brought to a lead guard role. This is made even more frustrating by the fact that Cleveland didn’t have a single point guard to challenge him.
This is easily a 1 out of 5 performance. The starting point guard ought to be a tone setter for ball movement. Elfrid Payton is the elder statesman of the PG’s but made glaring mistakes throughout the night. His defensive play did nothing to make up for the offense either. Payton lost his minutes to Quickley in the second half. That felt like too little, too late even though the game was close throughout. The Knicks had chances to build a bigger lead early and failed on the back off poor turnovers and easy buckets for their opposition…Payton was a main culprit.
Reggie Bullock: My complaints for Reggie Bullock are almost on auto-pilot at this point. He’s a 3-and-D player that isn’t making his three’s and hasn’t had a big enough impact on defense. The Cavs game is more of this same phenomenon. Bullock didn’t make a single three point shot while Cedi Osman went off for 25 points on 50% from the field. The shooting guard has been playing long minutes with little production to show for it and the team’s perimeter defense hasn’t been good enough for Bullock to claim much impact.
A 31-minute stint for Bullock meant 4 points, 2 assists, 1 rebound and 2 steals with 1 turnover. He shot 2/5 from the field and 0/2 from three. If the rest of the offense is running on all cylinders; then he can sneak by with limited productivity and good defense. But that’s not the case right now, and it makes Bullock’s limitations stand out.
Bullock grabs a 1 out of 5. He’d have slipped through on a 1.5 but his last play of the game was a final straw. With the Knicks down 3 and under a minute left, Bullock got a steal and started a fast break. Instead of going strong to the basket, Reggie stopped his dribble and promptly turned the ball over with a bullet pass from way too close to Mitchell Robinson. It was a chance at redemption turned to a nail in the coffin for a bad performance.
RJ Barrett: A bounce back game left a bittersweet taste after RJ Barrett’s late turnover proved to be the most decisive play of the fourth quarter. Barrett played well for most of the night. He made some nice passes, finished on forays inside and most importantly…RJ shot the ball well! But there were still moments where Barrett tried to do too much and that was the case when Barrett turned the ball over with the Knicks down a point and just over a minute left in the game. That said, the overall performance is better than the brutal conclusion.
Barrett played for 33 minutes and dropped 20 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 blocks and 4 turnovers. He shot 7/12 from the field, 2/4 from three and 4/4 from the free throw line. The maple mamba’s jumper is the most important aspect of the loss if we’re thinking long term. But on the individual performance, his two turnovers in the last two minutes take a bite out of the otherwise strong game.
Barrett grabs a 2.5 out of 5 on the night. That last turnover is enough to pull his game down to the average range. But this does continue a nice trend for RJ’s shooting and overall play. His efficiency was the product of shot selection as much as it was the product of finding that jump shot. RJ provided a legit second option for the team but made youthful mistakes in crunch time. He can build on this performance.
Julius Randle: Julius Randle played at an all-star level once again, though he did have a blemish at the end. Randle led the way with efficient scoring, good shooting, and smart passing. He had some defensive rotations that stood out enough for Mike Breen and Clyde to praise the effort. The big man was so crucial that he barely sat for 2-minutes in the fourth quarter before being rushed back out. Randle’s great performance ended on a down note when he picked up a clear path foul. He did have an emphatic, and-one dunk after but missed the crucial free throw. I believe fatigue was a factor.
In 38 minutes of action, Randle produced 28 points, 6 assists and 6 rebounds with just 1 turnover. He shot 11/20 from the field, 2/4 from three and 4/5 from the free throw line. It was a performance fit for the best player on any team. If Randle’s jumper is falling, he’s almost impossible to stop without multiple defenders ready to help. That jumper has been falling more often than not this season.
Randle grabs a 3.5 out of 5. The numbers scream “4 or higher Remi” but that clear path foul has me feeling like Dwayne Wade scoring the dunk contest. It’s impossible to be too hard on Randle when he has played so well. Even the Knicks’ spiral has done little to take Randle out of his improved mindset. We still get a few forces but they’re understandable, the Knicks need that Randle to be a constant threat. The big man deserves to be an all-star right now.
Mitchell Robinson: There are two sides to Mitchell Robinson’s performance against Cleveland. On the one hand, he struggled to deal with Andre Drummond’s strength and it led to a losing match-up against a premier big. But on the other hand, Mitch hurt his ankle in the second quarter and was visibly limping his way through chunks of this game. The Knicks’ big prospect showed grit and heart just to stay on the court for an otherwise undersized Knicks’ team. Also of note, Mitch was off to a decent start prior to the ankle injury.
Robinson managed 28 minutes on that bad ankle and put up 5 points, 6 rebounds, 3 steals and 1 block. He was an uncharacteristic 2/5 from the field and 1/2 from the free throw line. It’s hard to come down too hard on the big man. His mobility was visibly affected. Mitch would rise to challenge a shot and then do the one-foot hop on landing. He didn’t have the strength to keep Drummond off the boards or the lateral movement that has helped him cover both players in some pick and rolls. It didn’t help that Payton tried an alley-oop pass to the clearly ailing Mitch at one point either.
I try to come at these impact scores from an objective place. If I’m just judging impact on the Cavs game, then Mitch warrants a 1 or 1.5 out of 5. But the injury was so obvious and the match-up was so tough to begin with, that I’m bumping him to a 2 out of 5 for effort. The fact that Thibs continued to put trust in Robinson even after the injury shows just how crucial the shot blocker has been for this team.
New York’s second unit to the rescue…almost
Immanuel Quickley: I’m making myself an official part of the “start IQ now” team after Cleveland. Immanuel Quickley played a fantastic game of basketball that looked like a 10 standing next to the ugly Elfrid Payton performance. IQ wasn’t chasing fouls or forcing deep floaters. He was disciplined about keeping his dribble in traffic all game long. Quickley added multiple features to an offense that was lacking in his absence. Case in point, Julius Randle left the floor for just 2 minutes in the fourth quarter because of his importance to the team…Quickley left the floor for just 1 minute in that same stanza.
The rookie guard threw up 23 points, 4 assists, 5 rebounds, a steal and a block in 28 minutes of action. He shot 9/17 from the field, 3/7 from three and 2/2 from the free throw line. Let’s zoom in on Quickley’s jumper for a second. It’s not just that IQ can knock down jumpers with space, but it’s how dynamic he is at getting the shot off when he finds space. Quickley can shoot off the dribble, on a step back or on a catch and shoot. He lives up to his last name from just how fast he can pull the trigger without losing efficacy. That makes IQ’s jumper even more threatening than his percentages suggest.
IQ’s getting a 4 out of 5 for the productivity he fit into 28 minutes of play. Quickley was everywhere and crucial enough to close this game out. The rookie’s next step will be taking on more of the late game duties. Julius Randle and RJ Barrett are clearly the focal points for the offense, but having a lead ball handler set the table for them can help when defenses tighten up. Barrett and Randle juggled mistakes late that might have been prevented had they not been tasked with initiating the offensive sets on top of already being the scorers. Start this kid. Let him make mistakes. We’re losing with Payton playing anyway.
Austin Rivers: I won’t linger too much on Austin Rivers. He had a bad game but not a terrible one. The sixth man’s jumper was all but gone in this one. During the fourth quarter, he missed multiple good looks. But those struggles didn’t bleed into his effort elsewhere. So I’m not too mad about the performance, but he does have to be better for this team to stay afloat.
Over 17 minutes of action, Rivers put in 2 points, 2 assists, and 2 rebounds with 1 TO. He shot 1/6 from the field and 0/4 from three. Rivers’ shot selection wasn’t bad, he just couldn’t buy a bucket. When the team has more options at guard, that won’t hurt so much. But New York was sorely missing the scoring that our second-generation Knick typically provides.
Since he only played for 17 minutes, Rivers avoids that dreaded 1. But the guard had a weak performance without question. He finishes with a 1.5 out of 5 for failing to provide the most important feature of his game, scoring. I expect better performances from Rivers and this one didn’t change my mind.
Kevin Knox: Kevin Knox is the best shooter on the Knicks right now. The small forward was perfect from three in limited minutes. It pains me to mention that the kid’s minutes fell below the 20 mark. He’s not just the best floor spacer that New York has, Knox has picked up a knack for finding impact plays on defense.
Knox put up 6 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal in 18 minutes of play. He shot 2/5 from the field and went 2/2 from three. The third year forward deserved more time on the floor. He was good on the boards and added size on the wings to compete with the Cavs’ bigger rotation. Until he cools off from three or his motor slows down on the other end, Knox needs to play 20 minutes or more nightly.
With solid production and effort in 18 minutes, I’m giving Knox a 2.5 out of 5. The numbers would probably lead me closer to a 2 out of 5, but there’s an impact on spacing that doesn’t show in the box score. Knox is starting to knock down jumpers even over barely late contests. That means players can’t afford to drift off him like they do every other Knick. The kid is growing into a weapon before our eyes and I suspect that more strength training will improve his forays to the basket as well.
Obi Toppin: Returning from a calf-injury, Obi Toppin was given limited time to play. On the bright side, he was productive for just ten minutes of play. Toppin put up 2 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists in his short action. The big man’s passing and vision always pop. His motor was fantastic. A Knox/Toppin forward combo is versatile, mobile and active. On the downside, Toppin’s lack of strength pops at the defensive end even in limited action. Big power forwards are going to be tough for him to stop inside or on the glass right now. But this is all just coming on 10 minutes back from a 3-week layoff.
No impact score for Toppin this time. The minutes were too low, and he’s got rust to work off. I’m optimistic about what I saw though.
Nerlens Noel: If the Knicks had won the game, Nerlens Noel would be an unsung hero of the night. The big man got into bad foul trouble early but stepped up for an injured Mitchell Robinson. Noel blocked everything in his orbit and moved with more intensity than normal. He still had a Butterfinger moment that led to a fast break and and-one, but it’s forgivable after such a nice defensive game.
Noel closed a 17-minute night with 4 points, 4 rebounds and 6 blocks. He went 2/3 from the field with the miss coming on an open midrange jumper. He’s proven willing to take that baseline midrange shot a few times this season but hasn’t had much success with it yet. It’s a good look that could prove helpful if it starts to fall.
With 6 blocks and a team-leading plus/minus in just 17 minutes, Noel gets a 2.5 out of 5. He found himself overpowered by Andre Drummond at times, but his effort seemed to pick up in response. The big man warranted more time after injury hampered Mitchell Robinson, but he made the most of the minutes he got.x
Coaching and Closing: Time to change the rotation
Tom Thibodeau: This was easily the worst coaching performance that Tom Thibodeau has had so far this season. His loyalty to the starters hurt this team for no good reason. Knox was better than Reggie Bullock, full stop. Mitch was hurt and Noel played really well. But Knox and Noel got less than 20-minutes of action. Thibs does get some credit for sticking with IQ in the second half though.
The rotation wasn’t the only problematic bit of Thibodeau’s night. The Knicks were down by 3 with enough time to get a stop and take one chance to tie it. Instead of trusting their defense, New York opted to foul and Andre Drummond knocked down both free throws. That took the Knicks from a chance to tie into hopeless territory. Drummond’s historically been terrible at the line but that was a bit of being too clever for their own good.
Thibs gets a 1.5 out of 5 on the night. IQ saves him from bottoming out. The longer that Thibodeau sticks with this struggling starting unit, the more likely he is to teeter on the edge of a bad score. Most fans hated this starting combination dating back to last season. The impatience isn’t just about a losing streak, we know how this story ends. We’ve seen it before.
Closing Thoughts: New York has been in the perpetual tank for far too long. Development has absolutely been fun to watch, but it’s not going to stave off frustrations that have built over many years and many front offices. I like a lot of decisions that this new front office has made. But the failure to adequately address the point guard position is a tough pill to swallow. If Immanuel Quickley wasn’t well ahead of schedule for a 25th pick rookie, this whole thing could be extremely ugly.
That last bit hides my biggest reason to smile right now though. Quickley dropped 23 points off the bench. He’s outplaying a starting PG with years of experience. IQ is just one example of the impact coaches have had on youth. Knox is a new man. Mitch is a true anchor. Obi is on his way. Even Julius Randle looks like a different player mentally. The growth is legitimate, the coaches have had a positive impact.
But how long can we wait while this team spirals? They say New York can’t handle a rebuild, but I just don’t think we’re built to handle a rebuild that takes 10 years to bare fruit. Leon Rose has cap space and assets, but the direction for this ship isn’t entirely clear. Vets are starting over promising youth while the team sinks deeper and deeper into lottery land. Something’s got to give and Rose chose a coach that is loyal to vets. It’s time for Leon to send a message to the fanbase. He needs to either find a piece that helps make this current roster work soon or he needs to get some of these vets out of younger prospects’ ways.
Let’s try to enjoy the growth and hope for changes soon. Whether those changes mean Fade for Cade or race to the play-in, we’ll still have prospects to watch grow and discussions to have.
