On a night to celebrate a Garden crowd and an All-Star, the New York Knicks fell to the Golden State Warriors 106 to 114 in a tough defeat.
The Knicks played a competitive game, but their offense has been out of rhythm for games now. They ran into a familiar foe in the second half, a packed paint that dared them to shoot. New York never figured out a sustained way to space the floor. The uphill battle got worse as Steph Curry was locked in, making clutch basket after clutch basket. The combination proved too much to overcome.
Julius Randle continued his stellar play, but got little in the form of help. Point guards added some scoring, but took a lot of shots to provide it. The shooters made a few three pointers, but not enough. Big men played respectable ball, but Mitchell Robinson’s presence was missed. Worst of all, the young prospects struggled outside of Obi Toppin. Let’s take a closer look at how this one slipped away.
New York Knicks starters come up short
Elfrid Payton: Elfrid Payton provided some scoring punch but wasn’t efficient about it. He started the game stronger than he finished, by virtue of making some nice assists from lobs to lead passes. But as the game wore on, Payton’s aggression in the paint didn’t lead to enough kickouts when the defense collapsed. He was better finishing than most teammates, but he also took the lion’s share of opportunities. This is true of all lead guards in this game, they looked for their own shots at the expense of everyone else’s rhythm.
Payton finished 34 minutes with 20 points, 4 assists and 3 rebounds. He shot 8/19 from the field, 0/2 from three and 4/5 from the free throw line. 20 points on 19 shots isn’t bad but it’s not great either, especially from a point guard that isn’t putting the ball in his teammates’ hands enough. I’ve mentioned this before but when Payton misses, he’s usually deep in the paint which leads to easier transition offense for opponents. On the bright side, he did draw some fouls for a change which helped keep him from taking more attempts than points scored.
I’m honestly being a bit harsh with the evaluation so far. The Knicks offense was out of sorts for nearly everyone, most players inefficient. Thanks to that, Payton did have one of the better performances because at least he did SOMETHING. But I can’t shake the feeling that Payton’s recent success has come at the expense of others. The offense needs more table setters and less players looking to eat every time they touch the rock. Payton was one of the better players against the Warriors, but not particularly good. He gets a 2 out of 5 for his efforts.
Reggie Bullock: It’s tough to have a starting rotation whose floor spacer can’t beat a hard closeout. Reggie Bullock was ineffective when chased off of the line and only managed to make a single three pointer. He scattered limited production across his minutes, failing to be the floor spreader that New York needed. To make matters worse, his good defense ran into better offense from Andrew Wiggins.
Across 19 minutes, Bullock managed 7 points and 4 boards on 2/6 shooting, 1/3 from three and 2/2 from the line. Ineffective is the word that comes to mind. The Warriors were packing the paint but Bullock rarely saw sickouts and didn’t do enough to punish them when those opportunities came. Derrick Rose managed to be a more willing and effective three point shooter in this game…not a good sign.
There are times where the muted numbers that Reggie managed can be acceptable. But this was not that situation. The Warriors packed the defense inside and New York needed floor spacers. Those are the games where the 3 and D players have to step up. Bullock stuck to limited attempts, limited impact and also struggled to stop his defensive assignment. The result is a 1.5 out of 5 for impact score.
RJ Barrett: From the opening tip throughout the night, RJ Barrett just didn’t seem to have it. His jumper wasn’t reliable enough and traffic in the paint took away his chances to finish inside or playmaker. Barrett looked dazed and confused, forcing bad shots and hesitating when he had openings. The sophomore only managed to make a meaningful contribution on the boards.
The former lottery pick put up just 4 points, 10 rebounds, and 1 assist to 3 turnovers in 27 minutes of play. He shot a brutal 1/9 from the field, 1/3 from three and 1/2 from the free throw line. Suffice to say that nothing was falling for Barrett. RJ’s struggles meant that Randle and Payton had to shoulder a huge chunk of the scoring load while the defense could load up. The Knicks can’t succeed with their highest recent draft pick producing so little.
It’s impossible to give Barrett anything higher than a 1 out of 5 for the abysmal performance. On the bright side, I think we can confidently call this one of his worst games of the season. He won’t play this poorly often. He might be helped along by expanding his passing targets on drives. RJ has been good at finding roll men and cutters across the lane, but he rarely picks up dimes off of kickouts. It might open up enough space to use that euro-step laterally and get easier looks.
Julius Randle: On the night he was named an Allstar, Julius Randle put up big numbers and got himself ejected. The big man wasn’t as efficient as usual, but that was more from having to carry the team so often. It’s easiest to appreciate Randle’s gravity when he’s playmaking because of how open teammates can get. Randle made some beautiful passes, even getting Noel a catchable pass in traffic. He was also New York’s best three point shooter on the night. He carried the team yet and kept them in an otherwise ugly game.
Randle spent 35 minutes on the floor and managed 25 points, 7 assists and 10 rebounds with just 1 turnover. He shot 8/21 from the floor, 3/6 from three and 6/6 from the line. His efficiency waned as the Warriors put more bodies inside to deny drives. With little else working, Randle found himself bulldozing for baskets just trying to make things happen. His frustration with the refs turned into two technicals and an ejection.
This Knicks game highlighted Randle’s importance to the team even when he isn’t at his best. The big man’s passing was nothing short of brilliant early and his shooting was the only thing spacing the floor at times. The game also highlighted that the Knicks are asking Randle to do too much. He’s the defacto best scorer, playmaker and recently shooter as well. That’s too much weight on one player who hasn’t gotten much help lately. Randle gets a 3 out of 5 and an S.O.S. for some help.
Nerlens Noel: Another strong start turned into a bit of a disappointing night for Nerlens Noel. The big man had some nice moments rim running and finishing tip-ins early. He scattered nice blocks throughout the night as well. The problem is that his production all but vanished later on and he wasn’t good on the glass, whether that was grabbing the boards or boxing out to help teammates. The Warriors move their bigs all over the floor, so even Noel’s rim protection had a reduced impact this time.
Noel managed 8 points, 5 rebounds, 1 steal and 3 blocks with 2 turnovers over 24 minutes of action. He shot 4/6 from the field and missed his only free throw attempt. Noel’s offensive production is always modest but also the least important aspect of his night. Rebounding and defense are his defining traits. His numbers aren’t bad, but his impact just didn’t feel as pronounced as usual.
For half a game worth of minutes, Noel managed solid numbers. But a lot of that production came in an early wave and his quiet second half saw him benched for Taj Gibson late. The big man wasn’t bad, but he also didn’t have a consistently positive impact on the game. He completes his night with a 2 out of 5, good a second unit piece but we want more out of a starter.
Solid isn’t enough for the Knicks’ second unit
Derrick Rose: Derrick Rose’s night was bigger than Noel’s but had a similar hot start to drop off aspect. Rose came out the gate buzzing, he scored inside and knocked down some jumpers. To magnify the impact, the former Bull threw some stunning assists to teammates. But when the Warriors packed the paint in the second half, Rose’s output got quiet barring a nice finish late.
Rose played 27 minutes and managed 16 points, 8 assists, 4 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 block and 1 turnover. He shot 6/15 from the field 2/4 from three and 2/2 from the charity stripe. Rose struggled to finish inside as the game wore on and traffic condensed into the lanes. His fourth quarter possessions tended to settle on an inside pass to Taj Gibson at the top of the key because there wasn’t anywhere to drive. This got to be too predictable and the results weren’t great to begin with. The former MVP had better opportunities on hard drives inside or swinging to a second ball handler.
Overall, Rose had a good night and an especially strong first half. I think a tough fourth quarter might steal some luster from the performance though. Pairing Rose with Payton in the backcourt was interesting and earned but it also sapped spacing for both guys. It’s also worth shouting out the former MVP’s fourth quarter defensive effort. He was flying around the floor and made some things happen. Rose gets a 2.5 out of 5, boosted by playmaking to go with the scoring.
Immanuel Quickley: The rookie wall has arrived as teams are game planning to take away Immanuel Quickley’s favorite weapons. Golden State constantly crowded IQ, sending big men high up to avoid allowing the rookie to take even a step past his defender. The rookie looked confused at times, similar to Barrett in his hesitance. Quickley would wait when he should shoot, then rush a shot he should have held onto. He never got going.
In 13 minutes, IQ managed 3 points, 2 rebounds and 1 assist to 1 turnover. He shot just 1/5 and 1/4 from three. You can see by the shot distribution that Quickley was limited to the perimeter. His beloved floater is rarely available as defenses focus on keeping pressure tight. Golden State never let him turn the corner or get a defender on his hip even. The rookie didn’t get any chances to show off how he can change speeds to draw contact and fouls.
No impact score for IQ who came in under 15 minutes of action. He wouldn’t have gotten a good one obviously. Right now, the rookie is struggling against some defensive adjustments. We’ve seen him bounce back from these sorts of challenges before and his work ethic is undeniable. I’m a bit more concerned that he’s not trusting his three ball as much. But a couple of made baskets can do wonders for confidence in a shooter.
Alec Burks: A pair of three pointers late helped Alec Burks salvage an otherwise tough night. The scoring wing was mostly quiet, but he got his jumper off as the Warriors converged inside more and more. The makes were especially important as they came with the game beginning to slip away. Burks managed to give the Knicks a fighting chance and that made what few field goals he made more important.
Burks finished with 8 points, 5 rebounds and 1 assist to 1 turnover in 24 minutes. He shot 3/10 from the field and 2/6 from three. He’s always teetering on the edge of a terrible game or a great one because so much of his offense comes from three pointers and free throw shooting. Burks’ consecutive makes saved an otherwise ugly night on the score sheet and also magnified how important he is as a floor spacer.
With more offensive weapons healthy and working, Burks is getting less shots off than his promising preseason showed. That has a benefit in that Burks is always one or two made shots away from making his stat-line look nice. Even without shooting, he demands attention because he will shoot in space and often makes opponents pay. He was forgettable for three quarters against Golden State though and just barely scrapes a 2 out of 5 from his fourth quarter hits.
Obi Toppin: Obi Toppin didn’t get enough minutes to have a really good game, but he had a really promising 13 minutes. The big man knocked down a three, finished in the post and had an alley-oop dunk off a transition that he himself had sparked. So we got to see a little bit of everything that Toppin’s promise brings. He’s got a developing jumper, legitimate post game and brings hyper athleticism to the floor.
Toppin finished with 7 points, 2 boards, 1 steal and 1 block in 13 minutes. He was a perfect 3/3 from the floor including one three pointer. It looks like he’s coming into his own, but he’d need extended minutes to prove as much. That’s tough when you’re backing up the team’s most important player.
Taj Gibson: Taj Gibson had a good game but some of his limitations did creep up on it. The big man didn’t have Noel’s rim protecting presence but was a more effective rebounder all night. He also has just a bit more mobility that helped him be effective defending against a dynamic Golden State offense. He’s not gonna break the highlight reel, but Taj is solid once again.
Gibson played 24 minutes and managed 8 points, 11 rebounds, 1 steal and 3 turnovers. He shot 2/3 from the field and made 4/4 free throws, all in the fourth quarter. Taj has been terrible at the line, so the clutch free throws were a nice touch. The big man never stole the show, but did a lot of little helpful things for his teammates. He’d box out or make a smart rotation, find open space for a passer or poke a rebound loose for someone else. The small stuff accumulates without making a stat sheet.
Offensive limitations to keep Gibson’s impact score muted despite the good play. In the fourth quarter, Golden State got away with playing off Taj to deny lanes to ball handlers. High pick and roll plays always ended with the ball in Gibson’s hand at the top of the key with some space to work. The veteran tried to do the right things, dribbling in for a close shot or to make a pass…but the results were turnovers and misses. It takes an otherwise very nice performance and drops it into “that was alright I guess” territory. Taj nets a 2 out of 5.
When keeping it consistent goes wrong
Tom Thibodeau: For all intents and purposes, this game was lost in a third quarter where the Knicks were outscored by 13 points. New York’s offense couldn’t get going and the defense wasn’t strong enough to make up that difference. Tom Thibodeau used multiple timeouts to try and get his guys going, but remained steadfast in his typical rotation. He clearly saw that there were issues, but didn’t make personnel changes to try and address them. This consistency has been repaid in the past, but it hurt the Knicks who needed more spacing in that second half.
Fast forward to the fourth quarter and Thibs decided to go with a Payton/Rose backcourt. The two players had earned the right to close, but also represented redundancy. They were both successful doing the exact same things which meant only the guy with the ball in his hands was ever a threat. They were easy to guard. So again, Thibs sticking to his philosophies ran into a bit of a backfire. I wouldn’t mind this so much except that I don’t think Thibodeau would have any qualms about bending his rules to sit a rookie down.
That leaves a decent chunk of negativity on Thibodeau here. He didn’t make changes while the game slipped away and his closing rotation ignored the Warriors’ second half adjustments. By the time Thibs got both his floor spacers out there together, Bullock would hit a three but the game was out of reach. I have a ton of appreciation for all the good we’ve gotten out of coach Tom Thibodeau, but his in-game adjustments appear to be his weakness.
Closing Thoughts: That .500 hump is feeling like a mountain to climb. The Knicks have seen their play slip a little as RJ and IQ come back down to Earth. The scary part is that none of the vets seem up to filling the voids that those two leave. The East is a race between a number of competitive teams and New York can’t afford to slip up.
Ironically, I think I felt worse after the Wolves win than this Warriors loss. The Warriors are a much better team than Minnesota and they got an other worldly effort from Steph Curry to close out. Call me spoiled, but I expect RJ and IQ to bounce back sooner than later from their recent woes. Vets have shown a willingness to step back and feed hot hands when it’s time, so I’m still hopeful…but frustrated is the word.
Anyway, cautious optimism is not how I want to end this recap. I want to sing the praises of the Knicks’ latest All-Star. Julius Randle has earned every accolade he gets after making the big leap in his game.
We gave him hell for last season and we should shower him with appreciation for how he bounced back. Marc Spears’ article at the Undefeated should be required reading for Knicks fans, it really shows the work ethic that makes Randle a potential keeper (and also how valuable Kenny Payne is). New York’s star is an All-Star now and my favorite part of last night was watching his reaction when his mom popped up on the big screen to congratulate him. Shout out to Julius Randle, Kenny Payne and every Knicks fan that’s read this far! Respect fam!
