The New York Knicks rode a huge second half from Julius Randle to victory over the Detroit Pistons 108-100 in game three of the preseason.
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The Knicks were a step slow for the first two quarters of the game. They were out hustled on the boards and beaten inside repeatedly for easy scores. But even when Detroit was diving for loose balls and New York was missing bunnies, the Pistons were unable to build a comfortable lead.
Julius Randle and RJ Barrett set the tone on both ends of the floor as soon as the third quarter started. Evan Fournier and Alec Burks provided consistent support until the leaders took over. Then there was Taj Gibson, a 20-point scorer and key figure in the win. Let’s get into the performances from this sometimes frustrating, but always fun to watch win.
Julius Randle takes over for the Knicks starters
Derrick Rose: The Knicks rested Kemba Walker, which left the starting unit in Derrick Rose’s capable hands. Rose was extremely efficient both as a scorer and a playmaker, picking his spots and almost always coming away with positive results. On the downside, he struggled a bit defensively although he still showed good hands in the passing lanes. The former MVP was just as comfortable starting as he has looked leading the second unit.
Rose played 31-minutes, notching 14 points, 5 assists, 2 rebounds, 2 steals, and 1 turnover. He shot 6/9 from the field and 2/3 from three. His long range makes were fairly contested looks, but he was locked in. Rose always threw some beautiful passes. His chemistry with Taj set led to some pretty passes inside that the entire starting line-up fed off. I feel like Rose’s jump shot feels even more reliable so far and that could take his game to an even higher level than last season! It was another nice performance from the newly engaged veteran…congrats D-Rose!
Evan Fournier: Being able to pick your spots without shooting into a rhythm is a difficult skill to develop, let alone master. Evan Fournier shows a real knack for turning limited touches into productive moments. Some of his playmaking didn’t register on the scoresheet, but his ability to drive and kick led to multiple good results. He’ll be the hockey assist king on this squad.
Fournier picked up 5 points, 2 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 block, and 1 turnover in 26-minutes. He shot 2/6 from the floor and 1/3 from three. His numbers don’t do justice to a nice performance on both ends of the floor. Frank Jackson is one of those players who always seems to torture the Knicks, but Fournier gave him fits throughout the game. The new Knick didn’t shoot well but flashed an ability to get his shot off virtually at will. His touches always seem to lead to good things.
RJ Barrett: I could imagine fans coming away discouraged from RJ Barrett’s poor shooting night, but I saw a lot of promise. Barrett struggled to finish inside and didn’t had to rush some three’s which led to narrow misses. He also picked up multiple turnovers from telegraphing his passes. But he also led the team in assists, played a big role on the boards, and continued a fantastic preseason defensively. He’s still learning, but you can see him stacking the lessons and becoming a more well-rounded player as a result.
Barrett spent 34 minutes adding 12 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 block, and 3 turnovers. He shot 3/11 from the field, 1/5 from three, and 5/7 from the free-throw line. The former top pick is getting wherever he wants on the floor this preseason. That doesn’t always mean he gets the desired result though. He’s still not finishing inside as consistently as I’d like and the playmaking is a work in progress unless he’s feeding Taj Gibson. But he’s a more willing passer, a tougher match off-the-dribble, and a physical defender that had Josh Jackson frustrated by the second-half. Barrett’s worst game of the preseason was still a good performance.
Julius Randle: After a lackluster first half, Julius Randle started the third by defending Jerami Grant into an airball. Randle locked in on that first possession in a manner that said, “we’re not losing this game.” He did not disappoint. Randle hit midrange jumpers then followed with a barrage of threes. When the defense started to stack against him, he kicked it out and got RJ Barrett going. When the defense let up again, he scored inside. And when the defense left him no options, he just shot over his defenders and scored anyway.
Randle put together an all-star performance of 29 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal, and 2 turnover in 33-minutes. He shot 11/19 from the floor, 4/7 from three, and 3/4 from the line. He might have been energized by a match-up with the man he beat out for MIP last season. Randle’s second-half defense was almost as fun to watch as his defense. His most notable moment there came with a big lead and just three-minutes left. Randle matched with Jerami Grant, forced Grant to fumble the rock, and then demanded the call be challenged when possession was ruled for the Pistons. The leader’s effort reflected his coach.
Taj Gibson: We’ve been building to this performance from Taj Gibson all preseason. He’s flashed a nice scoring touch since game one. Against Detroit, Gibson matched against an inexperienced sophomore and shared the floor with the two guards he has the most chemistry with on the roster. The 20-bomb he dropped seemed like destiny with the way everything lined up. He hit jumpers from close, midrange, and added a three-pointer late. Taj knew where to be, and his guards knew where to find him. He was unstoppable at times.
Gibson played 31-minutes and picked up 21 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks and 1 steal. He shot 9/14 from the field, 1/2 from three, and 2/2 from the free throw line. He was at the right place at all times and his teammates rewarded him every time. His high-IQ play worked on the opposite end as well, where Gibson was always in position to be involved. His rim protection isn’t what it used to be, but with a bit more range on his jumper it might not have to be. Gibson’s preseason makes a case for rotation worthiness, and he credits the bodega breakfast of champions…bacon, egg, and cheese.
Youth isn’t quite ready for the keys as New York’s second unit struggles
Immanuel Quickley: With Kemba Walker out and Derrick Rose starting, Immanuel Quickley got a shot to play lead guard. He unfortunately came up cold as a scorer, missing all of his attempts despite getting into the lane for attempts that should have been fairly easy. He also got robbed of a few assists by teammates missing some bunnies of their own. So the sophomore’s numbers aren’t great and he may have lost an edge in focusing on creation…but there was also promise mixed into his night.
Quickley got just 16 minutes, shooting 0/5 from the field, 0/1 from three, and notching 1 technical free throw for his only point. He put up 1 point, 4 assists, and 3 rebounds in the limited minutes. There were still some really nice reads and passes along the way though. IQ scored some ooh’s and ahh’s or a stop, turn, and pop early on that left his man on skates but also rimmed out. His ball-handling has improved, his shot selection is more diverse, and his offensive awareness as a passer is levels ahead of last year…but Quickley may still need to refine his game before he’s ready to lead a bench unit.
Alec Burks: We finally got a healthy dose of Alec Burks offense. He has played a secondary role for most of the preseason but with Rose starting, the touches finally came. Burks provided a nice offensive punch to an otherwise struggling bench. He also picked up a foolish flagrant foul for intentionally tripping a player, but he sort of made up for it with a quick three-pointer after. More important than anything, after a fairly quiet couple of games Burks showed he can still put up points.
In 22 minutes, Burks dropped 12 points, 2 assists, 1 rebound, 2 steals, and 1 turnover. He shot 5/11 from the field and 2/6 from three. Although he added some assists, he seemed to focus more on his own offense which is fine after limited looks in the first two. The keys were that he showed all the pieces that made him a potent weapon last season. Burks got off three’s with quick release, could work into the lane on dribble-moves, and kept the pressure on defenders at all times. It wasn’t anything new, but he brought everything from last year that earned him a new contract.
Obi Toppin: Even though it felt like Obi Toppin didn’t do as much as he has in past performances, he still popped off the screen. That’s mainly because of his constant ability to release and beat all other bigs down the court. The clip below starts with Obi at the opposing free-throw line and within a few seconds he’s sprinted the length of the court to finish an alley-oop. His combination of size, intelligence, effort, and athleticism all but guarantee production even when his defense slips.
Toppin put up 6 points, 4 boards, 1 assist, and 1 turnover in 15 minutes of action. He shot 3/7 from the field and 0/1 from three. The big man was at his best in transition and at his worst on defense. The Pistons attacked New York inside and a combination of Toppin and Jericho Sims stood out for failing to protect the rim. Obi did grab some solid boards and flash a bit of ball-handling by taking the rock up the court on his own at one point. It’s nice to see him weaving through defenders and flashing some elusive moves off the bounce. But his minutes will be determined by defense and he struggled there.
Kevin Knox: After two promising performances, Kevin Knox had another strong first half and seemed poised for a good performance. But in familiar fashion, Knox struggled in the second-half and caught an early hook. He hit a couple of threes, forced a turnover, and grabbed a tough rebound in the first-half. But his night was spotlighted by a sequence in which he forced a bad three-point attempt and then gave up a three-pointer ball watching on the opposite end. His defensive play was good enough in the first-half, but the second-half lapses are why he’s on the outside of the rotation looking in.
Knox finished with 6 points, 1 rebound, and 1 assist while shooting 2/5 from the field on all three-pointers. The rebound came on a strong effort and he threw an outlet that sparked a fast break alley-oop. His assist was followed by nice defensive work to draw an offensive foul. When he’s producing, he locks in on both ends. The problem is it vanishes if he starts to struggle.
Aamir Simms: With Jericho Sims benched for struggles, Aamir Simms got an opportunity to play rotation minutes. Simms rose to the occasion. Simms looked like a Tom Thibodeau player. His performance was defined first and foremost by his defense. On offense, he always seemed focused on making the right play. That meant some nice screening and smart passes, although he could stand to look for his shot more. He put together a modest 2 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists in 11 minutes. He had a strong night albeit in limited time.
Jericho Sims: Jericho Sims looked like a rookie with defensive missteps landing him on the bench after just 6 minutes. The rookie grabbed three rebounds and caught one pass that none of the other bigs on this roster could catch. That is far too little to make up for being out of position and looking overwhelmed defensively so often. Sims is a really promising player, but he’s got a lot to learn.
McBride and Grimes: The rookie guards came into the game with less than a minute to go and never had a chance to show anything.
Every minute matters for a coach like Thibodeau
Tom Thibodeau: New York looked lackluster in the first half, underestimating their opponents after a few easy buckets early. Detroit quickly got back into the game and was leading by half-time. Thibodeau was not having that! He was fierce as ever, yelling and using timeouts to try spark his team. His message clearly took hold by the start of the third quarter. Julius Randle and RJ Barrett sparked a big third quarter and the Knicks would bend but not break for the rest of the game. Thibs punished some poor defensive efforts which meant starters played like this was a crucial game in-season…but that determination to win every minute of every game is a staple of Thibodeau at this point.
The reigning coach of the year has built a strong culture in a short amount of time, and accountability plays a key role. Thibs lets players work through mistakes, but if they don’t adjust then he will give the next man a similar shot. That meant Aamir Simms taking minutes from Jericho and the starters back on the floor with five minutes left in a preseason game. That Simms stepped up is a testament to how this approach can be productive. Thibodeau was in midseason form by his own standards and playoff form by the standards of a typical coach.
Closing Thoughts: After two strolls through the park in the first couple of preseason games, we sort of got adversity for a change. The Knicks missed some easy looks and struggled to protect the paint which meant their first taste of deficits. The beauty of the challenges comes in how New York responded. Julius Randle looked every bit the leader that he has become and who the league still seems to underestimate. RJ Barrett and Derrick Rose got timely buckets while Taj Gibson brought his offense up a notch. It was the usual suspects doing what they did all of last season…playing like a playoff-caliber team when the pressure turned up.
There is one more preseason game ahead and I’m hoping that will spell bigger auditions for Deuce McBride and Quentin Grimes. The kids haven’t looked bad in their limited time, but it hasn’t been enough to look good either. We just witnessed Aamir Simms stepping up for Jericho Sims who stepped up when other bigs were hurt…I want to see the rest of New York’s depth. But even if they don’t play much, it’s impossible to get down. New York is guaranteed a winning preseason and the players we appreciated last year seem poised to do even more this year. We’ve got one more game before the ones that really count begin and I’m ready for all of it! We’ll talk after Friday’s final auditions Knicks fam! I’ll see you there!
Stay tuned to KnicksFanTV.com for the latest Knicks news, rumors and recaps throughout the 2021-22 season! In case you missed it, catch last week’s preseason recap and fan mailbag show below!
