The Knicks lost another heartbreaker to Brooklyn 114-112. New York fought all game long but fell just short as Kyrie Irving exploded for 40.
The Knicks let another double-digit lead slip. A 13 point lead in the third quarter dwindled until they trailed by 1 to start the fourth. The offense rolled early, but players became careless with the ball. Hot hands in the first half cooled for New York, while Kyrie Irving remained unstoppable from the opening tip-off to the final minutes of regulation.
The starting unit got big contributions from stars and a role player with a hot hand. The second unit got a big first-half boost from Derrick Rose, but the rest of the bench was limited in support. With Durant out, Harden leaving early, and the Knicks up late, this felt like another game that New York let slip away. It was another chance to overcome a tough opponent that came up short in the closing moments. Let’s look at how New York let this one slip away and see what it means moving forward.
Knicks’ starters almost fight for real, but lack scoring punch when it counts
Elfrid Payton: Elfrid Payton had a rough night, although he did manage to make a pair of important baskets late. The offense felt like too little, too late, as he had barely produced up to that point. He also provided zero answers for Kyrie Irving, but it’s hard to blame Payton for the type of night Irving had. It’s not a good sign that Irving’s 40-bomb feels more forgivable than his lack of playmaking or single-digit scoring on double-digit attempts.
Payton put up 8 points, 1 assist, 1 rebound, and 1 steal in 22 minutes. He shot 4/10 from the field and 0/1 from three. His 4/9 inside the arc is worse than it looks once you factor in that he never got to the free-throw line. He knocked down a baseline jumper at least, but that doesn’t salvage the rough night. It’s too late in the season for the Knicks to be more reliable on offense when the ball is out of their point guard’s hands.
Payton had a terrible night. His saving grace is that he found the rim in big clutch moments. The Knicks haven’t been able to find a consistent scorer late, and he provided 4 points during a late comeback attempt. Payton had to leave the floor for three-point shooting because of the Knicks’ deficit in the final minute, but he was closing strong. As I said above, that contribution came too little, too late. Payton gets a 1.5 out of 5 for his lackluster impact.
Reggie Bullock: Mike Breen could hardly contain his joy when Reggie Bullock knocked down his first three-point attempt of the second half. It marked Reggie’s fifth three-pointer of the game, continuing a trend of lights out shooting for the wing. Bullock put together his second 20-point game in a row through three-pointers and free throws. He’s not reinventing his game, but teammates are finding Bullock along the perimeter more often. Julius Randle knows who his 3 and D target is, and Reggie is always ready on the trigger.
Bullock dropped 21 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists on 6/11 from the field, 5/10 from three, and 4/4 from the free-throw line. He put together the hyper-efficient night in just 31 minutes of play. Here’s a comparison to think about, Payton scored 8 points on 10 shot attempts while Bullock dropped 21 points in 11 attempts. That’s the difference three-point shooting and a couple of trips to the line can make.
If there’s a complaint to be had, it’s that even Bullock needed help to slow down Kyrie Irving. The only time New York slowed down the Nets’ star was when they doubled aggressively. But when Irving scored on everybody, it’s not much of a complaint to pin on any single player. Everything else looked good; Bullock was once again the Knicks’ second-leading scorer. He’s a one-man floor spacer. When Reggie’s this hot, it forces defenses into a “pick your poison” while Randle handles the ball at the top of the key. Reggie gets a 4 out of 5 on impact.
RJ Barrett: If there’s one thing I’d change about this game, it would be to put the ball in RJ Barrett’s hands more. Barrett was locked in from “go.” He was a force inside as usual but also caught fire with his jumper and shot perfectly from the free-throw line. Everything about Barrett as a scorer worked. If there was a flaw to his game, it was that RJ was too unselfish at times because positive things happened whenever he shot the ball.
Barrett played for 33 minutes, putting up 22 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 turnovers. He shot 7/13 from the field, 4/6 from three, and 4/4 from the line. RJ picked up several turnovers looking to pass out of traffic. At times he seemed to anticipate the double but press too far, trying to draw defenders in. His attempts to release the ball were deflected and turned over. It may be the reason that Thibodeau went away from the sophomore despite some crucial buckets late.
Barrett was extremely efficient scoring but reckless with the rock. He managed to have a 0 assist, 5 turnover game without looking selfish. His playmaking is a work in progress, which we’ve generally seen growth in. This game just looks like another chance to learn in my eyes. A more important development is RJ’s first game shooting over 40% from three in the last 9. He’s been scoring well since the break but doing so without extended range. Improving on the catch-and-shoot could make RJ a true second option for New York. Barrett gets a 3 out of 5, losing points for the turnovers.
Julius Randle: Every time Julius Randle grabbed a defensive rebound, he pushed the pace and found success. Whether he was throwing a quick outlet pass, dribbling up the floor to make a kick out, or taking it all the way himself, Randle was unstoppable in transition. That’s even scarier when you consider the Knicks’ star grabbed 15 boards. His passing and scoring combination led to another triple-double, but it was a more tumultuous night than you might suspect by the numbers.
Randle rocked for 39 minutes, putting up a robust 19 points, 15 rebounds, 12 assists, 1 block, 1 steal, and 5 turnovers. He shot 7/19 from the field, 0/4 from three, and 5/6 from the line. The minutes combined with Brooklyn’s physical defense may have worn Randle down a bit both physically and mentally. The big man’s concentration lapsed when Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot tried to pick a fight with him in the third. Stars can’t afford to beef with minor role players. Halftime adjustments may have already disrupted Randle’s flow. His best quarter was the second. But the scrap stood out as a moment where Randle got frustrated, and he never quite got back to the dominant force that he had been before. He got the chance to tie the game but missed a last-second shot. Randle’s still learning how to close games.
I can’t blame Randle too much for refusing to be pushed around. No one should have to accept being shoved, pulled, and grabbed. A more worrisome situation is with Randle’s jumper. He’s been much more streaky from three, and his midrange also looks more labored. On the bright side, Randle actually sought out some defensive match-ups with Nets star Kyrie Irving. It’s a weird switch, and Irving did some spectacular work to convert, but I appreciated Randle stepping up to the plate. Randle gets a 3.5 out of 5 for the triple-double.
Nerlens Noel: If you blinked, you’d miss Nerlens Noel’s first stint out there. The big man got into instant foul trouble but kept that under control the rest of the way. Noel had still managed some nice defensive sequences, including a block that turned into fast-break points for New York. But I think more of the bad stuck out in this performance. I may be magnifying the negative because of two missed free throws from Noel during the closing minutes of the game. The misses hurt at the time and even worse when we look at the final score in retrospect.
Noel played 22 minutes and managed 6 points, 5 rebounds, 2 blocks, and 1 turnover. He shot 3/4 from the field and 0/2 from the free-throw line. That’s not a bad look on the scoreboard, especially in short minutes. But there was a stint in the third quarter where the Knicks tried to force-feed passes to Noel. That led to back-to-back turnovers and paired with some forced attempts from Payton to give away the Knicks’ momentum. It’s not entirely on Noel that his teammates were squeezing passes in, but his bad hands raise the degree of difficulty on even basic bounce passes.
Maybe I’m being harsh, but this didn’t feel like Noel’s game. He tended to miss some boxouts, and the Nets really got to work on the offensive glass in the second half. The Knicks’ defense would look a lot stronger had they closed out those possessions. Add in that Noel was more distraction than help as an interior scorer and that he helped the Nets get into the bonus 3 minutes into the game…it certainly wasn’t a good night, even if I’m in my feels about how bad it was. Noel gets a 1.5 out of 5 for my impact grade.
New York’s second unit fails to capitalize on a depleted opponent
Derrick Rose: Derrick Rose had a brilliant first half but couldn’t get much going as the lead slipped away in the second half. Rose was incredible early, knocking down two three-pointers and finishing a three-point play all in the first half. While he hit those jumpers early, it was Rose’s slashing that reaped the best benefits. He was a force inside, finishing with floaters and lay-ups throughout the early going. But those same shots bricked in the second half, and his production tanked as a result.
With 25 minutes to work, Rose finished at 16 points, 3 assists, 1 rebound, and 1 steal. He shot 6/14 from the field, 2/4 from three, and 2/3 from the free-throw line. His most impressive stat is the zero next to his turnovers. While Randle and Barrett got into trouble in traffic, Rose had the wherewithal to avoid trouble or at least take shots before it was too late. He got off a lot of the same looks in both halves; his success rate just dipped.
The hot and cold performance left Rose with a decent game overall, but a second-half letdown. As the Knicks search for closers, many fans have been anxious to see Derrick Rose’s return. The reality for this game is that Elfrid Payton got the ball and finished late while Rose was benched for being ineffective. I don’t think this is a situation to sweat over. The former Bull is just back from an ankle injury after his long break prior due to illness. This is just the start of his return to form. Rose gets a 2.5 out of 5 on the night.
Immanuel Quickley: With his third weak performance in 4 games, Immanuel Quickley might have finally hit the dreaded rookie wall. Quickley scattered his touches and attempts in short minutes. His game lacked any bite in this one. It’s telling that he attempted no three-pointers and his only free throw came from a technical foul against the Nets. He played just 13 minutes and went 1/4 from the field while adding 3 points, 1 assist, 1 steal, and 1 block.
The 13 minutes means I won’t give IQ an impact score. But the notables here are mostly bad. Even one of his 4 attempts came as a shot clock beater. He was relegated to off-ball on offense and a target for the Nets on defense. Brooklyn went right at him and scored or drew fouls far too often. The rookie did get a steal and block, but his defense was barely passable. I’m still concerned about balancing touches with Rose, IQ, and Burks trying to find offense at once. IQ is a gunslinger. For him to see such low volume is worrisome.
Alec Burks: Alec Burks’ offensive game took a step back again, but he made a game-tying three-pointer late and found other ways to chip in throughout the night. Just like IQ, Burks took a backseat early because Rose was rolling. In the second half, when the second unit cooled off, Burks got some more run on the ball. The problem is that he didn’t look like he was in rhythm. Instead, the bench scorer provided a contribution through rebounding, which was surprisingly important as the Knicks got outworked by Joe Harris and Alize Johnson.
Burks played 20 minutes and put up 6 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 assists on 2/5 shooting and 2/2 from three. He wasn’t bad, but he didn’t live up to his typical role as a scorer. The fourth quarter felt like his first chance to get anything going with consistent touches. That’s too late to press the action. He missed shots early and saw the bench until the team was down 3 with under a minute left. The wild part is that Burks came in and immediately tied the game. Even on a cold night, he managed to be one of the few clutch contributors.
It was a quiet night for Burks, who sought to contribute with boards and some passing while other players scored. He’s playing solid defense and doing enough in other places that his lack of scoring didn’t ruin his output, but it did put a lid on his performance. The Knicks have had to shuffle pieces and rotations due to a slew of injuries. We’ve seen Alec Burks, the key scorer; become Alec Burks, the third or fourth option. He’s taking it all in stride and playing decent ball, but he’ll need more touches to show us the 20-point man that we just recently witnessed. Burks gets a 2 out of 5 on this one.
Taj Gibson: Taj Gibson gave the Knicks good minutes after quick foul trouble removed Nerlens Noel from the action. Gibson had the tall task of battling LaMarcus Aldridge’s skill and finesse, then switching entirely to Nic Claxton’s hyperactive athleticism. Regardless of the opposing big, Taj was up to the task and played quality defense. The veteran big man contributed on the boards and with a few finishes inside.
Gibson finished 25 minutes with 6 points, 6 boards, 1 assist, 3 steals, and 1 turnover. He went 2/3 from the field and 2/2 from the line. It was another solid outing, with Mike Breen highlighting that Taj sets the best screens on the team. The big man doesn’t light up the scoresheet, but he adds a little bit of everything, including the contributions that don’t get marked by a scorekeeper.
It may be recency bias, but I feel like Taj has outperformed Noel in a handful of recent games. There’s a gap in offensive ability that allows Gibson to close the gap where Noel’s shot-blocking lent him an edge. Even in this game, the former Bull caught a tough pass and finished in traffic by taking an extra dribble. It might seem like simple stuff, but after Noel’s third quarter, that type of finishing looks golden. Taj gets a 2.5 out of 5 for his solid night.
Obi Toppin: He didn’t play many minutes, but Obi Toppin hit a fourth-quarter three and showcased his touch and athleticism on an earlier finish. The big man is getting in on the action in more diverse ways than just spot-ups. He had post possession and got to rim run after setting a screen. Obi’s shooting the three-ball when it’s there but has also shown some willpower to drive past his closeouts. He’s figuring out that while big men have strength advantages, Obi can beat many of his defenders in a straight-line run.
Don’t let me blow this out of proportion. Toppin played just 9 minutes but put up 5 points and an assist in the time. That’s good production in short minutes. If he could start grabbing boards and grab some standout moments on defense, he ought to be able to spell Randle a bit longer. I think Randle’s legs could use the help.
Losing close games is a pattern Tom Thibodeau has to change
Tom Thibodeau: I have to remind myself that the Knicks are overachieving sometimes. New York played a 35-16 opponent with a ridiculous home record. Despite it being less obvious, the refs did another poor job in this game. How do you let a bum like Luwawu escalate with a star without repercussions? Even with Harden leaving early, the deck was stacked against the Knicks the moment Kyrie showed a hot hand. The fact that New York fought to a 2-point loss despite Irving’s 40-point outburst ought to be another sign that they can compete.
But moral victories turn bittersweet when they’re the only wins we get. The Knicks are on a slide, and they have a tough schedule ahead. That magnifies decisions like Thibodeau allowing Kyrie to get an isolation opportunity late in the fourth…after Thibs had the star doubled on every other possession. Did Irving pull off some ball-handling wizardry to score? Yes. But he was Gandalf’ing all damned night, so it wasn’t a shock.
I’m also not sure that the Knicks’ fourth-quarter failures can fall solely on the players. I find myself frustrated with Thibs’ late rotations. His compulsion to get Payton out there actually worked out briefly in this one, but then Burks reminded us that three-point shooters thrive when Randle draws a crowd. RJ’s hot hand that got New York back in it late was left unfed through the game’s final possessions. When every game matters, these close losses mean that every decision matters and Thibs needs to be better late just like his players do. Thibs gets a 2 out of 5 on the night.
Closing Thoughts
With one slide and a tough upcoming schedule, our discussion is getting a quick reality check. New York has some cushion between themselves and the last spot for a play-in game. It’s always nice to have control over your own destiny, but it seems like that grip is getting looser. The Knicks are chasing consistency, the mark of a young team. They prove that they can compete with anyone for three quarters, but the better teams are finding ways to win. These are the types of tests that a young squad has to overcome to make a leap.
We’re close…I know it doesn’t feel that way after the Knicks lose 4 games in 5, but those final scores aren’t illusions. The Knicks have been one-possession away in each of 4 games against the Sixers and Nets. Those teams are the cream of the crop, the true contenders of the Eastern Conference. New York plays up to the competition just like they played down to Timberwolves not long ago. These are young team problems, signs that a bit more growth could go a long way.
The Celtics are next, and they’re a half-game ahead of New York on the standings. Memphis, Toronto, and LA after that all look like tough games, but they’re also winnable. New York looks miles ahead of the struggles they were showing against zone defenses just a week ago. It looks like pieces are coming together again, and I’m hoping we get to watch a nice run…a reassuring one. We’ll see if that starts with Boston on Wednesday. I’ll see you there fam!
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