Julius Randle turned his homecoming into a monster night and propelled the New York Knicks to victory over the Dallas Mavericks, 117 to 109.
New York seemed to focus on containing Dallas’ best players, allowing some role players to put up numbers but kept guys like Luka Doncic and Jalen Brunson in check. Meanwhile, the Knicks’ own stars stepped up in big ways. Through three quarters, the game felt like anyone’s, but the fourth felt different. RJ Barrett went off where Alec Burks normally would and led New York to an early fourth-quarter lead that proved insurmountable…New York closed Dallas out comfortably.
Julius Randle was unstoppable throughout the night, putting a stamp on the fact that Kristaps Porzingis has never had a season this good. RJ Barrett proved to be a perfect compliment, while Derrick Rose sparked the bench in the starters’ absence. Other players made nice contributions in smaller roles and minutes. It was a fun ride to 5 straight victories and poetic justice that the victory came over familiar faces from the prior Knicks’ era. Let’s run back through another big win.
Knicks stars make all the difference in a big win
Elfrid Payton: Elfrid Payton had a decent game with one bad quarter mixed in. His playmaking numbers got a boost by the great three-point shooting around him. He also got after the boards, filling a spot that Alec Burks has recently occupied as the king of guard rebounds for New York. Payton’s finishing inside took a hit against Dallas’ size, but he didn’t force too many shots.
Payton put up 6 points, 6 assists, 7 rebounds, and 2 turnovers in 23 minutes. He shot 3/8 from the field without a three or free-throw attempt. He had one of those third quarters where you’re watching the sidelines and waiting for Derrick Rose to get to the scorer’s table. The Knicks fell into an offensive lull, and Payton only stood out for getting blocked by KP. But the rest of his night fell somewhere between decent and pretty good.
As far as impact goes, Payton’s felt quieter than his numbers might suggest. He didn’t do much that stood out in terms of individual plays. The point guard still accumulated numbers effectively and methodically. He didn’t stand out in a negative way either, besides a couple of forced drives in the third quarter. Payton was a solid contributor who didn’t go above and didn’t fall below the needs of his role. He grabs a 2.5 out of 5 for my impact scoring.
Reggie Bullock: Reggie Bullock was aggressive again. The 3 and D wing put up the third most shots of the starters and fourth-most attempts on the entire roster. His offensive output was secondary to the job he did on Luka Doncic, though. Granted, the entire Knicks roster deserves props for holding Doncic to 7/16 and 22 points which are well below his season average, but Bully was the main defender on Luka. The two got into an extended back and forth and almost drew a flagrant foul on Dallas’ star player. The sequence got Doncic an early third quarter hook and showed Reggie was in the MVP candidate’s head.
It wasn’t all defense for Bullock. He played 41 minutes and managed 11 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist 1 steal, and. 2 turnovers. Bully shot 4/10 from the field, 2/6 from three, and 1/1 from the free-throw line. The wing drew an and-one on a midrange jumper that he knocked down and finished a lay-up on a cut inside. That gives him some production inside the arc on a night when his three-ball was a little off.
The numbers are forgettable given the big minutes, but Reggie Bullock’s impact is undeniable. His defensive play against Doncic left Dallas relying on other players to pick up the scoring load. That’s especially impressive when you consider the type of run Luka has been on in his recent hot streak. The Knicks cooked up a game plan that forced anyone else to make shots, and everyone else fell short. Reggie Bullock was the key to that plan; he gets a 3.5 out of 5.
RJ Barrett: RJ Barrett played decent basketball through three quarters. But it was his 13 point explosion in the fourth quarter that truly made his night. Barrett started that fourth-quarter by powering a lay-up through contact for an and-one. He proceeded to score 10 quick points while Randle and other starters rested. That outburst got New York off to a comfortable lead that they wouldn’t look back from. Barrett took over that fourth-quarter stanza and set things up for the team to take home.
RJ played almost the entire game, 46 minutes. He put up 24 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, and 1 turnover. His efficiency was great, shooting 9/18 from the field, 3/6 from three, and 3/5 from the free-throw line. Barrett made the corner three look easy, becoming a fine outlet for Randle when there was traffic inside. RJ played the second option role to perfection, taking over when Randle sat but allowing the star to go off otherwise.
This was a great bounce-back game after two tough outings in a row. RJ didn’t press to get going early but cashed in his opportunities as they came. With Alec Burks out, his already high importance elevated to another level. The 20-year-old responded well. Burks has been the fourth-quarter go-to for a lot of performances, but Barrett’s been hinting at his own closing abilities. RJ really showed that off by taking a close game and pushing the lead to a more comfortable place. He grabs a 4 out of 5 for his night.
Julius Randle: The thirty-point games against former teams weren’t enough for Julius Randle. He showed up to his hometown, faced the star that he replaced in New York, and hung a 40 spot on ‘em. Randle practically dragged the Knicks through the game’s opening minutes by himself. He kept that scoring energy throughout the game, an unstoppable force whether he wanted to score inside or out or create for teammates.
Randle compiled 44 points, 7 assists, 10 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 block, and 3 turnovers over 41 minutes of action. He shot 16/29 from the field, 6/11 from three, and 6/9 from the line. The Knicks’ star couldn’t miss whether he shot from three, midrange, or right at the rack. He read the double-teams better than recent games, rising to score before it arrived instead of waiting to pass out of trouble. There was nothing he couldn’t do. It felt like he’d answer anything that Dallas threw the Knicks’ way.
Perfection is fleeting, but Julius Randle came damned close to it. He was shooting lights out but still managed to create open looks for his shooters. His offense came in rhythm and carried the Knicks through most of the night. Once he got ample help from RJ and Rose, the game was in hand. Randle would make a few more shots to seal the deal, closing the game exactly how he started it…by taking what he wanted. Randle gets a 5 out of 5 for impact.
Nerlens Noel: Nerlens Noel might be a bit of an unsung hero in this one. He didn’t put up the gaudy scoring or highlight points, but his blocks were something else. The big man faced off with the dynamic and absurdly long Kristaps Porzingis. He spent equal time chasing KP around and rotating to protect the rim, with highlight-reel denials on multiple would-be dunkers. Reggie Bullock played the most important role in perimeter defense; Noel did the same for the interior.
Noel put up 6 points, 10 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 blocks, and 1 turnover in 31 minutes. He was just 1/1 from the field and 4/4 from the free-throw line. It was nice to see Noel knock down all of his freebies. The big man’s offense is always secondary to his defense. Noel’s shot-blocking and rim protection were key while he also continued a nice rebounding trend. The Knicks slipped on the boards for a minute there, but Noel has brought them back to a positive place.
We’ve had enough recaps go into just how good Nerlens Noel’s defense has been all season. He signed a cheap deal and has proven to be a worthy starter in the absence of Mitchell Robinson. This Dallas game would work as a perfect example of who Noel has been. He’s not putting up a ton of points; he takes what’s there and not much else. But the big man owns the interior on defense and has begun to win the battles on the glass as well. He’s producing long boards for his teammates at a great rate, and it’s bumping his impact to another level. Noel grabs a 3 out of 5 on the night.
The second unit becomes the D-Rose show with brief appearances from others
Derrick Rose: I’m running out of new things to say about Derrick Rose. In Dallas, he showed up and brought his same brand of aggressive slashing and clever passing as usual. That’s an overwhelmingly positive statement, by the way. Rose went right at the Dallas bigs, including KP. He was undaunted by defenders and finished his opportunities while picking up some nice assists along the way.
Rose played 25 minutes and put up 15 points, 5 assists, 1 rebound, and 1 steal without any turnovers. Not only was he highly productive with his minutes, but he was efficient. The former MVP shot 7/13 from the field and 1/2 from three. He was the third high scorer, no one else on the bench notched more than 4 points.
We’re seeing Rose get his legs under him again. The former Bull came back from health protocols and still had his game but would fade after halftime. He’s starting to keep his threat throughout his time on the floor. With RJ and Randle going off in the fourth, Rose’s scoring wasn’t as important to close this one out, but it had already made a mark and impact. Rose gets a 3.5 out of 5 for constant production in the minutes he received.
Immanuel Quickley: Immanuel Quickley got some Obi Toppin treatment. He had an okay first half, going 1/3 by knocking down a catch and shoot three. He didn’t tally anything else and didn’t see the floor again. Tom Thibodeau opted to give Frank second-half minutes while IQ sat out.
Frank Ntilikina: Frank Ntilikina made an appearance early in the fourth quarter. He played just four minutes but put up 4 quick points. Ntilikina hit a three-pointer and then drove for a foul but only converted 1/2 free throws. It was a nice contribution in the little time that he had.
Taj Gibson: It was a quiet night for Taj Gibson, which is a rarity this season. He wasn’t bad but didn’t get many minutes or do a whole lot in them. He still scored his few touches and blocked a shot, but there’s not much to talk about because of the limited action.
Taj put up 4 points and 1 block in 16 minutes. He went 2/3 with his attempts. Thibodeau leaned on defense to protect a fourth-quarter lead. That meant more minutes for Nerlens Noel, who had it going on defense and has better length to match KP. I don’t think it was an indictment on anything Taj did, but there was a better option for this game given the circumstances.
Taj just barely scrapes together the minutes to even have an impact grade. This was a game where a few players stepped up and made big contributions while role players fell to the wayside. That meant less heroics from our ageless wonder of a backup big. Gibson wasn’t bad when he was out there; he just didn’t have a lot to do. Taj Gibson gets a 2 out of 5 for impact that never hurt but didn’t stand out either.
Obi Toppin: Obi Toppin only saw 7 minutes on the night. He did a good job on the boards, collecting 4 rebounds. That was it though. He had an otherwise nondescript night. Obi is looking like he could contribute with more minutes, but he’s playing behind one of the best players in the league right now. Julius Randle was too good to leave on the bench any longer than this.
Another gem of a gameplan from Tom Thibodeau
Tom Thibodeau: Credit Tom Thibodeau the low scoring of Luka Doncic and Jalen Brunson. Thibs made the rest of the Mavs try to win, and they came up short. KP put up points but wasn’t efficient, and Tim Hardaway had a nice game that wasn’t enough to overcome New York. The defense keyed on Luka Doncic and made him pass. Even after Doncic tallied 19 assists, the singular focus of keeping him contained as a scorer remained obvious. Luka wasn’t catching any breaks and almost lost his composure over it.
I’m not sure how to feel about the minute allotments. RJ barely sat but had gotten rest in the previous two games. Randle broke 40 minutes again, but that’s because he was breaking 40 points. IQ lost minutes to Frank, but then Frank scored a point per minute in his own right. I’d be critical of moves like that if they didn’t work out so clearly.
Thibs pulled the right levers and got a win that felt bigger than its 1 mark on the schedule. This was a game against former Knicks stars and playing for 5 in a row. This win was about maintaining momentum even when clear playoff talent shows up on a roll. Thibs made defensive roster choices and trusted his most reliable guys. I can’t be mad at any of his decisions here. This was one of the most satisfying wins of the entire season. Thibodeau gets a 4.5 out of 5 despite my favorite rookies getting their minutes cut…he was good enough to make up for it.
Closing Thoughts
I can barely contain my excitement at this point, Knicks fam. New York is on its best run of the season, facing quality opposition and dealing with a depleted roster. This streak has seen different players step up as needed. When Noel was out, Taj and Pelle showed out. While RJ struggled, we saw Payton and Bullock carry the load. This time Burks was out, and Barrett took the chance to step up while Frank made the most of his first key minutes in a while. The next-man-up mentality isn’t just talk…these players are showing and proving.
It feels like a foregone conclusion that the Knicks are a playoff team. The chase isn’t just about top 6 seeding anymore. They’re a half-game out of 4th place and would suddenly be looking at a first-round series that’s winnable. The Knicks were ahead of schedule when they broke the Vegas projections of worst team in the league; now I’m dreaming of a trip to the second round of the postseason. This season is practically magical.
The streak has a chance to continue as the Knicks rematch a New Orleans team that they outplayed just before Dallas. With the fading Hornets after that, the Knicks could grab destiny by the horns if they maintain their recent quality of play. Just a couple of weeks ago, we were stressing about a losing streak, but like they’ve done all season long…New York punched back harder than anything they’ve been hit with. It’s been a long time since I’ve been antsy and excited for the next game at this point in a season. I hope yall feel the energy as well. We’ll be here for the next one!
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