The New York Knicks got back on track with a dominant victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder 119 to 97.
The Knicks shook off a slow start, going down by double-digits early in the second quarter before taking back momentum and the lead. Their momentum seemed to snowball in the second half, with Immanuel Quickley joining the starters and playing virtually the rest of the way. The offense was fun to watch, propelled by New York’s best scorers. Defensively, it was as if the Knicks gained intensity as their momentum built. It all merged for a blow-out victory over OKC.
The usual suspects led the way. Julius Randle locked in his second triple-double of the season, RJ Barrett scored a new career-high, and the bench got a boost from Immanuel Quickley and Alec Burks. The big men provided interior defense all game long. This game left a lot to smile about. It was a great way to bounce back from a bad loss to Milwaukee. Let’s have a closer look at the action.
Knicks starters show out with one exception
Frank Ntilikina: Frank Ntilikina got the start but lacked aggression. His only meaningful moments early were a couple of fouls that sent him to the bench, where he remained until garbage time. It looked like Thibs trying to get some aggression out of Frank while also riding hot hands at guard. Either way, this is another nail in the “Frank’s a point guard” coffin as he continues to look better on the wings than he does as a lead ball handler.
Reggie Bullock: The Knicks got an offensive boost from Reggie Bullock’s three-point shooting. True to his role, Bullock’s shooting and defense were the highlights of his game. Bullock’s on-ball defense fed ball handlers to help defenders in the lanes for blocks and steals. Ironically, this wasn’t much different from a typical performance. The wing took and made a couple more threes than usual, but otherwise, it was the usual.
Reggie spent 37 minutes on the floor and put up 14 points, 2 rebounds, and 1 assist on 5/12 from the field and 4/11 from three. His only shot inside the arc was a lay-up in transition. If you want to gauge Julius Randle’s gravity, just watch Reggie Bullock’s three-point attempts. He’s a constant catch-and-shoot threat and favorite target of Julius. The points and shooting are nice, but 37 minutes for 2 rebounds and 1 assist is a disappointing total.
Bullock’s numbers aren’t great for the amount of time he played, but his defensive play is missing from that equation. He got his minutes by playing some spirited defense and not being afraid to shoot when open. He missed a few open looks but made just enough of the three-pointers to stay a constant threat. Generally speaking, I like my Bullock games capped at 20 minutes of play, but he held strong and played solid ball. Reggie Bullock gets a 2.5 out of 5 for his impact score.
RJ Barrett: I could choose from a small army of clips to highlight just how good RJ Barrett was in the first thirty-point performance of his career. His jumper was on point again, but it was his scoring in the lane that truly stood out. RJ was overpowering inside, finishing through contact for multiple and-ones. He used his euro-step effectively and also showed some nice kick-outs, my favorite of which found Immanuel Quickley for three in a fantastic third quarter stint.
36 minutes produced 32 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals, and 1 turnover for Barrett. He shot 12/21 from the field, 3/6 from three, and 5/7 from the free-throw line. His inconsistency as a shooter has all but vanished. The Maple Mamba especially showed up in the second half as the Thunder struggled to contain IQ, Randle, and Barrett all at once. It was a promising look at how the trio of key players can work together. They looked great!
Barrett finally cracked the 30-point mark and did so on absurd efficiency. His early-season slumps from three feel like a complete afterthought, and his mid-range jumper feels automatic at this point. It feels like the sophomore made a leap early in the season and might be poised to make another right now. This 20-year-old is already beginning to look like a true second option; he grabs a 4.5 out of 5 on impact.
Julius Randle: The first three baskets for the Knicks were a lay-up from the post by Randle, a three-pointer, and a midrange fade over two defenders. The Knicks’ all-star showed OKC that he could score from all three levels then proceeded to score at will until defenders had help. He might have still been able to score, but Randle was busy using his gravity to feed players all over the floor. The big man made it look easy, drawing defenders before feeding his shooters. Whether he was shooting, passing, or screening, it seemed like everything Julius Randle did generated points.
Randle spent 39 minutes dropping 26 points, 12 assists, 12 rebounds, 2 steals, and 3 turnovers. He shot 8/15 from the field, 3/6 from three, and 7/10 from the free-throw line. I can’t stress enough that Randle made this look easy. Whether he was finishing against a double team or drawing four players before passing to a cutter, this was a picture-perfect performance. We also got a healthy dose of Randle grabbing boards, taking the ball up the length of the court, and then finding shooters in transition. Transition Randle was my least favorite player last season, but he’s my favorite one to watch this year.
It’s hard to find fault with Randle’s performance. He shot above 50% from the field and from three, nabbed a triple-double on assists and rebounds, and he played solid defense all night as well. He had no qualms about feeding the many hot shooters throughout the game but still managed to drop 26 points. This was about as close to perfection as I could ask for. Randle’s impact score is the rare 5 out of 5.
Nerlens Noel: It was a somewhat quiet night for Nerlens Noel, but his presence was felt on interior defense. The big men in this game took a backseat offensively because there were hot hands all over the perimeter. That left Noel to focus on his best attributes, dirty work in the paint, and defense all over. The shot blocker played his role, and that was all New York really needed.
In 24 minutes, Noel managed 2 points, 8 rebounds, 1 block, and 2 turnovers. He shot 1/4 from the field. This wasn’t a pretty game for the big man, but it didn’t have to be. He’s not out there for his finesse or his scoring. That said, this is the third game out of four in March where Noel scores less than 5 points. He rarely takes many shots, but it could become concerning if he stops being a lob threat at the minimum.
The great defense pairs with the forgettable offense to leave Noel with a “that was alright” kind of night. He wasn’t as bad as the numbers suggest, but he rarely stood out for anything other than his signature rim challenges. There are a couple of offensive rebounds that he tipped free, but that’s it. Noel gets a 2 out of 5 on the night.
Knicks second unit stars to scoring guards
Immanuel Quickley: This marks the return of the floater for Immanuel Quickley. We haven’t seen the rookie go off with his floater for quite some time, but he hit his signature shot repeatedly against the Thunder. He added multiple three-pointers to his offensive load over the course of the game. But most promising as all were the assists when IQ led the starters into the third quarter. There’s a worthwhile debate about whether or not Quickley is built to be a point guard. The second unit lacks scorers, which may shape the rookie’s approach. When he rocked with the starters, IQ found Bullock, Barrett, and Randle for buckets. That’s a nice sign, but we need to see more of it to get excited about the kid’s point guard prospects.
Quickley played 33 minutes and picked up 21 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds, 2 steals, and 1 turnover. He shot 9/16 from the field and 3/8 from three. I’m pleased to report that the assists were predominantly kick-outs. That sets IQ apart from Payton on their forays inside. The lack of free-throw attempts is probably also why Quickley hit so many floaters. He was able to get more space than teams have allowed recently. It shows that all IQ needs is a step to get his favorite shot off inside the arc.
We got another 20 point game and another night of highly efficient scoring for Quickley. This one has the added element of some nice playmaking. What’s especially promising is that IQ did his damage with both the bench and the starters. He didn’t have any chemistry issues fitting in with RJ Barrett or Julius Randle. As a matter of fact, those three players seemed to feed off each other. Quickley gets a 3.5 out of 5 on impact in a performance that leaves me hopeful for his chances as a starter by the end of this season.
Alec Burks: The toughest game for me to judge was Alec Burks’. His shot selection left something to be desired, but he was the only scoring punch for the bench beyond IQ. He played out of position in a point guard role for a while there. I think of Burks as a much better weapon receiving the ball on the wings after some action has already set the defenders into motion. He’s great at attacking a closeout and clever with space in general. When his man is squared up, the results are much more mixed.
Burks played 27 minutes for 15 points, 4 rebounds, 2 steals, and 1 turnover. He shot 6/18 from the field, 0/3 from three, and 3/3 from the free-throw line. While most players were efficient, Burks had some forced takes. His three-pointers were actually decent looks that just didn’t fall. On the other hand, it felt like the scorer’s made shots came at important times. His made shots felt impactful enough to make up for the many misses…though he definitely doesn’t want to make a habit of games like this.
Burks’ scoring threat is kicking into gear, but that comes with some trade-offs. He played lead guard for a spell but still managed no assists. He shot poorly overall in this one, but his constant attack led to a helpful contribution. Burks needs to be more efficient, which can come from better decisions on the ball or just more time off it. He grabs a 2 out of 5 for the performance.
Obi Toppin: The Knicks’ top pick in the draft got just 9 minutes. He went 2/3 in that span and added 4 points and 2 boards. My favorite play was actually his missed field goal, an attempt at a poster as he took off to challenge a big defender. He may not have finished that one, but I’m eager to see him get the ball with enough momentum to dunk and draw fouls.
Taj Gibson: Tom Thibodeau’s favorite veteran big man continues to hold down the fort as a back-up center. Taj Gibson’s night was much different from Noel’s. He didn’t get many opportunities to act on offense, but that allowed him to focus on defense and rebounding. He had a nice block at the rim and caused a few turnovers in the course of his night.
Gibson played 24 minutes, picking up 2 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, 1 block, and 1 turnover. He went 2/2 on free throws without any other attempts. You won’t catch Gibson forcing offense very often. He just set some solid screens and let the perimeter players go to work. It’s nice to see our big men continue to accumulate steals along with the blocks as well. All three Knick centers have active hands that can frustrate opposing ball handlers.
Taj split time evenly with Noel and had a similar night. He played quality defense but didn’t have much to point to on offense. That settles him into a role player’s impact. So Gibson nets a 2 out of 5 on his impact score, just like Noel. He’s a welcome presence on the floor while Mitch continues to heal.
Knox and Pinson: The clean-up crew got a couple of minutes at the end of regulation. It’s notable because Knox hit another three-pointer.
Thibodeau leads the way but challenges on the horizon
Tom Thibodeau: This game could have gotten away from the Knicks early. They didn’t really kick into gear until late in the first. Thibodeau got a bit bold and made some actual in-game adjustments to his rotation. I just asked for him to do more of that. Of course, it had to happen at the expense of my boy Frank Ntilikina…but it worked, and Frank really did struggle early. I can’t complain.
That Ntilikina benching brought about my favorite decision of the game. Thibs had IQ start the second half with RJ and Randle. I want to see that tandem together as much as possible. The trio didn’t just thrive, it produced a career night for Barrett. This was a vision of the future shining in our present. It was an exciting spark to the blowout victory.
I guess my one nitpick would be that Reggie Bullock’s 37 minutes are a lot. Even if Ntilikina didn’t spell him, Kevin Knox has flashed his range in garbage time. But that is 100% a nitpick. Thibs coached a good game and led his team to an important win. I’m giving the Knicks’ coach a 3.5 out of 5. Now we need Mitch back to run with IQ, RJ, and Randle so Thibs can really get the fanbase hype.
Closing Thoughts: The Knicks have one hell of a week ahead of them. They’ll face Brooklyn and Philadelphia back-to-back before meeting a solid Orlando Magic. This is with more players popping up on the injury report and the Eastern Conference race as tight as ever. The depleted roster and tough opposition could easily spell a slump, but it also spells opportunity.
We got to see Immanuel Quickley really rise to the occasion with his second-half start. He’s not the only player to step up when asked. Nerlens Noel has done a great job as a starter, and Taj Gibson arrived just in time to make a difference off the bench. This team has thrived against challenges, and they have another opportunity to show resilience.
While we wait for more fun at the Garden, the season keeps moving along with the Knicks cemented as a quality team. A trade could materialize to add more depth, but I’ve had fun watching players take turns stepping up from within the roster. I think this is another testament to New York’s dedication to development and coaching. The tough second half continues with our city rivals…from Jersey, no matter what they say.
Stay tuned in to knicksfantv.com for the latest Knicks news and rumors throughout the season and as the NBA trade deadline approaches.
