The New York Knicks began their West Coast trip with a start to finish victory over Steph Curry’s Golden State Warriors 119-104.
Every starter hit double-digit scoring with RJ Barrett leading the way on offense. New York’s defense continued to shine, but this time their offense was rolling as well. The Knicks got off to an early lead and hardly looked back. Tom Thibodeau and the gang got an assist from the refs who ejected Draymond Green in the second quarter for…cursing at a teammate? It was a strange moment, but 5 out of 5 to the refs for the first time this season. The Knicks now return to .500 (8-8) with the win over Golden State.
The first unit was a force throughout the night. The second unit took time searching for chemistry but gelled in the second half and flashed their upside. The Knicks reliably bring an intense effort to the floor every night. That effort has kept them afloat even when the offense struggled. Last night the offense was rolling while that defense didn’t miss a beat. Let’s have a closer look at the victory.
The Knicks start off with a “Bang!”
Elfrid Payton: Elfrid Payton showed up against the Warriors with a solid offensive effort and commendable defense on Steph Curry. While Curry had a couple of scoring bursts, Payton kept the star quiet for chunks of time as well. Offensively, the guard struggled with his long range shot but was able to take what the defense gave him otherwise. He had less to do with Randle’s playmaking and Barrett’s scoring seizing most possessions.
Payton played for 37 minutes and left with 15 points, 5 assists to 3 turnovers, 2 rebounds and a steal. He shot 5/11 from the field, 1/4 from three and 4/6 from the free throw line. He made a key contribution by drawing early fouls on Golden State’s star. Curry started to heat up in the first quarter, but Payton broke that momentum via foul trouble. On the downside, Payton padded his stats with garbage time production that dressed up an otherwise forgettable boxscore.
Payton grabs a 2.5 out 5, less for his statistical output and more for spending so much time as a direct counter to Steph Curry. He got outplayed in that match-up but Elfrid put pressure on Curry. That contribution allowed Randle and Barrett to overcome the Chef’s shooting. Payton is catching some flack because he didn’t feed Randle or Barrett in the last two possessions of the game. RJ was a basket away from 30 and Randle was an assist away from a triple-double. Payton played it safe, holding the ball for a clock kill. I prefer the PG reward other players myself, but Payton scored and the Knicks won…it’s a bit overblown.
RJ Barrett: From very early on, RJ Barrett made it clear that he had shown up to play. The young prospect got into the lane for buckets as usual, but also canned three pointers and midrange shots that extended his threat to all three levels. Barrett was elusive and overpowering. He finished by force of will even when defenders managed to stay in front of him. The scoring contribution was especially important because Julius Randle had a tough night from the field, leaving the Maple Mamba to lead the way.
Barrett was a force for 37 minutes, finishing with 28 points, 5 assists to 2 turnovers and 2 rebounds. He shot 10/17 from the field, 2/3 from three and 6/8 from the free throw line. RJ’s recent success has been buoyed by improved shot selection. In the second half, when the Warriors began to collapse more aggressively, Barrett fed baseline cutters. He didn’t bully his way into traffic hoping that contact would draw whistles. It certainly looks like the game has slowed down for the sophomore.
Looking like a true number one option in the win, Barrett nets a 4 out of 5. This was an optimal scoring performance from a player that can’t legally drink yet. Outside of rebounding, RJ gave lived up to his best qualities. He gave the Knicks scoring, defense and a healthy dose of playmaking. The best part is that his play continues an upward trend. To excel any further, Barrett would place himself firmly in all-star performance range…it’s hard to argue he wasn’t already there against Golden State.
Reggie Bullock: With a flurry of three pointers, Reggie Bullock was able to be the floor spacer that Knicks fans have been hoping to see. Bullock led the way from long range against Golden State. The 3 and D wing lived up to his role, providing perimeter defense and canning any shot he got in space. Ironically, it was a communication moment that I liked best of all from Reggie. Mitchell Robinson had some lazy rotations in the second quarter. After a particularly egregious defensive play, Bullock made sure to point to Mitch and say something. It’s small, but that’s a bit of veteran leadership that was necessary in the moment.
In only 17 minutes, Reggie put up 12 points, 2 rebounds and a steal on 4/8 from the field and 4/5 from three. He wasn’t good inside the three-point line, missing even a gimme layup attempt. But the wing lived up to his role and did exactly what he has to. He spaced the floor and played quality defense.
Bullock grabs a 2.5 out of 5 for his significant three-point threat. I’ve mentioned before that Reggie is a player who shines when his intangible contributions are all the Knicks need. He’s not the wing that you want to take a ton of shots or try to lead a comeback. But if New York just needs some three pointers and off-ball movement, Bullock can provide that well. He’ll always be a reliable defender, making him a positive force as long as he’s not asked to do too much.
Julius Randle: Julius Randle didn’t have his A-game as a scorer, but that didn’t stop him from contributing to the Knicks’ win in a big way. The Warriors spent a lot of energy preventing Randle from scoring, so he made plays for everyone else instead. The big man didn’t stop at playmaking either. He grabbed 6 more rebounds than any other player on the floor. This all came together for a near triple-double that included some dunks, assists and sky-high rebounds.
After 36 minutes of play, Randle closed his performance with 16 points, 17 rebounds and 9 assists to 2 turnovers. He shot 4/11 from the field, 1/2 from three and 7/7 from the free throw line. The real beauty of those numbers is in the low field goal attempts. Golden State focused on stopping Randle and he answered with passing. This isn’t a new development, but it has helped to define the difference for Randle this year compared to last.
I’m giving Randle a 4.5 out of 5 for the big performance. He was a missed dunk by Mitch and missed layup by RJ away from triple-double land. That was in spite of commanding more attention from the defense than any other player. Randle didn’t have to impose his will here, he just let the game flow through him without forcing much. The big man has found that he can contribute to wins in many more ways than just pounding the rock and every player around him is better for it.
Mitchell Robinson: Foul trouble pushed Mitchell Robinson off the floor with very little to show for it in the first half…so he showed up in the second half with a vengeance. Mitch put up 18 points in the last two quarters, absolutely crushing the Warriors inside. Knick ball handlers consistently found Mitch cutting inside for alley-oops or dunks. The big man locked in on both ends of the ball, helping to blow open a game New York was already leading.
Robinson dropped 18 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal and 2 blocks in 27 minutes of action. He went 8/8 from the field and 2/2 from the free throw line. He was matched with a top 3 selection in the draft and showed out against the rookie. It’s worth noting that with foul trouble in the first half, Mitch had the most defensive lapses that I’ve seen in a game this season. He was avoiding a third foul in the second quarter, but it meant dunks for Paschall and a visible call out from Bullock. The shot blocker responded in that second half though.
Mitch nets a 3 out of 5 for a dominant half after a sloppy one. Robinson showed all of the attributes we value as Knicks fans. New York held a great offense to 47 points in the second half and I think Robinson’s extended presence was a key difference maker. He continues to be the anchor for an elite NBA defense while acting as a quality rim runner and beast on the offensive boards.
New York’s second unit bounces back after early struggles
Immanuel Quickley: This was a game of flashes for Immanuel Quickley. The rookie guard seemed out of sync in a first half where the back-ups tried to run through the post more-so than the perimeter. Golden State came in prepared to take away his floater, and that relegated IQ to long range attempts that weren’t always the best looks. He struggled and saw his minutes slip but still managed some pretty passes and a nice three point hit on limited minutes.
IQ rocked for just 11 minutes, dropping 5 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 turnover. He shot 1/5 from the floor, 1/4 from three and 2/2 from the free throw line. He spent less time on the rock, partially because the Warriors pressed him and partially because the second unit ran through Toppin and Burks for chunks of time.
I don’t score performances with less than 15 minutes of action unless the player does something that especially stands out. Quickley wasn’t as bad as the poor shooting but he wasn’t particularly good anywhere either. His shooting threat does spread the floor even on a slow night though. IQ was able to break a zone defense by driving past a close out and sending a beautiful pass to Obi Toppin baseline. The kid is going to be good.
Alec Burks: It took a while for Alec Burks to get into the flow of things and find his rhythm. The scorer wasn’t great from the field but still managed to be productive by drawing fouls and making some smart off ball cuts for easier points. Even chasing his rhythm for most of the night, Burks took minutes from the other wings by virtue of his versatility. He was a 20 ppg player prior to injury and Thibs seems poised to play him like a top three option, a deserved role.
Burks got 31 minutes of action and notched 11 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 block with 1 turnover. He shot 2/7 from the field, 1/2 from three and 6/8 from the free throw line. The dynamic scorer didn’t have his rhythm on jumpers but made up for it with more free throw tries than field goal attempts. It’s a lovely indication of how dynamic and savvy Burks can be. Even without his timing or rhythm, the guard managed double-digit scoring and contributed elsewhere with those rebounds.
Despite my glowing review, I am glossing over some of the bad spots. Burks did look out of sync for chunks of the action and his quick trigger was lacking. That’s to be expected from a player returning from injury, but it doesn’t help his performance grade. On the night, I’m giving the scoring guard a 2 out of 5 which is “good for a role player” territory. I’m expecting his performance grades to scale up quickly though, especially with Thibodeau’s reliance on his offense. I’m curious how Burks will look on night two of this back-to-back.
Kevin Knox: The out of sync second unit meant less clean looks for Kevin Knox. The young wing got limited minutes and even fewer touches to make something of that time. He still played his role as floor spacer, knocking down a corner three and attempting three’s off the dribble and on the catch. Knox simply didn’t see the opportunities to make much of his night.
After just 11 minutes of play, Knox’s night was over. He shot 1/4 from the field and 1/3 from three for 3 points and 1 rebound. I’m eager for the young wing to develop chemistry with Obi Toppin. I think Kev’s perimeter threat compliments Obi’s post game, vision and high flying really well. That said, neither of the young forwards got enough time to register a performance grade let alone show off much chemistry.
Obi Toppin: Tom Thibodeau put the ball in Obi Toppin’s hands frequently in the first half and the results were a mixed back. Toppin had a nice pass to Alec Burks from the post, but the rest of his early action was a struggle. In the second half, Obi was able to work more off the ball and as a cutter. He saw much more success in this role, stealing a poster on a baseline cut into space against zone defense.
Toppin only got 12 minutes to show off but flashed promise on both ends. He closed with 5 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist and 2 blocks while shooting 2/4 from the field and 1/2 from the free throw line. The top pick’s blocks were an especially fun addition in this one. He trampolined above everybody to deny a baseline drive that would have been out of reach for most players. He gets no score on this night, but there are hints of his most promising attributes scattered in the limited time he got. It’s also nice to see Thibodeau get the rookie reps on the ball even if the results were bad this time.
Nerlens Noel: I’d rate Nerlens Noel a bit of an unsung hero for this performance. He was honestly a mixed bag during his action, but he stepped up to cover for Mitch in foul trouble. The big man was a rebounding and shot blocking force on the interior, although his lateral movement does mean that he doesn’t have quite the range that Mitch affords.
Noel played 20 minutes and managed 6 points, 11 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal and 4 blocks with 1 turnover. He was 1/4 from the field, 0/1 from three and 4/6 from the free throw line. Your eyes do not deceive you, Nerlens Noel took a three pointer along the sidelines. Robinson has taken a page from Noel when it comes to using clever hands against ball handlers, maybe he took note of the shot attempt too. Speaking of hands, if there’s one place where Noel continues to frustrate…the man fumbles at least one or two would-be assists a game. For someone who pokes steals free so often, you’d think the fast hands could help him catch a bounce pass. But this was a good performance. I just can’t help harping on that flaw because I don’t get it.
Noel grabs a 2.5 out of 5 for filling in for a starter and holding things down well. I’ve waxed poetic about 48 minutes of rim protection in plenty of recaps, but this was an encapsulation of that dynamic. New York lost their defensive anchor to foul trouble for most of the first half and the defense still held up relatively well because of Nerlens Noel off the bench. The big man earns some props for owning his role and stepping up when asked.
Consistent coaching means consistent results
Tom Thibodeau: The Tom Thibodeau section is starting to feel redundant. I could create a check box for what we can expect from a Thibodeau coached team. Everyone played hard on both ends of the ball. Thibs flirted with keeping certain rotations out there for too long but pulled them right before it got egregious. The team showed up prepared at the start of each half. And of course…I wanted to see more of certain young players but can’t blame Thibodeau for trusting vets in the win.
With this game there does come a bit of extra baggage I’d like to attach. Thibodeau let the starters close the game even after Steve Kerr waved a white flag. We really didn’t need to see a Payton vs Mannion match-up for the last couple of minutes. The Knicks play again tonight and even a few extra minutes of rest could be meaningful for the back-to-back.
That said, I’m still giving Thibodeau a 3 out of 5 for putting a beating on a quality opponent. From undeniable defense to giving Obi Toppin chances as a feature player, Thibodeau is very clearly coaching. Yep, my big observation is that the coach is in facat coaching. I know that sounds ridiculous but we of the Fisher, Hornacek, Fizdale eras can attest that it’s important. There aren’t many head scratching decisions here, just an overachieving team that buys into its coaches.
Closing Thoughts: The Knicks are a .500 team again as we approach the quarter mark of the season. Last time we got here, a five-game losing streak pulled the rug out from under the fanbase. But those five losses are sandwiched between 6 wins. New York is stringing wins together and I never enter games expecting a loss anymore. Years of pain mean that I don’t ever assume a win either, to be fair.
I bring this all up because West Coast trips are the stuff of old Knick nightmares. I remember joking in the past that I’d be able to sleep by halftime because the Knicks would be blown out early against Western Conference power houses. Now, I’m looking at this trip optimistic about splitting the 4 games and hopeful we can steal 3 wins.
It’s the little things that make being a fan this year so much fun. Whether you believe the playoff push is real or not, you can count on the Knicks to play hard and be competitive. We’ve had so many down years, that I’ll take that and run. I’m enjoying this season as much as any in a decade. I feel that energy coming from the entire fanbase right now. Let’s enjoy the ride, because we know it’s never guaranteed.
