The New York Knicks won their second in a row with a dominant victory over the Houston Rockets 122 to 97.
New York started the game off with a series of assisted three-pointers and never let up. The Rockets kept up early. Christian Wood and Kevin Porter Jr. gave the Knicks trouble in spurts. But as the game wore on, the Rockets couldn’t keep up with a torrid pace set by New York. The Knicks were up by 30 at times in the second half, creating opportunities for starters to rest in route to an overwhelming victory.
Julius Randle couldn’t miss from anywhere on the floor. RJ Barrett and Derrick Rose were 2A and 2B as compliments to the Knicks’ star. Meanwhile, rookies made important contributions, and role players hit their marks to start the Western Conference tour with momentum. Let’s take a look at how the Knicks took care of business.
Another MVP-level performance sets the tone for New York’s starters
Elfrid Payton: Elfrid Payton’s minutes dipped below the 15-minute threshold that I require for players to get an impact score. Some might point at his negative +/- as proof that poor play got him benched, but I didn’t think he was bad. Payton hit a corner three during the early shooting barrage and added a couple of teardrops in the third quarter. His game was restrained, relegated to an off-ball role as Julius Randle and RJ Barrett controlled the offense.
Payton finished his 14 minutes with 7 points, 1 assist, 2 steals, and 1 turnover. The starting point guard shot 3/6 from the field and 1/1 from three. His slashing was a mixed bag in this one. He picked up the turnover on a drive across the lane into traffic; a similar situation got him blocked as well. Payton’s slashing was best served when he caught the defense off-balance. A quicker pace would have created more of these opportunities. His performance wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t good enough to warrant more minutes while Rose was rolling and IQ was hot.
Reggie Bullock: Reggie Bullock played well again, but his production slacked behind typical norms just like his minutes did. Bully picked up foul trouble in the first half, barely seeing the floor in the second quarter. The second-half blow-out spelled extra rest for the 3 and D wing throughout the fourth as well. When he did play, Bullock continued his sharpshooting and ball-handler harassing ways. Bullock stayed true to his second-half form.
Bullock played 26 minutes and poured on 11 points, 1 assist, 3 rebounds, and 1 steal. He went 4/7 from the floor, 3/6 from three, and 1/1 from the free-throw line. The entire starting unit shot well, so it’s no surprise that Bullock turned in another efficient night from long range. The wing got his looks the easy way, moving to open space and letting ball handlers feed him. This solid night of production looked like light work.
Bully’s only challenge was containing Kevin Porter Jr, and he did that well. KPJ finished some tough drives, but you could catch Bullock forcing the young scorer into some tough shots. Other than that, it was smooth sailing as long as the referees allowed. There weren’t any new trends in play to point out. Bullock is just a steady player that can step up if the defense leaves him open from three too often. Bully gets a 2.5 out of 5 for his impact in another nice outing.
RJ Barrett: While Julius Randle was dominant, RJ Barrett played the part of compliment to perfection. Barrett knocked down jumpers when Randle found him open and took over ball-handling duties for his own series of aggressive forays inside. The sophomore looked as if he could find lanes to finish at will. Barrett might have had a bigger night if not for Randle shooting so well. RJ got open but wasn’t rewarded as Randle was busy knocking down jumpers regardless of the defense in front of him. That didn’t stop Broadway Barrett from having a nice game.
After 40 minutes, RJ accumulated 21 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, and 2 turnovers. He shot 7/16 from the field, 3/7 from three, and 4/5 from the free-throw line. Barrett played heavy minutes, working with the second unit at the start of even-numbered quarters again. That allowed the rising prospect to be more aggressive and seek his own offense while Randle rested. Barrett was overpowering inside and had his jumper going, which turns a tough defensive assignment into an impossible one. His uptick in playmaking continued as well. He’s had 4 or more assists in 4 of his last 5 games.
Barrett had himself a strong night as the second option. He was efficient from the field and fed open hands frequently. The sophomore did run into some trouble guarding Kevin Porter at times. He gave up the baseline a little too easily for my taste, although Clyde was right in complaining about a lack of weak side help that RJ received on those possessions. Other than those lapses on defense, Barrett was fantastic. RJ finishes the night with a 4.5 out of 5.
Julius Randle: Julius Randle heard MVP chants at a road game across the country from his home court. He was that good. Randle scored at will however he wanted. He feasted on single coverage, making even the tough shots look easy. Then Randle beat double-teams with turn-around jumpers away from the help man. Step-back threes, acrobatic lay-ups through contact, and post-up finishes all made it onto Randle’s highlight reel.
Randle played 30 minutes and put up 31 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal, and 3 turnovers. He shot a ridiculous 13/ 21 from the field, 4/9 from three, and 1/1 from the free-throw line. I mentioned his scoring already, but Randle earned single coverage with a series of early assists. He sparked a series of three-point makes for the team with his passes to start the game. By creating for everyone early, Randle set the tone for ball movement from the entire team.
Does anyone else remember when Knicks fans used to joke about April Melo? It always felt like Carmelo Anthony saved his best ball for the end of the season. Julius Randle’s game against Houston reminded me of that old mythological figure. A dominant forward, scoring however he wanted. Randle was also a playmaker, a rebounder, and a solid defender. He visibly rotated to challenge shooters inside a handful of times, covering for an interior defense that was lacking most of the night. Julius Randle gets a 5 out of 5 for complete control over this game.
Nerlens Noel: Nerlens Noel only played 11 minutes due to injuries. He bumped knees with Christian Wood in the first half, only playing 6 minutes before taking a break. Then Noel rolled his ankle after falling over Kelly Olynyk in a freak accident. He put up 2 points and 2 rebounds on 1/3 from the field and had a couple of “bad hands” moments. But I won’t begrudge him for the mistakes. We need our shot-blocker healthy. Get well soon, Noel!
Knicks’ second unit keeps the pressure on while starters rest extra
Derrick Rose: Derrick Rose knocked down 4 three-pointers in this game. He contributed everything else we’ve come to expect from a Derrick Rose performance, but he added 4 three-pointers on top. The former MVP shot into the lane and finished a myriad of floaters and lay-ups all game long. He picked up dimes by feeding shooters outside and screeners inside, including a no-look beauty to Taj Gibson early. Rose looked like a leader, knowing when to feed hot hands or let IQ take over the show. He was a maestro in every way. Those descriptions are all familiar, though. The addition is that this guy couldn’t miss from downtown.
Rose dropped 24 points, 4 assists, 6 rebounds, 1 steal, and 1 turnover in 31 minutes of action. He shot 8/11 from the field, 4/5 from three, and 4/4 from the line. The former Bull was unstoppable. The team’s pace changes when Rose is out there. He has an extra gear that keeps defenses on their heels. With that jumper falling as well, D-Rose took his efficiency up a notch and finished with a ridiculous +35.
Rose is playing brilliant basketball. He moves seamlessly from complimenting Randle or RJ to leading the second unit throughout games. Rose is the tone-setter for that second unit. He leads it in scoring but also promotes ball movement with his passing. D-Rose even has Obi Toppin playing with confidence now that the rookie sees rewards for his cuts to the rack. Rose gets a 4.5 out of 5 for his excellent impact.
Immanuel Quickley: Immanuel Quickley was back at it, hitting step back and deep range three-pointers that made him impossible to guard on a switch. Quickley punished bigs that gave him too much space. When slower defenders tried to close the distance, IQ frequently utilized a long dribble to blow by them. He would dribble the ball far out in front of himself, making it impossible for bigs to poke at the rock or recover from behind. That small tweak allowed the rookie to get an extra step in route to his typical floaters inside.
IQ finished 23 minutes with 13 points, 4 assists, 2 rebounds, 1 steal, and 1 turnover. He shot 5/9 from the field and 3/5 from three. The rookie could do no wrong, at times taking over the offense even while D-Rose was going off. Those bursts of offense gave the Houston defense a different coverage challenge and let Rose take breaks from shouldering the second unit’s offensive burden. It’s a wonder that Rose and Quickley combined for 37 points and 10 assists in their 54 minutes of play; the backcourt tandem put Houston under constant pressure.
I say this as the best compliment possible; IQ didn’t show us anything new in route to this quality performance. Outside of a small tweak to how he dribbles past big men, the rookie did everything we’re accustomed to. His three-pointers from opposing logos feel like a nightly occurrence, same for the step back three he gets off around defenders. If there’s one thing to talk about, I’m back to worrying about how Burks will fit in with the thriving Rose/IQ combo. Burks needs touches to be effective. That should be a happy problem to figure out, especially if Rose and IQ are shooting like they did against the Rockets. Quickley gets a 3 out of 5 for his impact.
Taj Gibson: With Nerlens Noel aching throughout the night, Taj Gibson stepped up yet again. The big man gave New York extra time and did so without missing a beat. The interior defense took a bit of a dip, but that’s to be expected when a top-five shot-blocker in the league leaves the rotation. Gibson still provided a bit of offense and plenty of physicality with his minutes. Even when Noel was relatively healthy, Taj took the lion’s share of minutes because he was having a nice night.
Gibson played 32 minutes and put up 6 points and 5 boards on 3/4 from the field. The numbers aren’t impressive, but they didn’t have to be. New York had enough scoring for Gibson to focus on what he does best. That meant tipping out an offensive board or finishing a dime fed from Derrick Rose. More importantly, Gibson was the only rotation big with health, and he held down the middle.
The Knicks needed a big, and Taj stepped up. His numbers are the result of hot perimeter shooting rather than poor play. Gibson’s at his best on the offensive glass, but there weren’t many opportunities with New York’s shooting and passing. The big man got help on the boards from Randle, RJ, and Rose, aka rebounders who turn their boards into transition opportunities. That adds value to simple action like a box out, and Taj does plenty of clearing out space. The big man was solid enough to warrant a 2.5 out of 5 for his impact.
Obi Toppin: We’ve come a long way from just worrying about whether or not Obi Toppin could play 10 minutes without hurting the team. Toppin was oozing confidence as he attacked the basket to draw fouls and attempt dunks. Obi was a consistent threat on baseline cuts, dunking once and getting to the line on two more occasions. He played well enough to get Randle some extra breathing time in both halves and to finally play enough minutes to set an impact score of his own.
Obi played 17 minutes and added 5 points, 3 boards, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 block, and 2 turnovers. He shot 1/4 from the field, 0/1 from three, and 3/4 from the free-throw line. Don’t let the low efficiency fool you. These numbers are a good sign. Toppin was aggressive all night, and that allowed him to add points, grab some tough rebounds, and otherwise produce. My favorite play from the rookie was a block that showcased some nice footwork to counter a post-spin and deny the attempt.
The rookie is coming to life even if his numbers are still muted. Toppin is using his athleticism more and more. He didn’t finish everything inside, getting blocked emphatically at one point. But that aggression and high rising got Obi to the free-throw line or otherwise collapsed the defense. Most importantly, the rookie looks like he can buy Julius Randle extra minutes on the bench. That additional rest will be crucial during this road trip, so let’s cross our fingers that Toppin can keep it up. The rookie big man grabs a 2 out of 5, a respectable impact score from a backup role.
Norvel Pelle: Norvel Pelle only played five minutes, but he may see more time against Memphis thanks to Noel’s injury. Pelle’s minutes weren’t pretty, but hopefully, they got him warmed up.
Knox, Frank, Harper, Pinson: These guys got mop-up duty, but it wasn’t much to write about. Knox was aggressive but ineffective. The rest didn’t do anything notable aside from Frank drawing an offensive foul.
Journey to the West, where Tom Thibodeau’s Knicks decide their own fate
Tom Thibodeau: This easy blowout of a game produced my favorite Tom Thibodeau moment of the season. Thibs called a timeout in the fourth quarter with a 24-point lead because of one blown coverage. The move embodies exactly where this team’s culture and approach come from. If these guys let up for a play, their coach lets them have it. At one point, the Knicks threw one too many extra passes, and you could hear Thibodeau screaming, “SHOOT!” As Reggie Bullock drained an open three. He’s intense and keeps everyone else locked in for the full 48.
The Knicks won by 25, so it’s hard for me to find much to complain about. RJ Barrett played a few too many minutes, and Thibs could have emptied the bench a couple of minutes sooner. That’s it for the bad. Everything else was quality. When the Knicks showed a semblance of slowing down, Thibodeau called time out and snapped things into gear. On a related note, I’d be curious to see how often Rose scores out of timeouts. He seems to execute well just when the team needs a momentum swing.
Tom Thibodeau turned New York into a hard-nosed defensive basketball team in less than a season. He preached about corner threes in the preseason, and his star player leads the league in assists for those precious high-efficiency looks. The team’s identity was on full display against their overmatched opponents in Houston. The Knicks could have underestimated the opponent or let their foot off the gas, but Tom Thibodeau wasn’t having any of that. Thibodeau gets a 5 out of 5 for that fourth-quarter timeout and his impact on the win.
Closing Thoughts
This game felt like a must-win and the New York Knicks delivered with gusto. I didn’t doubt that our boys would come through for the win, but it was a pleasant surprise that they rarely let up on the gas. From the starters to the bench, the Knicks showed up to play and pieced together an immaculate performance. They assisted on 22 shots and hit over 50% from both the field and three-point land. Players protected the ball especially well in the first half, loosening up only after the lead had exploded. This was a statement game en route to tougher opposition ahead.
The final stretch has begun, and it feels like the whole league is watching. They aren’t watching in hopes that the orange and blue fades either. People are tuning in because the Knicks are a joy to watch right now. The ball movement has continually improved right with the three-point shooting. Julius Randle has been on another level for his last 10 games, garnering well-earned MVP chants even on the road. This team has such a good vibe that we’ve already scored our first superstar rumor of the offseason before play-in games have even begun. I won’t get too excited about any rumored acquisitions, but I will say that Damian Lillard is my favorite player who isn’t Knick…so that would be cool, but I’m not even bothering to cross my fingers yet.
Memphis is next, with plenty of reason to play a desperate game. They’re fighting for play-in game positioning and have been on a brief slide. The Grizzlies also sparked New York’s big run of 11 wins in the past 12 games. Ja Morant has Jaren Jackson back, and they need this win even more than New York. But I’m cautiously optimistic because the Knicks don’t let up easily. New York will apply pressure to a young opponent, and I trust our favorite players to step up. Starting the Western Conference trip with 2 in a row would leave the Knicks in a great position to close this season against their toughest opponents. I’m past worrying about struggles – I’m waiting to tell you all about another win! Let’s link back up after the dust settles in Memphis. I’ll see you soon, Knicks fam!
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