Julius Randle led the way as the New York Knicks exploded to defeat the Washington Wizards 131 to 113.
The Knicks offense was unstoppable, shooting 51% from the field and 53% from three. Ball movement was incredible throughout the game. Every player who logged more than 15 minutes had more than one assist. On top of that, the defense was strong until a bit of fourth-quarter relaxation with the game well in-hand. New York had just lost a tough one in Philadelphia, and they had lost three of their past four games at the wire. They weren’t about to let this game be close.
There was a brief Steph Curry impression from the unlikely Julius Randle. RJ Barrett’s evolution continued with playmaking, particularly to the corners. Meanwhile, Mitchell Robinson and Elfrid Payton represent added depth right at the top of the line-up. The Knicks rolled in this one; let’s look back at how it went down.
Knicks starters propelled by a surprising Steph Curry impression
Elfrid Payton: Back from an extended lay-off due to injury, Elfrid Payton looked rusty but added a much-needed ball handling element to the roster. He attacked the basket but didn’t was blocked as much as he scored. That didn’t prevent him from having a decent night though. Payton made some nice passes, finding his bigs with lobs and breaking down the defense inside. He also disrupted the passing lanes and generally played solid defense.
Payton played for 21 minutes and put up 7 points, 4 assists, 5 rebounds, 3 steals, and 1 turnover. He shot 3/8 from the field and 1/2 from the free-throw line. Payton was the most likely player to find a big man but least likely to make the corner kick-out that has helped boost Barrett and Randle’s playmaking chops. In the lane, he either shot it or looked to his cutter. That’s not a bad thing. It did lead him to get blocked by Alex Len on some forced attempts on the downside.
It was a solid comeback game for Payton. He’s a steady hand on the ball, giving the Knicks a true point guard that they’ve missed recently. That said, he is exactly who he is. That means a lot of attempts inside without much spacing provided. He wasn’t bad, but it’s good to be aware of his limitations. I actually like him at around a 20-minute clip more than when he plays starter’s minutes. Elfrid grabs a 2 out of 5 for his impact rating.
Reggie Bullock: Reggie Bullock continued his run of quality shooting and overall play. He’s developed great chemistry with Julius Randle, and now RJ Barrett is looking out for his corner cuts as well. That means Reggie’s getting a lot of looks from three. On top of that, I’ve spent most of the season complaining about his lack of production on the rest of the stat-line. I can’t make that complaint about his recent run. He either picks up extra rebounds or chips in with multiple assists, which he did against Washington.
Bullock’s 31 minutes might have been even higher without a third-quarter injury. It didn’t seem bad though, as he returned to complete the night with 10 points, 3 assists, 2 rebounds, 1 steal, and 1 block. He shot 3/7 from the field, all three-point attempts. He also made his only free throw attempt. It’s nothing flashy but combined with the quality of defense he provides; it’s an effective night.
For some of these players, we’re watching emerging trends and developments. Reggie Bullock’s found multiple new ways to produce. He’s grabbing more rebounds. He’s picking up assists. The three and D aspect has always defined Bullock, but he’s knocking down the long ball with more consistency. All of this has added up to the best stretch of the season for Bullock. He brings home a 2.5 out of 5.
RJ Barrett: RJ Barrett is in a shooting slump, but you wouldn’t realize it based on his production. Barrett missed most of his jump shots for the fifth straight game. That didn’t stop him from attacking the lane effectively throughout the night. He also turned multiple forays to the paint into kick-out assists to shooters in the corners. He hit Reggie Bullock for back-to-back three’s in the first quarter and found Burks for a corner trey in the second half. RJ looked like the perfect complement next to Julius Randle’s elite scoring. Barrett was the playmaker that allowed Randle to focus on his shot for a change while still providing a second option scoring.
Barrett finished 39 minutes with 21 points, 5 assists, 5 rebounds, 2 blocks, and 2 turnovers. He shot 8/18 from the field, 1/4 from three, and 4/5 from the free-throw line. One of the two blocks sent Russell Westbrook’s attempt into the crowd. His defense was strong throughout the night. The only concern is that he shot poorly. RJ got open looks from three but bricked most of them. His jumper just hasn’t quite been dropping lately…that’s alright when everything he takes inside falls.
Barrett led the Knicks in assist, grabbed boards, and played quality defense. He was New York’s second-leading scorer and their best transition player. RJ’s begun taking advantage of blocks and deflections. That’s an important addition to an offense that struggles with fast break points. If Julius Randle has grown into a true number one, RJ Barrett is right behind him, looking like a legitimate second option. RJ Barrett gets a 3.5 out of 5 on impact.
Julius Randle: Julius Randle came out the gate with a jumper, and a three-point make that marked the beginning of an aggressive and overwhelming offensive performance. He had more highlights than I could type out. In the second quarter, he had a brilliant drive for and-one. In the third quarter, Randle hit three straight three-pointers to all but bury the Wizards. He jawed with Bradley Beal shortly after, received the ball, and sent Beal to the ground before hitting a jumper. Randle was unstoppable, the best player on the floor despite Westbrook’s and Beal’s presence.
Randle spent 38 minutes of action scoring 37 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, and 3 TO’s. He shot 13/24 from the field, 7/10 from three, and 4/5 from the line. He got a bit shot happy in the third quarter, but who could blame him? I especially liked a swing pass that he threw amid his scoring barrage. The Knicks’ star used his shooting threat to draw the defense off-balance, then fed Alec Burks, who drove the lane for a quick assist to Nerlens Noel. Everyone fed off Julius.
There is a bit of nitpicking I have to do. Randle didn’t have the best night defensively. Early on, he gave too much space to Rui Hachimura outside. He had some of the weakest closeouts of the starters. I’d blame his offensive burden, but he was giving up three’s from very early in the game. That’s not to take away from the brilliant game, but he got away with some mistakes. Even so, Randle grabs a 4 out of 5. I’m just keeping an eye out.
Nerlens Noel: Nerlens Noel got the start but played back-up minutes. That wasn’t a slight on his game; Mitch was back and took over. Noel lived up to his season’s norms. He had blocks at the rim, poked loose a steal, and finished his opportunities inside. Whether he plays 10 minutes or 40, it’s just another day at the office for the shot-blocking big.
Noel marked 17 minutes with 6 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 blocks, and 1 steal. He shot 3/4 from the field. I have to confess that I didn’t make a note of the assists during the game. Those snuck right by me but are a welcome addition. He used his time well. Robinson was just so overpowering inside that it meant fewer minutes for Noel.
The shot-blocking big man’s days as a starter seem numbered. That’s a compliment to the depth more than a slight against him. Noel plays hard and always picks up quality moments on the defensive end. The gap with Robinson comes down to size, athleticism, and hands. What’s important is that Noel has proven that he can start in a pinch. He’s not your typical starter, but he can give big minutes without having his play slip. As he moves to a back-up role, he’ll be a valuable player all the same. Noel hits a 2 out of 5.
Knicks bench piles on
Immanuel Quickley: Immanuel Quickley padded his numbers with a couple of threes in garbage time. It’s hard to blame him when the entire fourth quarter feels like garbage time. IQ’s shot wasn’t great early, and he didn’t do much else to warrant staying out there. We, as Knicks fans, would prefer to see the rookie get minutes, but Thibs went in a different direction.
The rookie got 12 minutes of action and dropped 14 points on 4/8 shooting, 3/6 from three, and 3/3 from the line. It’s telling that he managed to have meaningful plays in such a limited time. He drew three free throws at the third quarter’s buzzer with some savvy ball handling. He also sent a defender flying 10 feet with a step-back trey. It wasn’t a bad game from Quickley at all, but he still came in under the impact rating threshold for me…he’d be at a 2 out of 5 even with no further production, in case you were wondering.
Alec Burks: Alec Burks is the most likely reason IQ got benched. Burks shot well; his scoring efficiency was fantastic. He also got in the kick-out fun and grabbed boards to add more dimensions to his game. The scorer has been on an upward trend lately, chaining together 20-point nights while picking up more minutes on the ball. He was great against the Wizards.
Burks’ 29 minutes spelled 20 points, 3 assists, 3 rebounds, 1 steal, and 1 TO. He shot 6/12 from the field, 2/2 from three, and 6/6 from the line. Burks could hardly miss, becoming a scoring presence that could give Randle and Barrett breaks or feed off their presence. He’ll always take a few head-scratching shots, but he didn’t need to force much with Washington. He’s been pushed into a PG role often lately, and that may have opened his eyes up to some passing options.
There’s nothing to complain about with this one. Burks was highly efficient, tapped every category on the stat sheet, and looked the part of a true third option. Washington couldn’t leave the shooter alone, which meant easier attacks for RJ Barrett and Julius Randle. I gushed about the dynamic offense we saw from Burks in the preseason, but that vanished after his ankle injury…we’re only just now seeing preseason Burks return. He grabs a 3.5 out of 5.
Mitchell Robinson: The magic word is “gravity.” Mitchell Robinson’s size and presence created gravity that every ball-handler could feed off. Whether it was RJ’s euro-step, Randle’s post-up, or Burks’ pull-up, the Knicks scorers often got moves off by using the lob threat to Robinson. Mitch was an overwhelming force in the paint. He got offensive boards, dunked his opportunities, and hit a circus lay-up that even surprised himself. We could tell because he stared at his hand in disbelief.
Robinson pumped in 16 points, 12 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 blocks, and 2 turnovers in 31 minutes. He shot 7/9 from the field and hit 2/2 free throws. Mitch looked out of rhythm in his first game back. This second one showed no rust whatsoever. He was a force on defense and unstoppable above the rim. Ball-handlers had a reliable assist option inside, which opened up the corners more than ever. If the defense didn’t collapse, Mitch was dunking.
This game was a pleasant reminder about the force that Mitchell Robinson can be. He didn’t have any new wrinkles in his game. It was just a big man doing what big men do. Robinson might never become a shooter or a ball-handler, and it won’t matter. There are other rim running bigs in this league, but Mitch is among the most effective. There are other shot-blockers, including on this roster, but Mitch doesn’t just block shots at the rims. He blocked a three in this game, not new but a reminder of what makes him unique. Robinson gets a 3.5 out of 5.
Frank Ntilikina: Frank Ntilikina got ten minutes of action after Reggie Bullock took a brief break. His first touch was a turnover, but he settled in after that. Frank grabbed some boards, played some quality defense, and then had a beautiful assist for three. He broke down his defender off the dribble, which is always nice to see from Ntilikina. It was a solid ten minutes, but probably not enough to earn a bigger role.
Obi Toppin: The worries about Obi Toppin continue. He still plays with nervous energy that screams, “I hope I don’t screw this up.” He missed a couple of attempts, one late in the shot clock that looked especially sloppy. The only positive to take from this night was a scene of Julius Randle coaching the player up toward the end of the game. The kid’s in his own head. Hopefully, a dunk or made three helps him settle down and find his rhythm.
Kevin Knox and Jared Harper: These two got a couple of minutes in mop-up duty but didn’t get to do much with the time.
Tom Thibodeau: The highlight of the night might have been Tom Thibodeau showing up the refs. He challenged a first-half call against Nerlens Noel and really exaggerated the motion. It was a pleasant bit of humor from him. The move also set a bit of a tone after a week of tough calls from the refs. Thibs didn’t get fined like Julius Randle, but he certainly made it clear that he’s not happy with the whistles.
The other decision worth mentioning is Thibodeau bringing vets back into the game in the fourth quarter. A thirty-point lead had dipped closer to twenty; Thibs wasn’t having it. He let his starters run a bit longer before switching back to his bench pieces. I think that sent the right message to the team. They had lightened up. My only real complaint is that IQ should get 20 minutes a night on every single night.
This win felt like a lay-up for Thibs. His team was fired up, facing a soft opponent after a series of tough games and a particularly rough loss. His star player showed up hungry, and the rest of the roster rode that same wave. Thibodeau made the right decisions in a low-pressure run. He gets a 3 out of 5 on a relatively easy night.
Closing Thoughts
The trade deadline is fast approaching on Thursday. We don’t have to trade for reinforcements. This was Mitchell Robinson’s second game back, Elfrid Payton’s first, and Derrick Rose is a conditioning test away from bolstering the line-up again.
That gives the Knicks depth in the middle and at lead guard. It means fresh legs for the final challenging stretch of this season. The Knicks just went from tough battles with elite teams to crushing a bad one. They’ve done more than enough to prove this season is legitimate.
I want to take a step back and admire the growth that those injuries may have been a catalyst for. Look at RJ Barrett, Reggie Bullock, and Alec Burks’ playmaking. Those players have stepped up as ball handlers out of necessity. Without Rose or Payton to guide the offense, every other guard has had to pick up some tricks and run the offense. As pressure makes diamonds, misfortune has bred more versatile offensive players.
The Wizards will get a chance at revenge, and I bet Bradley Beal will be fired up for it. But I’m not stressed about it. I know these Knicks don’t back down, and I expect them to be the better team. They’ve earned that faith from this fanbase. Whether Leon Rose makes some mind-blowing moves to change the rotation or not. I believe in these New York Knicks from now until the season closes. I’ll see y’all after the next one!
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