The New York Knicks had their best offensive game of the season, defeating the Sacramento Kings 140 to 121.
The Knicks couldn’t miss from anywhere on the floor, helped along by phenomenal ball movement throughout the night. The Kings kept the game interesting with a strong third quarter and some flashes in the fourth, but New York always responded with a run of its own. Every player in the rotation made a meaningful contribution.
Splitting up Derrick Rose and Immanuel Quickley seemed to pay dividends. Julius Randle had yet another All-Star performance while Alec Burks got back to his preseason form. That’s not to mention defensive contributions from Nerlens Noel and Frank Ntilikina or timely baskets from Taj Gibson and Reggie Bullock. There’s a lot to praise about this victory, let’s get right into it.
The Knicks’ new starting line-up gets off to a hot start
Derrick Rose: It was evident right away that Derrick Rose was locked in for his first start. Within a few minutes of tip-off, Derrick Rose had scored inside, from midrange and from three. Rose took advantage whenever the defense paid too much attention to Randle and his threat from everywhere on the floor helped score Randle some rare isolations in single coverage. It wasn’t just the scoring from the former MVP either, he moved the ball well and got the entire Knicks team involved in the offense before his first break.
Rose played for 28 minutes, dropping 18 points, 6 assists to 3 turnovers and 3 rebounds. He shot 7/11 from the field, 2/2 from three and 2/2 from the free throw line. Pressure is the word. D-Rose on the ball kept the Kings defenders under constant pressure. He could hurt them inside or out, with a field goal attempt or a dime. The beauty of his game was how it eased the strain on everybody else. Every starter shot over 50% from the field and the distribution of shot attempts was even for everyone other than the Knicks star player, Julius Randle.
The debut was a nice continuation of Rose’s upward trend. He’d struggled mightily before the last match-up with Golden State and was even better against the Kings. If I were to nitpick, he does complain to the refs a bit much but generally gets back on defense regardless. In a lot of ways, he seemed to propel the starting unit by drawing attention and sharing the ball after. Rose gets a 3.5 out of 5 in his first start.
Reggie Bullock: The Reggie Bullock breakdowns are always pretty repetitive, because most nights you know what to expect. The wing showed up and hit a couple of long range shots while providing quality defense. He also found some rare success inside the three point-line, making his only two jumpers that weren’t three pointers. There wasn’t anything new to report, but this was Reggie playing his role well.
Bullock’s 20-minute night concluded with 10 points, 1 assist, 1 rebound, 1 steal and 1 turnover. He shot 4/8 from the field and 2/6 from three. He cooled off in the second half, missing a few attempts and ceding minutes to the red hot second unit. But Bullock did his duty properly for the most part. Reggie was streaky as a shooter, consistent as a defender and solid all-around.
While this wasn’t a flashy performance, that’s not Reggie Bullock’s bag. He’s at his best when picking spots and doing the sight unseen helpful things otherwise. His minutes were closer to a back-up role thanks to hot hands elsewhere and a big lead. That and the limited production across the stat-line dip his impact score slightly to a 2 out of 5. That said, it’s not an indictment of a score, he was steady as always.
RJ Barrett: The success of other Knicks players meant that RJ Barrett had less burden to shoulder. That meant a dip in production, but a nice uptick in efficiency. Barrett also saw the benefits of everyone else drawing attention, getting some wide open jumpers to fall throughout the night. He hit a corner three late and clearly turned to say something to the Kings bench. You’ve gotta love the confidence from the 20-year-old.
On 5/8 shooting and 2/3 from three, Barrett pumped in 12 points, 3 assists, 3 rebounds and 1 turnover. The turnover came early on a pass that Barrett telegraphed across a crowded paint. He bounced back by making some really nice feeds to big roll men in similar situations. RJ made the most of his touches. He wasn’t forced to will points into existence because the he had plenty of help around him. That meant efficiency even if the numbers are more muted this time.
Like Reggie Bullock, Barrett saw shorter minutes than normal. He was economical with his opportunities on the ball on top of that. This skews the numbers to less than what we’re used to seeing. But RJ filled his role really well, again like Reggie Bullock. He made the right decisions and took good shots all night. We even got a bit of Maple Mamba swag late. RJ gets a 2.5 out of 5.
Julius Randle: With Derrick Rose commanding attention out to three, Julius Randle had extra time to attack his isolations and post-ups. Randle would overpower his defender, usually Bagley, and go into a move too fast for help defense to arrive. To make matters worse for the Kings, the Kentucky big man was knocking down jumpers comfortably as well. He was dominant for most of the night, but may have gotten a little too loose and comfortable in the third quarter. That said, a brief lapse into “I can do whatever I want to these guys” might have been expected with how well Randle was playing.
In 31 minutes of action, Randle accumulated 21 points, 14 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal and 5 turnovers. He shot 9/18 from the field, 2/4 from three and 1/2 from the line. Minus some forced jumpers and passes in that third quarter, Randle’s efficiency would be through the roof. He at least gave me something to nitpick though. Clyde called out the big man for throwing some reckless cross court passes. Randle sometimes waits too long for defenders to close before he tries to make the pass. He’s buying shooters an extra split second but increasing the degree of difficulty on himself exponentially. That can lead to some throw aways.
Even with that struggle stint, Randle comfortably grabs a 3.5 out of 5. He came back in from the third quarter drag and was back under control. His game has virtually never looked selfish this season. You can see that he’s playing win-first basketball even when he makes the wrong decisions. I may have to start grading him on a curve just to keep things interesting. He’s been THAT good.
Nerlens Noel: Another game, another reel of Nerlens Noel playing defense with more effort than players dedicate to their entire nights. You’ll spot Noel on the floor a lot if you watch for it. He’s constantly putting his body on the line for the sake of a challenge at the rim or a ball poked loose. The big man has his limitations, but it’s hard not to appreciate the amount of work he’s putting in.
Noel played 23 minutes and put up 8 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist and 2 blocks on 4/5 from the field. His hands still scare me, but it’s clear that he’s expecting the pass more often. That allowed him to corral some passes without having to rush the shot. You could spot him pump faking his way to an opening and finishing inside. Even the one miss was a bunny that rested on the rim before falling out.
I feel like Nerlens Noel’s on court mentality doesn’t get the type of love it deserves. He doesn’t have the bravado or charisma of a Kyle O’Quinn, but he brings defensive intensity in spades. The Garden is a place where cheers ring out as hard for a block at the rim as they do for a nice dunk. Maybe the lack of a crowd has helped Noel sneak under the radar a bit. Anyway, he gets an ever consistent 2.5 out of 5 for the solid contribution.
New York’s second unit reaches another level
Immanuel Quickley: The player of the night came in for a red hot Derrick Rose and got to work with his own array of attacks. Quickley hit a floater early and followed it with a four-point-play. He would draw foul after foul when players defended tight and then he’d hit a three pointer when they inevitably backed off. By the end of the game, I was in awe at the ratio of points to field goal attempts IQ was putting up. He was a dominant scorer, bouncing back from a recent lull in a big way.
Here’s how good Quickley was, my only complaint is about him not getting more minutes. IQ put up 25 points, 3 assists, 1 board, 2 steals and 1 turnover in just 20 minutes of action. He shot 5/10 from the field, 3/6 from three and 12/12 from the free throw line. The kid couldn’t miss and if he did, he probably got fouled. It helps that he found his jumper again, but the elusiveness on display was more than just a reward for hitting shots. IQ was feeling it the whole way.
Let’s talk about the rotation change for a minute. Quickley’s recent lull came as he began splitting the lead guard reps with Derrick Rose. Both point guards have seemed to chasing a balance and rhythm between controlling the offense and letting his partner have a few bites at the apple. The hesitance from that pairing was gone with IQ as the clear lead ball handler. This was one game against a league worst defense, so we can’t jump to an immediate conclusion…but it warrants watching. The rookie drops a 4.5 out of 5 for putting up more than 2 points per attempt and more than a point per minute played.
Frank Ntilikina: As soon as Elfrid Payton’s injury was reported, the Frank hive began buzzing. Frank Ntilikina finally got his opportunity and he did not disappoint. The former lottery pick had a performance that was very on brand, his numbers muted but his impact undeniable to anyone watching. You could spot Frank quarterbacking the entire defense while making perfect rotations that created more turnovers than his steal marker accounts for. He picked his spots offensively and attacked without hesitation…that’s what we’re all looking for.
The French Prince dropped 7 points, 2 assists to 1 turnover, and 3 steals. He went 3/6 from the floor and 1/3 from three. He flashed his pull-up jumper across the lane late and shot the three ball with confidence that was hinted at in his pre-injury play early this season. But the joy of watching Frank is seeing all the little things he does defensively. Few Knicks communicate as much as Ntilikina does on both ends of the floor. He drew charges and turned steals into highlight reel moments for the rookies. Frank isn’t the star, but he’s an incredible compliment to whoever the hot hand is.
Frank’s return to the floor was a gem for a basketball nerd like myself. As much as I appreciate defensive effort from other perimeter players, Ntilikina’s a better help defender than Reggie Bullock and a better on-ball defender than Elfrid Payton. The French Prince seems especially useful with this current roster breakdown. The Knicks suddenly have a lot of guys that do best with the ball in their hands and Frank shines most by impacting the game off-ball. He grabs a 3 out of 5, boxscore be damned. He paired with Quickley too well to warrant anything less.
Alec Burks: Well on his way to a “that wasn’t bad” review, Alec Burks hit a three pointer in the fourth quarter. Then he hit another…and another…and suddenly he had put up double-digit scoring and turned a comfortable lead into an absolute blowout. This was the first time in a long time that we got peak Alec Burks. This was Burks before the ankle injury. Give him an inch and Burks will take a three.
The explosion lasted only for a portion of Burks’ 25 minutes out there. He dropped 24 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 turnovers on 8/12 shooting and 5/8 from three. The scoring wing didn’t have to wait his turn because he was surrounded by players that are comfortable off the ball. Once Burks started to feel it, he was able to go into attack mode with everyone else looking to feed that hot hand.
The best part of this performance is that Burks going off didn’t come at the expense of anyone else. We’ve watched IQ/Rose/Burks share the ball but dip in efficacy. Splitting the trio up allowed ample touches for each guy to get going. Again, the caveat is the Kings defense. It’s terrible. But the shots this vet knocked down weren’t a result of poor defenders, he just couldn’t be stopped. Burks gets a 3.5 out of 5 for incredible efficiency and nail in the coffin shooting.
Obi Toppin: We finally got Obi Toppin above the 15-minute mark but his role was still tertiary in every way. That meant we’re still prospecting for hints of gold with the limited opportunities that Obi gets. He had a nice post-up that didn’t drop but drew defenders and opened up a putback opportunity for Taj Gibson. His defensive play has improved by leaps from the early portion of the season, although that just means he wasn’t bad. When opportunity knocked in transition though…Obi ran the floor beautifully and flashed his athleticism with a show stopping dunk.
Obi put up 3 points, 3 boards, a steal and a turnover in his 17 minutes. He went 1/3 from the field, 0/1 from three, and 1/2 from the line. No, it’s not an all-rookie stat-line but his role is too reduced to expect big production right now. Obi’s learning, the fact that he seems to get at least one three pointer up a night isn’t a bad thing. It’s a developmental one.
In the same vein as Frank, Obi gets a higher impact grade than his numbers might suggest. The kid doesn’t get enough credit for improving on his rotations and defensive awareness. His growth passes the eye test far more than the statistics suggest. He grabs a 2 out of 5 to symbolize a solid contribution despite the low numbers.
Taj Gibson: There was a point in the game where Tom Thibodeau put all youth on the floor except for Taj Gibson. Clyde and Green were in the midst of asking who would step up the scoring for this unit and Taj, being the vet that he is, made a nifty post move and got the scoring started. It’s symbolic of the calming presence Taj seemed to bring out there for the Knicks while outworking bigger guys.
Taj rocked for 24 minutes and managed 9 points, 7 boards, 1 assist, and 1 turnover. He made 4/5 attempts and 1/2 three pointers. His one miss was the last shot of his night, an attempt at a second consecutive three pointer when the team was comfortably ahead. Gibson was at his best inside, but I LOVE that he took the jumper when defenders left him alone. He just always seems to set a great example by making the right plays.
The performance recap wouldn’t be complete without a shoutout for Gibson’s screen setting. Taj sets a damned good screen and it served IQ and Burks well respectively. Even the scoring output from Gibson comes from setting screens that force a defense into rotations and movement. Gibson’s production in the time he had was already strong, his intangibles just add another dimension to the mix. He nets a 3 out of 5.
Knox and Pinson: We got brief garbage time appearances from Theo Pinson and Kevin Knox that I feel like mentioning because Knox knocked down his only attempt, an open corner three pointer. I’m still rooting for the kid…and Pinson’s energy is infectious even in his warm-ups.
Maybe Defensive Guru isn’t hyperbole with Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau
Tom Thibodeau: The Knicks dropped 140 points, we got all youth combinations that produced and I still have one nitpick for Tom Thibodeau. I’m a Knicks fan, we have high expectations. Anyway, the one complaint I have is that Tom stuck with his starters a bit too long in the third quarter. They had gotten a bit out of sorts and that lingered long enough for the Kings to become threatening for a while. Everything else though? Absolute, utter gold.
Without many tough decisions, I can highlight a couple of subtleties. Thibs had a successful challenge in this game and it contrasted well with the challenge that Luke Walton wasted for Sacramento. Coaches only get one shot at the challenge, so they have to use it wisely. Overturning a call is only part of the equation, are you shaving off some points? Did you save a player from foul trouble? That stuff counts and I really like how Thibs has handled it. Next up, the defense…
Don’t let the high scoring confuse you, the Knicks had some absolutely beautiful defensive sequences. The Kings would move the ball well and play with patience but never manifest an open look because the Knicks made clean, hard rotations. Communication was beautiful and we got to see the pick and roll defense press ball handlers so deep into traffic that turnovers were a foregone conclusion. Players like Toppin and Randle are showing growth as defenders as well, it’s no fluke. Thibs grabs a 3.5 out of 5 and a big chunk of that is me marveling at simple things like hedges and switches that separate a great defense from the pack of decent ones.
Closing Thoughts: I’ve been frustrated with the Knicks recently, because it felt like something was lost. They’d managed to play up to the best competition in the league but against middling teams and worse, we were witnessing our guys struggle. There’s nothing like facing the worst defense in the league to get your team’s mind right.
The other obvious shift is the dramatically different rotation. With Elfrid Payton out, Derrick Rose added range and explosion to the starters. The second unit shifted from two PG formations to a more traditional look and Immanuel Quickley seemed to thrive off it. The fact that shooters hit shots may have helped, but I think that the improved spacing and ball movement was key to improved shot making.
What I’m getting at is simple, I like this Knicks rotation a lot. But that’s easy to say after a blow out victory against a bad team. The competition can only get stiffer after that match-up and I’d like to see if this group of players can rise to the occasion. We got more youth, more ball movement and more intensity from everyone involved. Let’s hope this becomes a trend and not just a one-off. We’ll find out soon enough, the fourth seed Pacers are next up. I’m looking forward to it, I hope you’re hype for it too!
