The New York Knicks made a comeback to defeat the Boston Celtics 108-105. Evan Fournier dropped 40 points and RJ Barrett hit the game-winner.
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The New York Knicks came back from a 25 point deficit to steal a win from the Boston Celtics with a buzzer-beater, 108 to 105. This game wasn’t pretty for most of the first half, especially with New York offering little resistance on defense. The Knicks finally kicked into gear as the second-quarter ended and mounted a comeback propelled by a pair of unlikely scorers. It all came to a head with Jayson Tatum tying the game with a second to spare and RJ Barrett answering on a miraculous bank shot from three.
Evan Fournier poured on a career high and Julius Randle improved with each quarter. Immanuel Quickley came up big when things counted as one of only two players to get significant minutes off the bench. New York couldn’t have started worse, but they turned everything around to secure a win. Let’s take a look at how the Knicks pulled off their biggest come from behind win in more than a decade.
Evan Fournier steers the Knicks starters through a rough start
Alec Burks: 3 PTS (1/10 FG, 1/4 3PT), 7 AST, 9 REB, 1 STL in 37 mins
It’s hard to describe Alec Burks’ night. He shot the ball miserably, often after dribbling for too long without creating for his teammates. Burks did his best to get inside the lane, but he rarely got separation. That said, Burks virtually never sat thanks in large part to his efforts beyond shooting.
Burks was great at tracking down rebounds tipped out from the bigs inside. While many possessions ended with him being forced to shoot late in the shot-clock, he did manage to create some looks for teammates. Evan Fournier’s torrid shooting no doubt helped, but Burks’ created thanks to patience that sometimes got him into trouble. His game was a mixed bag that way, but also a sign that he tried to adjust to his point guard role.
I have to address Burks’ defense because it didn’t look great. I’m doing him a favor by blaming that on his heavy minutes’ load. Schroder came off the bench after Burks had already begun to slow down. That left Burks a step late more often than I’d like and highlighted Thibodeau’s need to find another helpful ball-handler (this is my soft pitch to give McBride more chances). Burks gets a 2 out of 5 despite a 10% shooting night, because of playmaking and rebounding.
RJ Barrett: 13 PTS (4/15 FG, 2/4 3PT, 3/4 FT), 6 AST, 3 REB, 1 TO in 33 mins
RJ Barrett needed that buzzer-beating three to win the game badly. It helped make up for a night where he determined to drive to the rim but was far too predictable. Barrett drove inside only to be met at the basket by Robert Williams. Williams blocked RJ over and over in the paint (he even blocked a three). But that last three-pointer and his play late did wonders for an otherwise frustrating performance.
Barrett’s issue was tunnel vision. He continually drew Williams over but failed to look for Mitchell Robinson at the rim. RJ rarely found shooters for kick-out dimes. He did eventually adapt with a midrange pull-up, kick out to Fournier, and a late lob to Mitch (better late than never).
Barrett has got to be more efficient, but he managed to turn a dreadful night around. His problem wasn’t that he drove too much, but that he lacked versatility. When the game was on the line, RJ made adjustments and came up with positive results. Add in his miraculous buzzer-beater and he salvaged a nearly dreadful night. Barrett gets a 2.5 out of 5, overcoming three tough quarters with a clutch fourth.
Evan Fournier: 41 PTS (15/25 FG, 10/14 3PT, 1/3 FT), 2 AST, 8 REB, 1 STL, 1 BLK, 2 TO in 42 mins
There’s nothing like a game against Boston to help Evan Fournier snap out of a doldrum. Fournier has looked hampered by an ankle issue and went scoreless last game out. But he bounced back with a career-high 41 points against his former team. The French wing also tied the Knicks’ record for most three-pointers made in a game.
Fournier was left wide open for a three to start the game, but even if he was defended he probably would have knocked it down. His movement off the ball was great and created space off the dribble to boot. The French wing didn’t need much separation to punish Boston, and he drove frequently enough to keep the defense honest as well.
Check out Fournier’s rebound total, it’s a dead giveaway that his defensive effort was on another level compared to his norm. Fournier did run into some trouble with frequent switches onto Tatum and some mix-ups with Immanuel Quickley over whether or not to switch. But the scoring wing proved that he can play respectable defense when setting his mind to it. Fournier grabs a 5 out of 5 for keeping New York alive until Randle and RJ woke up.
Julius Randle: 22 PTS (8/20, 2/8 3PT, 4/6 FT), 2 AST, 8 REB, 2 STL in 38 mins
Julius Randle struggled with his jumper for most of three quarters. That problem was compounded by the fact that he relied on face-ups and jump shots for most of the first half despite being guarded predominantly by Jalen Brown. But as soon Randle started taking the ball to the basket, good results followed.
Randle started to attack inside late in the second quarter and would continue to do so for the rest of the game. He sent Celtic defenders tumbling to the floor and finished around the help. The Knicks’ star also grabbed a couple of important offensive boards. He was an absolute force whenever he attacked inside.
The beginning of this match-up was worrisome. Randle had a mismatch but didn’t exploit his advantage. But he kicked into gear and stuck with what was working once he found it. He even hit jump shots when he needed to late in the game. His performance wasn’t perfect, but his effort was there and that’s a promising sign. Randle grabs a 3 out of 5 for his big night.
Mitchell Robinson: 7 PTS (3/3 FG), 4 REB, 2 STL, 2 TO in 27 mins
Mitchell Robinson’s numbers don’t tell the full story of his performance. He set quality screens and was free around the basket often. Unfortunately, teammates rarely took advantage of Mitch as a roll man which allowed Robert Williams to roam and block their shots. The blocks also meant fewer opportunities for New York’s big man to clean up the glass.
Robinson’s defense wasn’t bad, but his shot-blocking didn’t get much chance to make an appearance. The Knicks’ defensive scheme dared Boston to make shots, which they did for the better part of three quarters. Dennis Schroder was the only Celtic to drive with any frequency, and he faced New York’s second unit for the most part.
Robinson was better than his numbers suggest. But he was also far from the best version of himself. Boston attacked the perimeter and New York’s ball handlers establish Mitch inside. That left him with limited opportunities to have an impact, though he did come up with a huge dunk late. Robinson gets a 2 out of 5 for a decent performance, but one that was forgettable for the most part.
Immanuel Quickley adds a spark off the Knicks bench
Immanuel Quickley: 16 PTS (6/12 FG, 3/5 3PT, 1/1 FT), 3 AST, 1 STL, 2 TO in 25 mins
After Evan Fournier and Julius Randle helped put the game within reach, it was Immanuel Quickley’s turn for some heroics. The microwave scorer hit the floor in the second half and quickly piled on points off an array of moves. He hit threes when defenders went under screens, floaters when he got inside the arc, and one massive lay-up late in the game.
IQ seemed like he had it going even in the first half. He didn’t see as many touches during that stretch, however. The ball kept finding its way into a clearly tired Alec Burks’ hands with Quickley looking like a second option for the bench unit. But the sophomore scored often enough early to warrant more action late. He also defended better than the rest of the guards, though I do think fresher legs and weaker assignments helped.
It’s also worth mentioning that Quickley made some nice passes. He spotted cutters during his forays inside the arc that other players were missing. That didn’t always end well, as he clanged a lob off the rim that should have been two points for Obi. But IQ provided enough playmaking to go with his scoring and defensive play. The sophomore gets a 3.5 out of 5 for some fourth-quarter heroics and an overall strong night.
Quentin Grimes: 0 PTS (0/1 FG, 0/1 3PT), 1 REB in 6 mins
Quentin Grimes had a rough go of it. He entered the game and immediately had the task of guarding Jayson Tatum. Grimes likes to play help defense, but every time he cheated off Tatum that would hurt the team. After giving up a pair of threes and some points inside, Grimes was benched for the rest of the night. It was an unfortunate hard lesson for our rookie.
Obi Toppin: 0 PTS (0/1 FG), 3 REB in 10 mins
The Knicks don’t have a point guard and Obi Toppin seems to be suffering more than anyone else on the team for it. Toppin doesn’t get many plays called for him, so he relies on teammates finding him on free runs and cuts inside. I think that’s an error on Tom Thibodeau’s part. Toppin deserves at least a post-up or two to try and get going.
But without seeing many touches, Toppin was relegated to a hardly visible presence on the floor. The one time Obi had a lane inside, Immanuel Quickley’s lob was off target. Thibs ended Obi’s night after just ten minutes, relying on Julius Randle who played a big role in the comeback. I didn’t mind it considering Obi’s limited impact, but I’d have liked to see some opportunities for Toppin.
Taj Gibson: 6 PTS (3/3 FG), 3 AST, 4 REB, 1 STL in 21 mins
The same issues Mitchell Robinson applied to Taj Gibson by and large. He may not have an explosive stat-line, but he worked hard and had a solid night. Gibson was part of the late-game run that saw New York make its comeback. His part in that run was mainly as the screen man and a big body to chase the boards, but there was one wrinkle worth mentioning.
I’ve mentioned Gibson making short rolls off screens before. He’s adept at receiving the ball at the nail and making quick decisions. It’s a simple play that draws defenders to him and allows for quick passes outside. The three assists on his line were well earned as he dotted the outside with passes from this scheme.
But Gibson’s presence was still muted by the perimeter nature of this game. He didn’t leap off the screen even for physicality which I typically like to highlight. Taj did provide a little bit of everything though. He took what the defense gave him whenever the opportunity presented itself. That leaves Gibson at a 2 out of 5 for a solid outing off the bench with a new signature play in hand.
Thibodeau tightens the rotation and steals a win:
Tom Thibodeau: I can’t say I was entirely thrilled with Tom Thibodeau’s night, despite the thrilling comeback. He played it safe to a fault, relying on his core pieces to the extent that they looked exhausted at times. Miles McBride never got off the bench despite the fact that he’d have been a perfect pressure defender to slow down Schroder. Grimes and Obi got opportunities, but barely and Thibodeau didn’t trust them with New York’s slim margin for error.
That meant Alec Burks’ defense faded as he chased fresh guards off the bench and three starters were around 40 minutes of total playtime. It’s a less than ideal situation, especially when many of Thibodeau’s bench options are back. He may not have a true point guard, but that shouldn’t mean leaving Burks out there to the point of diminishing returns (at least not when Quickley is having such a great game).
I should also credit Thibodeau for a few things though. The defense at the point of attack clearly improved out of halftime. He made the right call trying to challenge a missed continuation on a shot, but that wasn’t allowed. Overall, he wasn’t bad but the safe approach feels like one that will leave players fatigued before long. Thibodeau notches 2.5 out of 5 for snatching the victory after letting New York build an epic deficit.
Closing Thoughts
It’s beginning to feel like momentum is building and play is improving. That might sound crazy after New York barely comes back from down 25 to a play-in opponent, but that’s where we’re at. This is the softest part of the Knicks’ entire schedule, and they’ve begun to take advantage exactly as they must. More importantly, Randle’s effort is picking up, RJ Barrett’s aggression has picked up, and Evan Fournier is averaging 18 points over his last 10 games.
If the Knicks were going to lose key ball-handlers and bigs, this was probably the best time for it. Weaker opponents have allowed players to step out of their comfort zones and have effective games. Alec Burks as lead ball-handler, Barrett as lead-scorer, and Quickley leading the bench are all works in progress that we’d never have seen without the oddities of this season. It could be a blessing in disguise that leaves the Knicks more dynamic than before.
And I haven’t even mentioned the defense. That’s harder to project considering the depleted opposition for many of these games, but it’s starting to round into form as well. There’s plenty of time to push into a more comfortable spot in the playoff race and everything feels like it’s making progression…or maybe it’s just that soft spot in the schedule feeding us a dream.
The Knicks head to Boston for an immediate rematch against an opponent that is probably fired up and vengeful. That’s the perfect opportunity for New York to show that they’re really turning a corner. They can’t afford another slow start away from the comforts of home. We’ll see if there are more signs that this team is building toward a second-half of the season run or if they’re still stuck in the mud. See you next time Knicks fam!
Stay tuned to KnicksFanTV.com for the latest Knicks news, rumors, and recaps throughout the 2021-22 NBA season. In case you missed it, check out the analysis and fan reactions from when the Knicks defeated the Indiana Pacers.
