The New York Knicks defeated the Indiana Pacers 138-129. New York put on an offensive clinic with three players scoring over 30 points!
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The New York Knicks took down the Indiana Pacers 138 to 129 in a battle of the reserves. New York didn’t have three key players: Jalen Brunson, Julius Randle, and RJ Barrett. That set the stage for Immanuel Quickley, Quentin Grimes, and Obi Toppin to step up in their absence. All three young Knicks rose to the occasion with 30-point performances.
As the score suggests, defense barely appeared for most of the action. But New York was under control for the entire matchup. Even when the Pacers briefly took leads, the Knicks responded to every run and put the game away in the fourth.
New York’s playoff position is locked, which created a chance for the youth to shine. This game had the energy of an All-Star exhibition or a Summer League game. So I won’t go too in-depth, but let’s explore the fun victory.
A big three 30-point performances lead the way for the Knicks’ starters
Immanuel Quickley: 39 PTS (14/26 FG, 7/13 3PT, 4/5 FT), 9 AST, 6 REB, 2 STL, 2 TO in 40 mins
Immanuel Quickley started the game off by feeding dimes to Mitchell Robinson and knocking down threes. He made offense look easy throughout the game, dominating the Pacers’ defense. IQ’s been a critical player for New York all season, so it’s no surprise he controlled the action here.
Quickley’s playmaking stood out above everything else. He set up Obi and Mitch for success inside, then drove to kick out to Grimes for open looks. Plenty of players stepped up, but IQ looked like the best player on the court. He gets a 5 out of 5 for overwhelming Indy.
Quentin Grimes: 36 PTS (14/23 FG, 5/13 3PT, 3/4 FT), 5 AST, 6 REB, 3 STL, 1 TO in 43 mins
I hope Quentin Grimes has taken a leap rather than hit a hot streak. He’s been shooting confidently for a few weeks; as a result, his offense looked dominant against weaker competition.
By establishing his three-point threat early, Grimes created plenty of opportunities to step past closeouts and hit the paint. In addition, he threw in some extra off-ball cuts when defenders fell asleep. The sophomore is known for sharpshooting; nevertheless, his best work occurred inside the arc as he shot 9/10 there.
Grimes also brought some aggression on defense. He added 3 steals and pressed Benedict Mathurin to repeat unforced errors and bad shots. Grimes looked overqualified for this game, earning a 4.5 out of 5 for his monstrous night.
Josh Hart: 6 PTS (2/5 FG, 1/2 3PT, 1/2 FT), 7 AST, 12 REB, 4 STL, 1 BLK, 3 TO in 37 mins
Josh Hart played his typical role but supercharged it with more assists, rebounds, and steals in his additional minutes. He didn’t expand his offense or show anything new, but his production never slowed.
Hart’s 5 field goal attempts against the weak competition is the mark of his fit with this team because he doesn’t need shots to play a critical role. As usual, he focused on grabing boards and moving the ball, which allowed every other starter to feast on Indy’s weak defense. He gets a 3.5 out of 5 for the night.
Obi Toppin: 32 PTS (11/18 FG, 5/12 3PT, 5/5 FT), 6 AST, 3 REB, 1 STL, 4 TO in 43 mins
Obi Toppin made scoring look easy throughout his night. He started by knocking down catch-and-shoot threes but added some surprisingly smooth pull-up jumpers at a distance. Obi didn’t grab many boards but consistently beat the Pacers down the floor for transition dunks.
Toppin added a dimension of pace and athleticism to the Knicks’ offense. The big man was in perpetual motion off the ball but made extra passes when he received the rock. For example, he’d catch the ball mid-cut, then find another cutter across the lane.
I want to see Obi get significant minutes in meaningful games. We’ve seen him consistently dominate teams in late-season action for two years now. Toppin receives a 4 out of 5 for his work.
Mitchell Robinson: 14 PTS (6/13 FG, 2/7 FT), 1 AST, 16 REB, 2 STL, 7 BLK, 2 TO in 30 mins
Mitchell Robinson was a tone-setter for New York. He started the game in multiple post-ups and dominated the paint. Unfortunately, Indiana didn’t have anyone strong enough to keep Mitch from establishing position right under the rim. So, the early action leaned heavily on Robinson drawing defenders in the middle and everyone else feasting from the perimeter.
Blockinson showed off the reason for his moniker with 7 blocks. He grabbed 16 rebounds along the way, including nine on the defensive end. His unstoppable presence inside made life easier for everyone else. Mitch gets a 4 out of 5 for a great night.
Not much from New York’s second unit
Miles McBride: 3 PTS (1/6 FG, 0/3 3PT, 1/2 FT), 3 AST, 1 TO in 13 mins
Miles McBride couldn’t buy a bucket. He missed open threes and even a dunk attempt. But he flashed some nice handles, beating players off the dribble and picking up assists in the ensuing chaos. He needed to add scoring to earn more time.
Evan Fournier: 0 PTS (0/3 FG, 0/3 3PT), 1 AST, 1 STL in 11 mins
Evan Fournier looked rusty again. He didn’t pick his spots well, passing up good looks and shooting in awkward situations. His defense was rough too. So it’s no surprise his minutes were limited.
Isaiah Hartenstein: 8 PTS (4/6 FG), 2 AST, 7 REB, 1 TO in 18 mins
Isaiah Hartenstein contributed to some of the best ball movement in a game full of great passing sequences. Big Hart was either facilitating to cutters or receiving the ball off his own cuts. The big man may only have 2 assists on the ledger, but his passing impact loomed large during his minutes.
Hart took advantage of Indy’s lack of size, similar to Mitch. For instance, his 8 points all came at or around the rim. Robinson’s outstanding performance is the only reason I-Hart didn’t play a heavier dose of minutes. I’m sure Hartenstein would have produced with extra time; it simply wasn’t necessary. As a result, big Hart gets a 3.5 out of 5 for the night.
Jericho Sims: 0 PTS (0/0 FG), 2 REB in 5 mins
I spent some of the fourth quarter screaming for Jericho Sims to get a shot because I was panicking about the chance of Robinson hurting himself. He played a few minutes in the second quarter, but that was it. I’d like to see Sims get opportunities now that the playoff seed is decided.
Thibodeau takes “play the kids” to the extreme for a win
Knicks fans screamed to “play the kids” at Tom Thibodeau for two seasons. He did just that against Indiana. Thibodeau played his young core pieces as much as he typically plays Randle and Brunson. I’m not sure that’s a great idea with the playoffs around the corner, but it did show off the development of those young men.
Everyone on the roster is moving with confidence, from the starters to the 12th man. It’s fun to watch, even when the games don’t matter. I’m curious how Thibodeau tunes up the rotation in the final two games. He gets a 4 out of 5 for giving us all the youth movement he could muster.
Closing Thoughts
This win feels like a great example of this season’s fun journey. Young players stepped up, and it felt like a matter of time before the Pacers couldn’t keep up with New York’s onslaught. Of course, the fact that the Knicks have locked up their playoff spot made it all the more enjoyable.
The next few games will be about having fun and preparing for the series against Cleveland. There won’t be much to break down, so I’ll take a break for the final two games and return the recaps when the games matter again. But in the meantime, we’ll get to see the young players that have been drafted for the future.
New Orleans is next, and they’re chasing playoff position. That should make a fun test for New York’s youth. Then it’s one more game with Indy before we go to Cleveland for the first round. So let’s enjoy the ride and look forward to playoff basketball, Knicks fam!
Stay tuned to KnicksFanTV.com for the latest Knicks news, rumors, and recaps throughout the NBA season. And in case you missed it, check out Knicks Weekly, where CP and Alex discuss the good, the bad, and the ugly from the previous week!
