The New York Knicks took down the Brooklyn Nets 103-95. Jalen Brunson finally had an off night, but Deuce McBride and Donte DiVincenzo picked things up to win.
The New York Knicks took down their cross-town rivals, the Brooklyn Nets, 105-93. Jalen Brunson had a rare off-performance, but Deuce McBride and Donte DiVincenzo picked him up to take the win.
Saturday matinees always come with surprises, and this was no different. The game was close through three quarters, but the Knicks stepped on the gas in the fourth quarter for the victory. The Knicks missed open looks and bunnies in the first half and played sloppy basketball in the third quarter. But their defense kicked into gear in the fourth quarter, holding the Nets to just two field goals until late in the quarter, when the game was already decided.
New York turned a close game into a garbage-time celebration in the nick of time. Let’s see how the Knicks took back 4th place.
The Knicks’ starters beat Brooklyn on the wings
Jalen Brunson: 17 PTS (7/24 FG, 3/4 3PT), 8 AST, 4 REB, 1 STL, 1 TO in 33 mins
Jalen Brunson couldn’t buy a bucket. The Nets bumped and prodded him on every trip down the court, but he still got to the basket for plenty of bunnies and decent looks. He simply missed shots that he virtually always makes. Brunson found a saving grace in the three-ball, as his jumper proved more reliable than anything inside the arc.
Poor shooting didn’t mean everything else was bad. Brunson did a good job as a floor general, finding open players and making smart passes. His shot selection left a little to be desired, but his passing was on point.
After Brunson demolished the Western Conference, he was bound to have a bad night sooner or later. He had a tough game, but it’s nice to see his teammates step up. Brunson gets a 1.5 out of 5 for a rare low-performance score.
Miles McBride: 26 PTS (9/16 FG, 6/12 3PT, 2/2 FT), 3 AST, 2 REB, 1 STL in 48 mins
Miles McBride picked the offense up with his shooting through three quarters. Deuce hit his first three attempts from deep, opening the game with a scoring burst. He settled into more typical shooting numbers but began mixing in forays into the paint for finishes. His touch around the rim looked impressive on a transition finish.
Deuce’s defense and endurance are astounding. He stuck to Cam Thomas like glue, forcing the scorer to take tough shots for every basket. It’s even more impressive that McBride never rested. Once again, Deuce played from start to finish without many signs of slowing down.
I’ve waxed poetic about McBride’s growth before, but we need to start calling this a leap. He’s shooting 42% from three after never cracking 30% in his first seasons. His defense is incredible, and he plays tireless basketball for as long as the team needs. McBride gets a 4.5 out of 5 for his massive contribution.
Donte DiVincenzo: 31 PTS (12/24 FG, 4/13 3PT, 3/4 FT), 5 AST, 6 REB, 2 STL, 1 BLK, 2 TO in 41 mins
Donte DiVincenzo gave New York steady contributions through the first three quarters. He hit some threes and made a few nice passes, but nothing that leaped off the screen. That changed when he took over the fourth quarter. The Big Ragu opened the fourth by slicing through the lanes for pretty finishes in the paint and continued his scoring onslaught until the game was in hand.
DiVo didn’t limit his production to scoring. His assists included some dimes, like a transition pass to Jalen Brunson for a deep three. He chased down boards and played a disruptive role on defense. It was DiVincenzo’s most complete performance in weeks.
The Big Ragu put an exclamation point on the performance with a steal and dunk late. He stepped up for the struggling Brunson. It’s a nice reminder that DiVo can be a major contributor after he slowed down somewhat in March. DiVincenzo gets a 4.5 out of 5 for coming up big.
Josh Hart: 6 PTS (3/8 FG, 0/3 3PT, 0/1 FT), 5 AST, 13 REB, 1 STL, 1 BLK in 44 mins
Josh Hart started slow but gained momentum as the game wore on. Hart didn’t get as much going in transition but began to pile up plays where he chased down loose balls. It even backfired once when he saved a ball from going out of bounds but sent the ball right to an open Brooklyn Net.
Hart never found his jumper despite some wide-open looks. But he made up for the missed shots by outrebounding everyone. He and DiVincenzo combined for ten assists as tertiary playmakers. He often switched from Cam Johnson to Mikal Bridges, two very different types of offensive players. But he guarded both well.
The former Blazer provided New York with his typical Swiss Army knife contributions. He did a bit of everything to salvage an otherwise low-scoring night. Hart gets a 3 out of 5 for his all-around game.
Isaiah Hartenstein: 17 PTS (8/10 FG, 1/2 FT), 2 AST, 9 REB, 4 STL, 2 BLK, 3 TO in 26 mins
Isaiah Hartenstein’s floater showed up again, as he poured on 17 points in a limited time. He couldn’t miss once he received the ball in the paint. I-Hart is rolling to the basket more often than collecting the ball on short rolls and quick pivots. It means fewer dimes but a lot more points.
Hartenstein’s defense has made a full return to form. His rim protection is a combination of fearlessness and great hands. But those hands are even more impressive when he’s poking the ball away from slashers. I-Hart has a knack for getting a hand out even as he’s dropping into the paint.
I-Hart’s near double-double played a big role in the win. He thoroughly outplayed Nic Claxton at both ends of the floor. Hartenstein gets a 4 out of 5 for big production in less than 30 minutes.
New York’s second unit loses Thibs’ trust
Alec Burks: 5 PTS (2/9 FG, 1/5 3PT, 0/1 FT), 1 AST, 1 REB in 15 mins
Alec Burks couldn’t get the three-pointer to fall, which limited his impact. All but one of his attempts from deep came on good looks, but he only made one shot. Burks did well to get downhill for a finish with a foul, but the rest of his shots in the arc were no better than his threes.
Without scoring efficiently, Burks had little else to contribute. He was back to turning most of his touches into quick shot attempts, with playmaking as an afterthought. I don’t blame him so much since the Nets left him open often. But he has to make the shots count.
Burks can’t catch a consistent rhythm. I see improvement in his shot quality, but until shots fall, it won’t matter. He gets a 1.5 out of 5 for another tough shooting night.
Bojan Bogdanovic: 3 PTS (1/2 FG, 1/2 3PT), 1 REB, 1 TO in 7 mins
Bojan Bogdanovic is in the same boat as Burks. He got a pair of open looks, but that was it for his performance. He didn’t do enough elsewhere to warrant more time while not scoring. So, Thibodeau pulled the plug on Bojan early and sat him out the second half.
Precious Achiuwa: 0 PTS (0/2 FG, 0/1 3PT, 0/2 FT), 1 AST, 3 REB in 7 mins
I didn’t expect Precious Achiuwa to join Bogdanovic in the dog house. But his offense never got going, and I wonder if a top-of-the-key three-point attempt got him in trouble. Precious grabbed a few boards, at least, but he never locked in like we’re used to.
It’s worth noting that the Nets had size, which gave the Knicks some trouble early. The Nets were ahead in the rebound battle at halftime, so maybe that contributed to Thibodeau going bigger in the second half.
Jericho Sims: 0 PTS (0/2 FG), 7 REB, 1 STL, 2 TO in 18 mins
Jericho Sims drove me crazy in the first half but did a better job in the second. He missed a pair of bunnies and turned the ball over with some glaring moving screens. But Sims’ size and strength showed up on the boards.
There’s not much to write about Sims, who quietly compiled seven boards but not much else. He was a solid presence in the second half, moving around and making simple plays, but he didn’t do much to stand out. Sims gets a 2 out of 5 for giving New York some size.
Tom Thibodeau does what he must to get a win
Tom Thibodeau benched most of his second unit in the second half. It seems a bit crazy against a weak opponent after a long road trip, but it got the job done. I’m hoping it also sent a message to the benched parties, Burks, Bojan, and Precious. They can’t let their foot off the gas against weaker competition.
Thibodeau would do well to wind down the minutes for key players before the playoffs. But it’s a race for the fourth seed right now, so I can’t blame him for doing everything necessary to ensure victory.
Closing Thoughts:
The Knicks are back in the fourth seed with 12 games left on the schedule. Their next three games are against non-playoff opponents before things get tough down the stretch. They need to get these wins.
But I’m fairly confident they’ll take these games. The matinee felt like a trap game, while the next three feel reasonable to expect wins. Then the schedule will heat up, but hopefully, New York has a cushion to work with. Also, hopefully, the missing frontcourt begins to come back.
The playoffs are less than a month away, and I’m excited, but we need the frontcourt back to truly make noise. I’ll see you next time, Knicks fam!
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