The New York Knicks crushed the Toronto Raptors 145-101. Mitchell Robinson made his return, but Deuce McBride stole the show with nine three-pointers.
The New York Knicks exploded for more points than they’ve had in more than 40 years, beating the Toronto Raptors 145-101. They led from start to finish in a victory that was never in doubt.
Deuce McBride tied the Knicks record for three-pointers in a quarter to get things started, but every starter helped along the way. The bench got a boost from the return of Mitchell Robinson, which seemed to energize everyone. The Knicks were so busy scoring that their first-half defense let up for a change. But Toronto could never keep up with the shooting barrage from New York.
The Knicks dominated again, scoring more points than they’ve tallied in over 40 years. Let’s take a victory lap, looking at each performance.
The Knicks’ starters can’t miss
Jalen Brunson: 26 PTS (11/19 FG, 2/6 3PT, 2/2 FT), 7 AST, 4 REB in 29 mins
Jalen Brunson made everything look easy. Toronto could blitz him with doubles, attack him with length, or try to contain him in isolation, but nothing worked. He picked apart double-teams with passes and looked unguardable in one-on-one situations. It’s the second game in a row that he seemed like he could score at will when necessary.
Brunson’s efficiency went beyond scoring. He picked up seven dimes without a turnover. The Knicks’ leader also chipped in four boards and drew a charge. He played a complete game without having to enter after the third quarter.
Brunson gets a 4 out of 5 in under 30 minutes.
Miles McBride: 29 PTS (10/17 FG, 9/14 3PT), 7 AST, 3 REB, 1 STL, 1 TO in 40 mins
Miles McBride set the tone for the night, knocking down a three to start the action. Then he hit another three, and another, and another. Deuce made six three-pointers in the first quarter, and even after cooling off, he found ways to score or contribute for the rest of the game.
McBride’s passing warrants attention. Deuce picked up dimes in a multitude of ways. He made swing passes from the weak side, lead passes in transition, and drive and kick dimes to Bogdanovic while leading the second unit. McBride’s shooting is the story, but his passing also looked impressive.
Deuce finished the night just like he started, with a three-pointer. He closed out a spectacular performance with 29 points on 17 attempts and seven assists to only one turnover. His only issue was struggling to defend Gary Trent’s strength on drives. McBride gets a 4.5 out of 5 for a fantastic game.
Donte DiVincenzo: 16 PTS (5/12 FG, 5/12 3PT, 1/2 FT), 2 AST, 5 REB, 2 STL, 2 BLK in 33 mins
Donte DiVincenzo followed his record-setting shooting night with another five three-pointers. With the Knicks’ offense rolling, DiVo didn’t have to create much for himself. He settled into a spacing and passing role, which meant he only took threes for field goal attempts.
I’m most impressed by DiVincenzo’s defense. The Knicks played their weakest defense in weeks, but DiVincenzo came out of halftime and defended like a playoff game. He blocked players from behind, picked pockets in one-on-one situations, and gave full effort despite the Knicks lead ballooning past 40 points.
The Big Ragu’s stats look pedestrian next to some of his teammates’ ridiculous output. But rest assured that he played well on both ends of the court. He let the game come to him and led by example on defense. DiVo gets a 4 out of 5 for the night.
Josh Hart: 7 PTS (3/5 FG, 1/3 3PT), 10 AST, 6 REB, 1 STL, 2 TO in 34 mins
Josh Hart “only” played 34 minutes, which looks like good rest for the Knicks’ undersized power forward. He still showed off the hallmarks of his successful run at PF. Hart chased rebounds, whipped dimes around, and drove for points when the defense forgot he could score.
Hart threw my favorite pass of the night. He grabbed a defensive rebound out of a crowd of bigger guys and immediately turned to whip an outlet pass to Jalen Brunson on the break. Hart’s awareness doesn’t get talked about enough. He always seems to know where his teammates are going.
Hart gets a 3.5 out of 5 for contributing a little of everything to the win.
Isaiah Hartenstein: 15 PTS (5/6 FG, 5/5 FT), 1 AST, 4 REB, 1 STL, 1 BLK, 1 TO in 19 mins
Isaiah Hartenstein looked untouchable in the paint. Toronto didn’t have enough size to keep him from scoring on nearly every touch around the rim. I-Hart showed off his floater again, but most buckets came on good old-fashioned dunks.
I-Hart’s rebounding didn’t stand out for a change, but his presence did. The Raptors consistently needed two bodies to keep him off the glass. One player would box Hartenstein out while a second Raptor chased the board. It worked, but it must have been exhausting.
Hartenstein’s defense lived up to his reputation. He controlled the inside at both ends of the floor. I-Hart gets a 3 out of 5 and could have had more, but he earned extra rest in the blowout.
New York’s second unit dominates with Mitch
Bojan Bogdanovic: 18 PTS (7/11 FG, 4/5 3PT), 2 AST, 1 REB in 16 mins
Bojan Bogdanovic got his jumper going. He knocked down four threes, and even his field goals inside the arc came from pull-up jumpers and post-up fadeaways. He showed off the whole bag in terms of scoring.
Bogey turned nearly every touch into efficient production. He added two assists without a turnover, which is nice to see after I complained about him driving into traffic last time. He didn’t have to do too much in just 16 minutes, but 18 points and 2 assists is impressive in a short time.
Bogdanovic gets a 4 out of 5 for producing so many points in so few minutes.
Precious Achiuwa: 19 PTS (8/14 FG, 0/1 3PT, 3/3 FT), 3 AST, 13 REB, 1 STL, 2 BLK, 3 TO in 27 mins
If not for McBride’s hot shooting, Precious Achiuwa could have taken home the game ball. Achiuwa put together a revenge game, dominating the glass, finishing inside, and ending his performance with a dunk that had to wind up on Sportscenter’s top 10.
Precious controlled the paint just as well as his bigger teammates. The Raptors couldn’t keep him off the boards, as he compiled seven rebounds with plenty of putbacks. He patrolled the paint effectively on defense, blocking, and challenging shots all game.
Precious stayed on the floor when garbage time rolled around and paired with Shake Milton to continue New York’s dominance. He never let up and finished with a monstrous double-double. Achiuwa gets a 4.5 out of 5 for showing the Raptors he’s more than a throw-in on a trade.
Mitchell Robinson: 8 PTS (3/3 FG, 2/4 FT), 2 REB, 2 BLK, 3 TO in 12 mins
Mitchell Robinson returned to the Knicks and gave fans a few highlights. With his left hand, he drove from the top of the key to the rim, finishing a layup. Then he blocked a shot off the backboard and came down with it like an NBA Street character.
Mitch played limited minutes after returning from his foot injury, and the rust showed in some ways. His lateral movement looked awkward at times, but he was always effective. He didn’t dominate the boards, but he got good position often and simply mistimed some jumps. His timing will come, but the eight points and two blocks are plenty to be excited about.
Mitch gets a 3 out of 5, and I have to mention that Darko Rajakovic literally called him a “giant” in his post-game press conference.
Tom Thibodeau’s results are undeniable
The Knicks dominated from start to finish, so I only have two notes from Tom Thibodeau’s performance.
He let the Knicks know that he was taking Toronto seriously by challenging a foul call that would have given the Raptors a chance to make it a single-digit lead in the second quarter. It was a nice reminder to his team not to let up.
The second note is that Thibodeau went with a true “Allen Iverson” unit for part of the second quarter. He surrounded Jalen Brunson with the Knicks’ best defenders: Deuce McBride, Josh Hart, Precious Achiuwa, and Mitchell Robinson. The spacing was atrocious, but it worked, thanks to their shut-down defense and transition offense.
Closing Thoughts:
This Knicks’ victory felt fun despite never being in question. New York scored easily, Mitchell Robinson returned, and the rest of the league helped the Knicks out in the standings. The Cavs, Magic, Pacers, and Sixers all lost. That gave New York sole possession of third place and more cushion from the fourth, fifth, sixth, and eighth seeds.
The Knicks have put the league on notice, and Robinson’s return brings us closer to New York’s final form. I doubt a team in the league wants to see a healthy New York Knicks in a seven-game series. I can’t wait for the playoffs!
The Spurs are next in San Antonio, and that feels like a trap game since they’ve won two in a row. But considering the way the Knicks have played recently, I’m not concerned. I’ll see you next time, Knicks fam!
Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below! Stay tuned to KnicksFanTV.com for the latest Knicks news, rumors, and recaps throughout the NBA season. Subscribe to the newsletter for KFTV content and events, shop discounts, and more at bit.ly/kftvmail. And in case you missed it, check out CP The Fanchise discussing the state of the Knicks and more with The Athletic’s Mike Vorkunov.
