The New York Knicks defeated the Detroit Pistons 140-110. The Knicks were in command the entire night and looked in rhythm.
Make sure to catch the whole Knicks Fan TV Postgame show on all major podcast platforms below:
• Spotify
• Apple Podcasts
• Google Podcasts
• Stitcher
The New York Knicks took care of business in Detroit, beating the Pistons 140 to 110. The team rallied around a big night for Julius Randle, with many others scoring efficiently. Shooters were able to find a rhythm, and hopefully, they’ll keep it up with a tougher opponent tomorrow. Unfortunately, the team’s defense was less impressive, as Detroit’s shooters were left open too often.
This was a nice win against a tanking team. However, with a game tonight, and less to glean from playing a weak opponent, I’ll keep the recaps shorter and focus on new developments or anything we’ll hope carries over to the Bucks match-up.
Shooters come to life for New York’s starters
Jalen Brunson: 16 PTS (6/8 FG, 2/2 3PT, 2/2 FT), 5 AST, 1 REB, 1 STL, 1 TO in 18 mins
Jalen Brunson enjoyed a shortened night (thanks to a blowout victory) but still produced an impressive stat line. He had no trouble attacking the lane, particularly with hesitation moves and change-of-pace attacks. Brunson’s jumper is also coming to life as he knocked down his two long-range attempts.
There’s not much else to note about the Knicks’ leader. He was in control of the action whenever he asserted himself. Brunson gets a 4 out of 5 for so much production in such short order.
Quentin Grimes: 16 PTS (6/7 FG, 3/4 3PT, 1/1 FT), 2 AST, 6 REB, 2 STL in 28 mins
Quentin Grimes started the game with a pair of steals but also picked up a few fouls chasing Bojan Bogdanovic around. Grimes defended well, but guarding bigger wings is more challenging. That will be interesting to watch since Tom Thibodeau now has two defensive options against wings with Cam Reddish back.
The most important development for Grimes was that his shot was falling. He found a rhythm at range without letting up on his forays into the paint for lay-ups and dimes. He played how we’ve quickly gotten used to, but with the addition of threes. Grimes receives a 3.5 out of 5.
RJ Barrett: 16 PTS (4/11 FG, 2/5 3PT, 6/8 FT), 3 AST, 4 REB in 24 mins
RJ Barrett had a solid but relatively forgettable performance. Nevertheless, his offense is beginning to trend in the right direction for two reasons. First, he’s finally knocking down threes when he has space to get into his form. Second, he’s more selective with his attacks inside the paint, leading to smart passes and easier attempts. That will pay off when he plays longer minutes.
Unfortunately, RJ’s most memorable plays were mistakes. For one, he got beat off the dribble by Kevin Knox, which is never a good look. Barrett also missed some shots badly, though two of his worst looks came at the end of a shot clock. Nonetheless, Barrett’s performance is suitable for a 2.5 out of 5, and he’s showing promise again but needs to show more.
Julius Randle: 36 PTS (14/24 FG, 6/13 3PT, 2/4 FT), 5 AST, 7 REB, 1 STL, 3 TO in 31 mins
Julius Randle knocked down four threes before four minutes had passed. His jumper was locked in, though his field goal percentage would be even more pristine without a few heat checks. The big man also ate inside, barreling through defenders when they tried to close out. But beware, he got loose with the ball for some turnovers and shoddy shots as he hunted for whistles.
Randle’s mistakes were understandable in this case. He had the hot hand, and the entire team fed him. Randle didn’t play greedy despite a few forces and heat checks. Instead, he moved the ball often enough to keep teammates involved. But there were flashes of old habits worth mentioning.
Randle picks up a 4.5 out of 5 for 36 points in 31 minutes, which is ridiculous. Now he has to prepare for a tough match-up with Giannis.
Mitchell Robinson: 6 PTS (3/6 FG), 2 AST, 13 REB, 2 STL, 1 BLK, 2 TO in 26 mins
Mitchell Robinson looks fully recovered. His movement was better in this game. The shot blocker was always in the right place to challenge slashers at the rim or force a turnover. Detroit bigs picked on New York’s drop coverage by knocking down multiple threes, but Mitch mitigated damage in the paint.
My following note is a continuation of recent recaps: as a whole, the team is finding Robinson more often. Both Grimes and Barrett picked out Mitch off baseline cuts and drives. It means easy buckets for Robinson and more assists for everyone else. So the big man gets a 3 out of 5 for dominant rebounding.
Contributions across the bench from the Knicks’ second-unit
Derrick Rose: 5 PTS (2/7 FG, 1/2 3PT), 2 AST, 3 REB, 1 STL, 2 TO in 25 mins
Derrick Rose’s minutes have become a complete mystery to me. He started to take on a more significant role in the offense and quickly needed a week off for injury. Then he played his most minutes of the season in just the second back from that toe injury. Adding to the intrigue, he wasn’t particularly good outside of a few flashes.
That’s not to say Rose was terrible, but 5 points and 2 assists in 25 minutes aren’t impressive. He had as many turnovers as assists and shot the ball poorly. At least he afforded Brunson and IQ some extra rest. Rose gets a 1.5 out of 5 for a tough night, but maybe a necessary one to get back into rhythm.
Immanuel Quickley: 15 PTS (7/12 FG, 0/2 3PT, 1/1 FT), 4 AST, 1 REB, 3 TO in 22 mins
Immanuel Quickley was back from a knee injury and just as elusive as he was before leaving the Memphis game. IQ finished a lot of impressive lay-ups with players on his hip or challenging his attempts. While he didn’t register a three, the young guard hit a shot with his foot on the line.
If there’s an outlier in his performance, it’s the turnovers. He’d kept the turnovers to a minimum in recent efforts but got his pocket picked a couple of times by Detroit’s defenders. But his performance was still good enough for a 3 out of 5.
Cam Reddish: 6 PTS (2/6 FG, 0/3 3PT, 2/2 FT), 1 REB in 17 mins
Cam Reddish only needed to knock down his open threes for a much more impressive stat line. He didn’t force anything to his credit and still had a pair of slick finishes on offense. But his seventeen minutes lacked the rebounding or playmaking to cover for a poor shooting night.
That said, I like how Reddish moved the ball instead of forcing the issue. He didn’t chase points and showed good shot selection. He still seems to have found a good rhythm in the offense, even on a weak night. Cam gets a 1.5 out of 5, but he’s doing just fine.
Obi Toppin: 8 PTS (3/4 FG, 2/3 3PT), 2 AST, 3 REB in 18 mins
Obi Toppin ought to play more in a blowout. But Julius Randle was cooking, so Tom Thibodeau trimmed the younger big man’s minutes. Toppin was good in his limited minutes. He hit a couple of fourth-quarter threes, and of course, he blessed us with a highlight dunk.
Obi’s game was fine, but I’m worried that most of his minutes came in the extended garbage time. Hopefully, Thibodeau will utilize the talented prospect more on the second night of this back-to-back.
Isaiah Hartenstein: 8 PTS (3/4 FG, 2/3 FT), 1 AST, 5 REB, 1 STL, 2 TO in 14 mins
Isaiah Hartenstein played well in a limited time. IQ passed to Hart faster in pick-and-roll situations. New York’s other bigs received the ball right at the rim, but Hart is better when he can take a dribble into the paint and potentially make a read. The big man can pass well, which sparks movement from everyone else.
There’s not much else to say for fourteen minutes of work. Hartenstein’s hustle was impressive, with him batting loose balls around and chasing every board. But we already know about that aspect of his game. Hart gets a 2.5 out of 5 for the night.
Jericho Sims: 6 PTS (3/3 FG), 1 AST, 6 REB, 1 TO in 6 mins
Jericho Sims only played six minutes of garbage time, but look at his production. The youngster seems out of the rotation, but his talent makes that a tough pill to swallow.
A rare easy night for Tom Thibodeau
It’s hard to pick on Tom Thibodeau for a thirty-point blowout. He even managed to get rest for most players, with Randle playing more minutes due to his hot hand. My question for Thibodeau would be, “why choose this performance to force extra minutes on Rose?” But as long as Rose isn’t a DNP in the next game, I won’t be mad about it.
There’s no easy answer for some of the logjam questions that Thibs will face. It’s impossible to find ample time for three pure centers. His best scorers are his worst defenders, which makes balancing the rotation challenging. But Thibs did okay with this one and earned a 2.5 out of 5 for the easy work.
Closing Thoughts
The Knicks were supposed to win this game. The Pistons sat their two best players, and New York handled the game as they should. The real test comes with the Bucks in front of the MSG crowd. The team’s defense still looked shoddy, even against depleted Detroit, so I’m nervous about this next match-up.
I would happily take New York playing a competitive 48 minutes, regardless of the result. I just want to see these players compete and show pride against a genuinely elite opponent. Of course, a win would be a remarkable statement, but I’m even more focused on how the team’s play trends. Of course, they can look good against Detroit, but what about Milwaukee?
We’ll discuss it after the action and see what direction the team is taking. I’ll see you after the next game, 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 the analysis and fan reactions from when the Knicks played the Memphis Grizzlies!
