The New York Knicks built a quick lead against the Charlotte Hornets and never looked back. Also, Obi Toppin shined bright in this victory.
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The Knicks sprinted to a quick lead and never looked back against the Charlotte Hornets, winning 121-106. New York moved the ball beautifully, setting their season-high with 30 assists on the night. They started early with a barrage of three-pointers and felt comfortably in control of this game throughout the action. Best of all, this was a victory led by two current top-ten selections and complimented by a young second-unit.
The free-moving ball led to a faster pace for everyone. The Knicks were out on the break, or the ball whipped around the perimeter. They shot over 50% from the field and 44% from three. New York presented the fans with many highlight-reel plays, dunks, dimes, and a broken longstanding team record. Let’s look back at the impacts of each individual.
RJ Barrett and Obi Toppin propel the Knicks’ starters:
Alec Burks: 17 PTS (5/11 FG, 3/6 3PT, 4/5 FT), 3 AST, 7 REB, 2 STL, 1 BLK, 1 TO in 33 mins
Alec Burks’ hot shooting continued, with another efficient game built around catch and shoot threes. He didn’t have to overextend himself with so much of the offense rolling. That allowed Burks to settle in and pick his spots to do damage.
Burks filled the stat sheet from every angle. He added a few assists on his handful of pick-and-roll attacks, grabbed rebounds, and contributed a pair of steals and a block. But don’t let the defensive tallies fool you because Burks still has work to do on that end. If I had one point of frustration in Burks’ performance, it’s that he dropped under screens too often when LaMelo had the ball.
I won’t linger on the one issue I had with Burks for too long, though. He played a strong game by scoring when he was open and moving the ball otherwise. I don’t have much to say because this game reflects Burks’ strengths. It all happened to come together for this game. Burks gets a 3 out of 5 for a strong game.
Evan Fournier: 12 PTS (4/14 FG, 4/10 3PT), 7 AST, 1 REB, 2 TO in 34 mins
Evan Fournier splashed multiple threes in the first quarter, which left him tied with John Starks for a Knicks’ player’s single-season record from three. He might have gotten nervous from there because he kept getting good looks but missed quite a few. But the ball continued to find Fournier until he hit his fourth long-range shot, setting a new record from three.
Ironically, it’s not Fournier’s jump shot that made his performance pop. Instead, his playmaking was truly impressive. The French wing took the lane and fed bigs, kicked the ball out for shooters, and made extra swing passes when better shots were available. In addition, he was throwing dimes, which continues his uptick as a playmaker in recent efforts.
I’m going to forego criticisms on a record-breaking night for Fournier. His season started out tough, but he has settled into the sharpshooting role. His chemistry with Obi Toppin was as surprising as it was effective because we rarely see those two share the court. Their two-man game was organic and fun. Congratulations to Evan Fournier for making history in blue and orange. I’m giving him a 2.5 out of 5 for his quality night, with the score dipping due to his 4/14 shooting.
RJ Barrett: 30 PTS (10/19 FG, 3/7 3PT, 7/8 FT), 3 AST, 3 REB, 1 STL, 2 TO in 38 mins
RJ Barrett bounced back from an inefficient game against Atlanta. He hit his shots, made his free throws, and took care of the ball against the Hornets. The rising star had kept up his attacks inside but complimented that with strong three-point shooting. The combination made him a nightmare to guard as players couldn’t contain him.
I think it’s worth pointing out that Barrett got picked off when he looked to make the baseline kick. It seems like teams have keyed on this pass, particularly in this back-to-back. Yet, he adjusted and limited the turnovers this time is an immediate sign of growth. His assist numbers are lower these past two nights, but part of that is losing one of his favorite reads.
This marked RJ’s second thirty-point effort in a row and his third in five games. The crazy part is that one of those games was among his weaker recent performances. He looks the part of an engine for an offense because he can drive inside almost at will. Barrett has arrived. He gets a 4 out of 5 for the efficient thirty.
Obi Toppin: 18 PTS (8/11 FG, 2/4 3PT), 6 AST, 11 REB, 1 STL, 1 BLK in 40 mins
No one benefited from the pace and passing more than Obi Toppin. He started the game by driving for a pair of nice lefty finishes. Then Obi settled in with some familiar dunks off fast breaks and baseline cuts. Next, he knocked down two threes from the corners, looking comfortable and in rhythm. Then Obi put the bow on his performance with a ridiculous alley-oop jam.
But Toppin’s scoring wasn’t the whole story. He whipped beautiful passes to shooters and cutters. Obi’s hangtime allowed him to make reads even when defenders met him at the basket. He also took command of the glass, leading all rebounders and posting a double-double. The prospect even put together a solid defensive performance.
I’m having a hard time coming up with a better performance in Toppin’s NBA career. His overall production was phenomenal, and the Knicks desperately needed his rebounding to keep Charlotte at bay. Obi looked stronger, too, holding his place for box-outs and bumping off smaller defenders on switches. This was a promising performance that we’ve seen from the top-ten pick. Obi grabs a 4 out of 5 for this gem.
Jericho Sims: 10 PTS (5/5 FG), 1 AST, 3 REB, 1 TO in 26 mins
All five of Jericho Sims’ field goals were dunks. If the Knicks found him around the basket, Sims was slamming the rock home. It was a striking image for a rookie big man to feast against one of the Plumlee bros continually.
On the downside, Sims’ positioning on the floor is still a work in progress. It stood out most of all when Thibodeau went small, with Sims as the lone big man. The rookie often stepped toward ball-handlers, which left Charlotte to control the offensive glass. Sims has a great motor, but sometimes it causes him to rush the ball instead of holding position.
Tom Thibodeau cut Sims’ night short after a botched rotation. Sims stuck with a shooter and was late to get middle as Miles Bridges dunked. I thought a better hedge from Evan Fournier would have given Sims the necessary time to make a play. But Thibs will be Thibs, and that mistake got the rookie benched. So I’m still giving Jericho Sims a 2.5 out of 5 for the solid night against a true center.
New York’s second-unit provides long-range and defense
Immanuel Quickley: 10 PTS (4/9 FG, 2/6 3PT), 7 AST, 5 REB, 1 TO in 21 mins
Immanuel Quickley opened this game by whipping some lovely dimes around. It felt like he took command of the offense from the moment he took the floor. He visibly pointed out spots for players to cut and then dribbled those players open. IQ looked like a genuine point guard in the process.
Of course, Quickley added a healthy dose of scoring as well. He hit one of his patented floaters and finished a second drive along the way. The sophomore knocked down a pair of threes, which always seems to open up the rest of his game. I’m not sure why he moved to the bench in the middle of the fourth, but he was playing well regardless.
Quickley’s new standard is a marriage of his microwave scoring with some clear playmaking. His reads have advanced throughout the season. But don’t forget that he’s also added a rebounding wrinkle. This is his eleventh straight game with four or more rebounds. IQ gets a 3.5 out of 5 for his quarterbacking the second unit.
Quentin Grimes: 3 PTS (1/6 FG, 1/5 3PT), 1 AST, 3 REB in 15 mins
I wasn’t mad at the shots that Quentin Grimes took. He looked off rhythm on a couple, but the shots were all good looks. The shots seemed to line up well, but several jumpers fell short. That can be a warning sign that a player’s legs aren’t getting into the shot, and Grimes is just back from the knee injury, so it makes sense.
Grimes’ defense made any missed jumpers easy to forgive. So it’s no surprise that the Knicks’ best rotations happen while Grimes is around. He seems telepathic with how quickly he anticipates the next pass and slides into position. It makes life easier for everyone that shares the court with him.
The brutal shooting caused Grimes to play just fifteen minutes. That’s not so bad, considering his return from injury and the back-to-back games. The rookie hasn’t looked the same since coming back, but repetitions will help. He’s on his way, and I’m looking forward to watching his return to form. Grimes gets a 1.5 out of 5 for brutal shooting.
Taj Gibson: 12 PTS (3/4 FG, 2/3 3PT, 4/4 FT), 1 AST, 5 REB, 1 STL, 1 BLK 22 mins
Taj Gibson managed to pick up Grimes’ slack from three. The big vet knocked down shots from either corner in his first stint. He would do some damage inside with a finish and some drawn free throws along the way. The big man wound up leading the bench in scoring.
Taj also showed off his defensive impact. He had similar issues to Jericho Sims when New York went small, giving up offensive rebounds in bunches. But once Taj had a second big body to help him, he anchored the middle while Grimes locked up the perimeter. The second-unit defense was fun to watch, which is a rare feat for defenders.
This felt more like the Taj we know and love. He was the veteran helping the young guys stay sharp. When the team needed some points, he provided the extra push. As much as we prefer to see youth at this juncture, Taj is a player I’ll always appreciate on the floor. Gibson nets himself a 2 out of 5 off the bench.
Miles McBride: 9 PTS (3/4 FG, 3/4 3PT), 1 AST, 2 REB in 11 mins
Since I don’t get to say it about Obi this time, I’ll move my slogan over to Deuce. Miles McBride deserved more minutes in this game. He was lethal on catch-and-shoot threes, even when close-outs were nearby. He used misdirection to get open off the dribble for his lone miss that barely rimmed out. But the rookie’s highlight of the game was a cross-court rifle to RJ for three.
That assist alone makes me curious about what McBride could do with more touches. His jump shot and vision show tantalizing potential whenever he plays for Westchester. Unfortunately, he only played eleven minutes. But his upside is clear as day, even in limited viewings.
Is this the Thibodeau effect or a coach with no other options?
Tom Thibodeau:
With the ball movement near perfection and the defense on a string, I was tempted to say, “okay, Thibs, I forgive you for the Hawks mishaps.” But I think his decision to bench Sims for one shoddy rotation brought me back to reality. He gave us plenty of looks at the young pieces on this team. But only when every other option was unavailable.
So Obi played 40 minutes, only after Randle was injured and small ball wouldn’t work. Sims got the start by default. Most personnel choices came down to the injury report. So do I praise Thibodeau for young players stepping up or bash him for waiting to use a rotation that gelled so nicely?
I’ll hedge my bets instead. Thibodeau did an excellent job with what he had, which may have resulted from playing a terrible defensive opponent. He stuck with what worked when Obi had success, and that’s about all I can ask for at this point. The young guys looked good, so there’s not much to complain about. Thibodeau gets a 2.5 out of 5 for an easy night of work.
Closing Thoughts
Games like this make me wonder about this upcoming offseason. The Hornets arrived on a five-game win streak with play-in implications, so this was no “gimme.” But the players that made their marks in this game have been blocked by the crowded roster construction. If the team is healthy, we don’t see Obi for extended touches or Sims and McBride at all.
That proves some of these logjams are unnecessary. We expected a trade deadline move or two, but the logjams stayed the same. Would it be worth it to attach assets to a contract or two that clears out playing time and some cap space? That’s never an easy judgment to make, and it’s probably even more complicated for a front office that would be admitting mistakes with the move. But forget ego, address this season’s disappointment with some spring cleaning (that’s easier said than done).
The Miami Heat are up next, and they’ve got their own drama coming off a loss to Golden State. If there’s one franchise that I’ll always loathe, it’s the team in Miami. So I’m rooting for the Knicks to increase their stress level and hurt some feelings. Hopefully, the young players continue to step up and show the front office that it’s their turn to be relied on. We’ll see if that narrative can continue after the next one, Knicks fam!
Stay tuned to KnicksFanTV.com for the latest Knicks news, rumors, and recaps throughout the 2021-22 NBA season. And in case you missed it, check out CP’s analysis of Tom Thibodeau’s likely return as the head coach for the New York Knicks.
