The New York Knicks demolish the Detroit Pistons 130-106. Both the starters and the bench had strong nights to cruise to victory.
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The New York Knicks gave the Garden crowd a show in their home opener, beating the Detroit Pistons 130 to 106. The Knicks got to work early. They led by ten points after one quarter and twenty by halftime. Detroit made a few runs to try and close the gap, but New York always had an answer.
The Knicks’ blitz started with a commitment to ball movement and crashing the boards. New York shot 52 percent from the field as a team, with 29 assists to show for it. They grabbed 50 rebounds and seemed to push the pace after every defensive possession, even when Detroit scored.
Last year, New York struggled to protect home court and dropped too many games to weaker opposition. This performance was hopefully a harbinger of things to come this season. Let’s look at how the Knicks took over this game.
Everyone thrives as New York’s starters call it an early night
Jalen Brunson: 17 PTS (6/11 FG, 2/4 3PT, 3/5 FT), 6 AST, 2 REB, 1 STL in 28 mins
I’m still getting used to New York with a true point guard at the helm. Jalen Brunson brings such a sense of control to the court that everyone else feels more composed around him. Brunson fed teammates enough for everyone to get their fill while mixing in his attack whenever defenders relaxed. An offense that seemed stale last season is brimming with attention as a creative maestro takes the reins.
Despite their close numbers, Jalen Brunson outperformed the young, hyped prospects at guard for the Pistons. He made Cade Cunningham nearly fall at one point and put Jaden Ivey in a blender with brilliant ball handling and footwork. But the most significant gap between the three guards was that the rookie and sophomore turned the ball over four times each. Brunson’s control over this game is best expressed by the goose egg in his turnover column.
The only inefficient part of Brunson’s game was his free-throw shooting. His defensive play was solid, but there are certain flaws we’ll have to live with from our diminutive ball-handler. None of that greatly reduced Brunson’s impact on this entire team. He was the embodiment of “makes teammates better.” For that, I’m giving Jalen Brunson a 4 out of 5.
RJ Barrett: 18 PTS (8/15 FG, 0/3 3PT, 2/2 FT), 4 AST, 3 REB, 1 BLK, 1 TO in 28 mins
RJ Barrett followed his poor shooting in the season opener by finding teammates to start his next effort. He’s got a knack for finding lobs for his bigs when the defense stacks against him. Barrett was methodic in his attack for most of the first half, letting things come to him before playing a more aggressive and equally successful role in the second half.
As Barrett took his time getting into a rhythm, his touch around the basket from the preseason returned. He finished acrobatically at times, letting momentum bring him past and around defenders. But we’re still waiting for his three-ball to return to that fluid and confident touch he exuded throughout the exhibitions.
This was an excellent performance from RJ Barrett, but hitting his open jumpers would have made it great. His shot selection vastly improved from game one, and his playmaking was the key to opening everything else up. I’d like to see him hit the glass more and knock down a three or two to complete performances like this. Barrett nets a 3.5 out of 5 for the performance.
Evan Fournier: 8 PTS (3/8 FG, 2/5 3PT), 2 AST, 1 REB, 1 STL, 1 BLK, 1 TO in 20 mins
I want to give Evan Fournier a lot of props for his effort in this game. He was moving to open spaces off the ball, driving into the lane, and finding teammates. Plus, he had some nice plays as a help defender. He had positive moments to complement the strong efforts of everyone else.
Despite playing hard, Fournier didn’t always play smart, and that made his defensive limitations stick out. Bojan Bogdanovic drove coast to coast on multiple occasions, while Fournier seemed like the closest defender every time. There were also several overzealous fouls from the French sharpshooter. The lapses are challenging for a player that received fewer opportunities to put a stamp on the offense.
So that leaves me in a tough spot. I don’t want to be too harsh on a guy that played hard and did a lot well. But I still believe that Jalen Brunson and RJ Barrett need a better defender to help on the perimeter. Fournier’s solid night and effort are worth a 2 out of 5 in my book, but I need to see more defensive impact before he solidifies the starting role.
Julius Randle: 15 PTS (5/12 FG, 2/3 3PT, 3/4 FT), 6 REB in 25 mins
I got nervous in the first quarter because the crowd had Julius Randle playing so fast that he had a few shoddy possessions. But as Randle settled into the energy, he returned to the form we’ve seen throughout preseason into that first game in Memphis.
I like that highlight because it starts with Randle getting overzealous, but his continuous effort is still rewarded in the end. That was how things went for most of the night as Randle clashed with a formidable defender in Saddiq Bey. It was important that Randle connected on his open looks at range because he had fewer opportunities in the paint.
But I do have a couple of complaints about Randle. I wasn’t happy with his help defense and rotations in this game. New York needs Randle’s concentration to remain high on that end for their perimeter players to stay afloat. The big man also failed to show his playmaking despite plenty of chances with the ball in his hands. Randle picks up a 2.5, but he’s a few tweaks from a much bigger impact.
Mitchell Robinson: 8 PTS (3/3 FG, 2/4 FT), 1 AST, 5 REB, 2 BLK, 2 TO in 23 mins
I’ll say this often throughout the season, but the stat line doesn’t do Mitchell Robinson’s performance justice. Detroit’s players consistently worked their way into the paint, but Robinson’s presence altered a ton of shots or forced last-minute passes. It left Mitch out of position to get boards but saved New York points.
The shot-blocking savant got to work on the offensive glass, grabbing four rebounds and causing a few extra loose balls for teammates to chase. Unfortunately, his teammates sometimes failed to spot him sealing against smaller defenders. Otherwise, he may have had more points along the way.
The big man was aggressive, sometimes to a fault, with a three-second violation early. But I can live with that because it came as Mitch showed improved footwork on the interior. He’s getting better positioning, using physicality, and feels poised for a breakout game soon. Nevertheless, Mitch gets a 2.5 out of 5 for contributions that the numbers don’t track.
The Knicks’ bench returns to form
Immanuel Quickley: 20 PTS (8/14 FG, 3/8 3PT, 1/1 FT), 7 AST, 7 REB, 3 TO in 27 mins
We finally got to see Immanuel Quickley back in rhythm and the tremendous promise that comes with it. Quickley must have gotten the same notes that Barrett received because he made a concerted effort to find teammates after missing too many reads against Memphis. His sharp passing and work on the boards got him extra touches with the defense off-balance or shifting to keep up with cutters that IQ would inevitably find if left alone.
Of course, Quickley’s best attribute is his ability to score. The sixth man picked up his first field goal on a baseline drive in an off-ball role. That helped him settle in, and he seemed confident in every shot he took from then on. My big relief was seeing IQ get back to draining three-pointers, even off the dribble.
There’s still work to be done, namely reducing the turnovers. Quick’s ability to attack with such variety can lead to some out-of-control moments. But we can take the good with the bad as long as he’s making possessions count. His defense and rebounding are consistent, and his scoring and playmaking still have more upside. IQ takes a 4 out of 5 from the explosive performance.
Derrick Rose: 13 PTS (4/6 FG, 3/4 3PT, 2/2 FT), 6 AST, 3 REB, 2 TO in 16 mins
Speaking of exploding, Derrick Rose knocked down a couple of three-pointers early that set the tone for a strong game. He found teammates off dribble penetration and threw clever full-court passes to spark transition buckets. Rose has an incredible knack for finding Obi behind the defense.
The veteran is still playing limited minutes, and maybe that’s for the best. His explosive first step isn’t quite there at the moment, so he’s beating his man but not creating space to fly as we’ve seen before. That leaves passing options open, but his finishing flare hasn’t popped yet.
D-Rose’s production is excellent for his limited time. Between scoring and assists, he produced over a point per minute on the floor. He’s a great playmaker to smooth things out when the young bench needs to settle down or speed things up when defenders are slowing down. Nevertheless, rose snags a 3.5 out of 5 for consistently producing while he was out there.
Cam Reddish: 6 PTS (3/8 FG, 0/2 3PT), 4 REB, 2 TO in 19 mins
Cam Reddish had an off night, mainly due to his jumper refusing to fall. But I wasn’t upset about his shot selection, and I’d encourage him to take almost every shot he tried against Detroit. He turned things up later on by driving past defenders and finishing in transition. When Cam plays fast, good results follow.
But there were some half-court woes to make a note of. Reddish turned the ball over twice while trying to force his way inside against a stacked defense. Cam also seems to be the guy that teammates are most likely to look off, which might be because he sometimes slows a possession down with the ball in his hands. But I hope that chemistry and trust grow with reps.
This wasn’t close to the fantastic performance we got in Memphis. But it also felt significantly better than any of Cam’s preseason work. His effort on defense and the glass is improving, and he’s forcing far less. For that, Reddish takes a 2 out of 5, although the grading will get harsh if his jumper doesn’t fall or the turnovers pile up.
Obi Toppin: 16 PTS (7/12 FG, 2/5 3PT), 3 AST, 4 REB, 1 BLK in 21 mins
Memphis put a lid on Obi Toppin in the season opener. That left the young dynamo with extra energy to take out on Detroit. Obi airmailed his first jumper and hesitated before knocking down a midrange shot after. But once the ball went in the hoop, Toppin’s confidence seemed to soar.
Obi followed his first shot with a nice block and a transition basket. He would finish inside multiple times, but we know about that attribute. The fluidity of Obi’s jumper came as a pleasant surprise. I don’t love his shooting form, but there was no lag or hesitation when he fired from deep. That led to two makes and a third shot that went in and out.
I’d still like more from Toppin on the glass, but that’s tough with Hartenstein and Quickley chasing down everything they can get close to. More importantly, Toppin’s defensive play and his jumper both looked comfortable. Comfort and confidence will lead to consistency over time. Again, Obi gets a 3 out of 5 for his work.
One last aside: Toppin’s improved ball handling seems to be opening up some passing opportunities, and that’s an exciting new element if it sticks beyond this Pistons game.
Isaiah Hartenstein: 6 PTS (2/4 FG, 1/2 3PT, 1/2 FT), 11 REB, 2 STL, 1 BLK, 1 TO in 21 mins
It feels like Isaiah Hartenstein’s effort alone will win him fans at the Garden. The big man doesn’t have Mitchell Robinson’s easy athleticism, so he makes up for the gap with pure effort. You’ll catch Hartenstein battling inside and then throwing himself at the ball if it means an extra possession.
He also sets solid screens and brings his effort on the glass to his rotations on defense. That led him to some nice steals and blocks as his quick hands poked the ball loose from would-be ball handlers. Hart’s rim protection is still building in the new defensive scheme, but overall, we see more comfort in his hedges and anticipation.
On the downside, Hart’s thrown one ball away in each game we’ve seen him. Again, it’s a matter of miscommunications and off-timing. I suspect that when everyone gets on the same page, those risky passes will become fun highlights for an already fun player, though. Our new big gets a solid 2.5 out of 5 for his effort and room for higher impact with a bit more production on offense.
Tom Thibodeau is playing the kids
Critiquing a coach can be challenging after his team blows a team out from start to finish. Few decisions feel crucial when the lead is double-digits for three-quarters of the action. I’ll always commend Tom Thibodeau for calling timeouts when defenders start to slack off, even with massive leads. But that’s about the only time Thibs actually had much work to do.
So let’s take a second to admire the way Thibs is treating the kids so far. RJ Barrett has led the team in FGA’s so far. Immanuel Quickley is the first player off the bench, even before Derrick Rose. Obi Toppin got twenty minutes as soon as he played well, and Cam Reddish saw his number called with the game on the line in Memphis.
Tom Thibodeau is letting the young guys take on critical roles in an undeniable fashion. Even more impressive is that players like Brunson, Randle, and Hartenstein (reasonably young as well) are still in a position to play their games. Evan Fournier is getting his looks too. There’s a balance to the team that hopefully sticks because I think it will reap long-term benefits—4 out of 5 for Thibodeau letting youth lead the way.
Closing thoughts
I do have to hit you with a caveat now. The Detroit Pistons are not a very good team, particularly on defense. It’s much easier to look good against a squad that can’t stop anybody. Memphis’ high-caliber defense made some guys disappear and showed a lot of space for New York to improve. But a great way to build confidence and consistency is to win the games you’re expected to take.
The Knicks took care of business against Detroit, and their next two opponents are beatable Orlando and Charlotte. It will be essential to get to 3-1 because they face seven teams projected to make the playoffs after that. If New York can carry momentum into that series of challenging opponents, they can do some damage and cement themselves as legitimate.
Step one will be taking care of business against weaker opposition. On Monday, the Knicks face a young, depleted Orlando Magic at the Garden. However, they can continue to protect their home court and gain steam with another victory. I’ll be back with a recap and ratings after the action. I’ll see you then, 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 Postgame Reactions Live from MSG, where CP, Alex, & Knicks fans give their takes on New York defeating Detroit!
