The New York Knicks avenged a loss to the Indiana Pacers, winning the rematch 92-84. The sophomores stole the show while vets led the way.
Catch the full Knicks Fan TV Postgame show on all major podcast platforms below:
• Spotify
• Apple Podcast
• Google Podcasts
• Stitcher
The New York Knicks snapped a 3-game home losing streak by defeating the Indiana Pacers 92 to 84. New York played with better passing and more patience than recent efforts, but players were missing open shots. We got a healthy dose of beautiful ball movement leading to inexplicable bricks. It was New York’s defense that kept the game within reach during struggles, and a staggered second-half rotation that helped survive another third quarter of doom.
Kemba Walker’s scoring contribution kept the starting unit competitive until Randle and Barrett snapped out of their funks late. Derrick Rose flexed his leadership skills and Immanuel Quickley was a spark for the bench. The refs let defenders be physical and the low-scoring “every possession is important” affair took on an authentic nineties feel. Let’s rewind and appreciate a hard-fought win.
Kemba Walker gets downhill and struggling shooters show signs of life for New York’s starters:
Kemba Walker: 16 PTS (8/11 FG, 0/1 3PT), 1 REB, 2 AST in 20 MIN
That extra day of rest put an extra spring in Kemba Walker’s step. Walker started the game with a series of ankle-breaking attacks and finishes inside. He scored the Knicks’ first 8 points and continued to fight inside for baskets whenever the offense started to drag. That downhill gravity opened up good looks for everyone, though many open opportunities were missed.
Elusive is the word of the night for Kemba. The NYC native maneuvered in and out of the paint with the ball on a string. He rarely settled and hit midrange jumpers on those few occasions. The fact that Walker did his damage without the benefit of three-pointers is a reason for relief. He’s finally getting downhill with some frequency.
Walker didn’t fair as well on defense. He checked Malcolm Brogdon who was able to power inside to collapse the defense and finish repeatedly. I can’t fault Kemba’s effort, but his smaller stature left him susceptible inside. That limited his playtime as coach Tom Thibodeau chose bigger-bodied defenders late. Walker still gets a 3 out of 5 for keeping New York alive through offensive lulls.
Evan Fournier: 7 PTS (3/9 FG, 1/4 3PT), 3 REB, 3 AST in 24 MIN
Evan Fournier had a return to form for everything but his jumper. Fournier got back to running a two-man game with Randle that’s fluid and creates easy looks for whoever the defense cheats off of. That helped the Frenchman to pick up assists and a couple of easy looks inside the arc despite shooting struggles.
That’s not to say this performance was great. Fournier still showed hesitance at times, passing up quality looks to players that were well-defended. The hesitation also sapped some of his efficacy off the dribble, as he rarely got enough separation to do much. But you could sense his rhythm and comfort building and this felt like a step in the right direction.
Fournier still has plenty of room for improvement. It starts with finding his confidence in the jumper again. Fournier’s hesitance disrupts his chance to build a rhythm and also hurts his ability to beat defenders for playmaking opportunities. We could see him getting into a better flow, but there’s still a lot to be desired. Fournier gets a 2 out of 5 for his performance.
RJ Barrett: 12 PTS (4/13 FG, 3/7 3PT, 1/2 FT), 6 REB, 1 AST, 1 TO in 30 MIN
RJ Barrett snapped his shooting slump in the third quarter. He was poised for another night of missed opportunities until Taj Gibson fed him for back-to-back three-pointers. I could feel the weight come off the prospect’s shoulders. He continued his success with a couple more baskets in the fourth that helped seal the win, oozing confidence that had gone missing prior.
Barrett seemed more engaged even when his shot was missing. He grabbed rebounds with energy and tried to push the pace. It was clear that RJ was looking to snap out of his struggles, but he needed help from his teammates to finally breakthrough. Barrett and Gibson have always had great chemistry and that shined in their third-quarter play together.
I’ll also applaud Barrett’s defensive effort. He still had a few slip-ups, but this was a step in the right direction to his early two-way performances. Some of the shots Caris Levert hit fell into the “good defense meets better offense” category. Hopefully, the late success will continue into Barrett’s next performance. He snatches a 2 out of 5 thanks to his second half.
Julius Randle: 11 PTS (5/15 FG, 1/6 3PT, 0/1 FT), 5 AST, 1 BLK, 5 TO in 35 MIN
There was a lot to like about Julius Randle’s performance. The Knicks star saw Kemba Walker cooking and played a secondary role early. While Randle’s jumper wasn’t falling, the big man didn’t press for offense early and was rewarded with easy opportunities later. Randle continually received the ball with space to isolate in the post or a lane to drive into face-up, and he cashed those opportunities despite Indiana’s shot-blocking big men.
There were still some frustrating spells for Randle that are worth noting. He finished with five turnovers; mostly the product of over-dribbling and winding up in traffic. He also rushed a pair of shots to close the first half that turned a 3-point lead into a 1-point deficit. He also got booed after a series of lapses in concentration late. But Randle kicked into gear when the game was on the line and generally played well despite missing jumpers.
Whether he’s scoring ten points or thirty, Julius Randle is the engine. The Knicks feed off his effort and gravity, which is why his passing is so important. Just by cutting back on forces and allowing Kemba Walker and Evan Fournier to initiate, Randle helped quell recent stagnation. Despite his low efficiency, that makes this one of his best recent performances. Randle finishes up with a 3 out of 5 for the game and a few shots falling would bump that even higher.
Mitchell Robinson: 2 PTS (1/2 FG), 2 REB, 3 BLK in 16 MIN
Mitchell Robinson was a defensive presence but not much else. The shot blocker didn’t get many looks from ball-handlers. Indy’s big bodies also kept Mitch off the offensive glass where he typically steals rebounds and easy points. The slow night culminated with Robinson sitting early due to a sore ankle.
The big man’s mobility has been a concern ever since his foot injury. So if that ankle was bothering him, then rest was a better idea. But even with his injury, Mitch showed off some good patience and timing for his three blocks by denying elusive guards and big men alike around the rim.
It’s possible that a few more minutes would have helped Mitch tack on a bit more to his stat sheet (his game ended up similar to the one Taj had prior). But that doesn’t mean Mitch was bad, he was just outperformed by his positional counterpart. That said, Robinson still snags a 2 out of 5 for a solid effort in injury-hampered minutes.
Timely threes and big defensive stops mark the Knicks’ bench contributions:
Derrick Rose: 14 PTS (7/14 FG, 0/4 3PT), 5 REB, 7 AST, 1 TO in 25 MIN
Derrick Rose terrorized the Pacers with everything but the long ball. Rose got into the paint, hit mid-range jumpers, and dimed to teammates whenever he had the rock. When he couldn’t punish dropping bigs with his jumper, the former MVP adjusted by beating them with floaters.
Rose wasn’t just in his bag on offense. The point guard had some spirited moments on defense as well. It felt as though he worked to set a tone for the entire team at both ends. That feeling only grew as he took control of the offense for many of the game-clinching possessions. His presence was crucial from clutch baskets to clever assists.
Speaking of assists, Rose deserves some credit for getting Obi Toppin going. Toppin seemed hesitant to shoot or attack the Pacers’ defense, but Rose called and ran a play that opened up an easy lob to Obi. Shortly after, Rose connected for another assist that led to a highlight dunk from his freak athlete power forward. It’s a great example of the poise and leadership that marks Rose with a 4 out of 5 in the win.
Immanuel Quickley: 16 PTS (5/9 FG, 4/4 3PT, 2/2 FT), 5 REB, 1 AST, 1 TO in 23 MIN
While other players stepped up in various moments, no one’s impact felt quite as clear as Immanuel Quickley’s. The combo-guard hit two early threes, then used shot fakes to blow by defenders and cause confusion inside the arc. When the fourth quarter came around, IQ was right back at it. He hit more shots and finished tied for the high score on the team. Quickley made timely shots that always seemed to create momentum.
IQ showed out on both ends. He defended with fervor and made tight rotations all game. You could catch the sophomore stepping up even when big men had lanes inside. Quickley was everywhere, with a hand up and eager to challenge. His involvement even led to an uptick in rebounds.
Quickley was one of the best players on the floor, bar none. He was a genuine two-way product that put up big points without many attempts. He’s also showing more burst to get past defenders and poise to make smart passes off good reads. Last season, he’d slow up to draw whistles, but with the rule changes, he’s playing faster with just as much success. Quickley grabs a 4 out of 5 for a great two-way performance.
Alec Burks: 8 PTS (2/6 FT, 2/6 3PT, 2/3 FT), 1 REB, 1 TO in 22 MIN
Alec Burks missed easy looks early, but he tightened things up for a big second-half. Burks came in as the starters were slumping and did a great job moving into open space. I caught one play where he cut down the baseline to create a passing window for Fournier that was beautiful off-ball work. The problem was that despite open looks, the microwave scorer couldn’t get anything to fall.
The cold shooting in the first half gave way to flashes of fourth-quarter Burks. The shooter made two big shots late to help the Knicks overcome a third-quarter deficit of 12 and a fourth-quarter deficit of 5. With the rest of the guards rolling, there weren’t as many opportunities to keep firing but Burks stayed engaged and effective. He drove, passed, and took advantage when space was there to add production to an already solid outing.
Now let’s also talk defense for Burks, because his effort was great. Malcolm Brogdon was too big for Kemba to keep out of the lane, yet Burks was able to make the Pacers guard work for every point. New York’s bench scorer was visibly involved in forcing a shot-clock violation that lit the Garden up. The jumper refused to fall with consistency, but Burks still had a strong two-way night worth 2.5 out of 5.
Obi Toppin: 4 PTS (2/5 FG, 0/2 3PT), 4 REB, 1 TO in 16 MIN
I’m going to praise Tom Thibodeau a lot later, but he won’t dodge my “find Obi Toppin more minutes” demands. Obi started the game a bit timid, enough for Clyde to remark about him not looking at the basket. But Derrick Rose found Toppin for back-to-back dunks that were Sportscenter worthy, which snapped him into gear and pushed the sophomore to take shots that were given.
Toppin wasn’t particularly good on offense with Indy doing well to prevent his full-court bursts. But Obi still showed off his motor by playing solid defense, getting after rebounds, and forcing Pacer guards to follow him on fast break opportunities. I think having players like Caris Levert chase Obi down court may have helped with long rebounds for Knick guards… I have to rewatch to double-check though.
Obi wasn’t on his A-game. The kid struggled with his shot and needed an easy bucket to truly lock-in. But even with early struggles, Toppin managed to be a positive presence and energizer. His style of play is infectious and demands defensive attention. Even on a weaker performance, I wanted to see more of Obi Toppin! He gets a 2 out of 5 on the night.
Taj Gibson: 2 PTS (0/2 FG, 2/2 FT), 8 REB, 3 AST, 1 STL, 1 BLK in 29 MIN
In the realm of unsung heroes, Taj Gibson’s jersey should be hanging in the rafters. Gibson stepped up with both Centers ahead of him on the depth-chart out again. He wasn’t just good for a replacement though, Taj was great. His defensive play against Domantas Sabonis is the headliner, but it’s also just a small indication of how Gibson played a leadership role.
Not only did Gibson check the Pacers’ best player effectively. He also created second-chance opportunities and fed others. His back-to-back dimes to RJ were picture-perfect passes. The big man also cheered on his struggling teammate even after missing on a drive. You could see Gibson’s encouragement keeping Barrett from losing confidence and I think that helped with the youngster’s late resurgence.
I mentioned flipping Taj and Mitch into each other’s roles in the last recap. I thought Taj might help the starters with his experience under Thibs while Mitch could feed off Obi. The ankle issue for Mitch pushed Taj to play with that starting unit and I’d call the experiment a success. Gibson grabbed boards, defended well, and sparked RJ Barrett. I love his presence on this team and I think he made the case for staggering the starters and bench players with this performance. Taj gets a 3 out of 5 on the night.
Thibodeau makes changes and the Knicks reap the benefits:
Tom Thibodeau:
Tom Thibodeau watched New York begin to spiral in the third quarter, but he didn’t sit on his hands. The coach used two quick timeouts and made earlier substitutions. Taj Gibson may have entered due to injury, but Derrick Rose checked in shortly after as well. The move brought energy to the floor and helped to stop Indiana from building on a 12-point lead.
The fourth quarter also saw a new wrinkle from Thibs. He staggered the minutes for his bench player, leaving IQ and Burks as the backcourt for a few minutes while Rose rested. Then Burks moved to the bench and Rose came with fresh legs for the final closing minutes. The move looked like a stroke of genius with Rose making clutch baskets and passes while the influx of fresh legs helped New York hold Indy without a field goal for the final seven minutes of regulation.
I was down bad after the last loss, particularly on Thibodeau. I had finally lost patience for the over-reliance on starters in spite of their struggles. The jokes on me for doubting a reigning coach of the year. Thibodeau made exactly the changes I was asking for in my last recap; staggering the bench unit’s minutes and letting Taj Gibson work with the starters. The decisions worked and gave us a vintage kind of victory. Thibs earns a 4 out of 5 for making all the right moves.
Closing Thoughts:
The beauty of this win is that New York struggled with their shots again but never lost their identity. When the ball briefly started to stick, Thibodeau switched up players and brought in his go-to guys. Those former Bulls, along with the bench unit they lead, helped to get the Knicks sticking to the game plan. It may have taken three quarters, but by staying with ball movement the shooters eventually woke up.
That’s the way of the three-ball era. Players and sometimes teams can drift into shooting slumps that require discipline and patience to snap out of. In the worst case, offensive struggles can slip into the defensive effort. We saw this for what felt like two weeks straight, as New York lost their confidence and identity. But this felt like a committed effort from every player to stay on script and it’s the type of game that can snap players out of a slump.
We’ll get a chance to see if the fourth-quarter vibes carry over when Orlando comes to town. The Magic have proven they can beat the Knicks, but hopefully, that means New York has extra motivation. This week is a chance to start a streak, with Orlando and Houston as winnable games before a Sunday showdown in Chicago. I’ve gone from serious concerns to right back on the hype-train and I’m hoping New York meets the Bulls with a full head of steam and momentum. But it starts with Orlando, I’ll see you after that game Knicks fam!
Stay tuned to KnicksFanTV.com for the latest Knicks news, rumors, and recaps throughout the 2021-22 NBA season. In case you missed it, catch the KFTV panel discuss whether or not Obi Toppin deserves more consistent playing time below.
