The New York Knicks defeated the Orlando Magic 115-102. Julius Randle had a fantastic game, and Jalen Brunson came up clutch.
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The New York Knicks took an early lead and never let to defeat the Orlando Magic 115 to 102. The pace of the game led to highlights and momentum shifts. The Knicks made runs only to be countered by a feisty Magic team that would cut leads with sustained rim pressure. But whenever the Magic seemed ready to take control, New York had an answer to rebuild their cushion.
Ball movement was impressive again, and the Knicks locked down defensively in the late fourth quarter. When everything else failed on offense, Julius Randle and Jalen Brunson were shot-makers. Let’s see how the individual performances come together for another home victory.
The Julius Randle redemption run continues with Knicks’ starters
Jalen Brunson: 21 PTS (8/16 FG, 2/4 3PT, 3/3 FT), 6 AST, 3 REB, 2 STL, 3 TO in 33 mins
I’ll point out a moment to illustrate Jalen Brunson’s impact in this game: the Knicks led nearly all of regulation. But there was a brief moment where the Magic made a run and took a 1-point lead during the third quarter. Jalen Brunson responded with three straight field goals, including a three-pointer to cap the run. His teammates took over from there.
Jalen Brunson stepped up whenever New York needed momentum, whether that meant making the shot or finding a teammate. He pushed the pace with some brilliant passes up the floor, and his half-court work found shooters in space often. New York’s point guard has ball-handling to get anywhere he wants on the floor. When he’s on, it feels like the game moves at his whim.
I’ll also credit Brunson for his help defense. The Magic played big and tried to drive often, but Brunson was frequently disruptive by cheating off his man and swiping as he hedged. So far, the point guard is everything New York signed up for and more, and he picks up a 3.5 out of 5 for keeping the team composed at all times. Even the man’s turnovers feel forgivable because it took three games to make them.
RJ Barrett: 20 PTS (7/19 FG, 3/7 3PT, 3/4 FT), 1 AST, 6 REB in 37 mins
If there’s one exception to my “composed” comment, it’s RJ Barrett in the first half of this game. Barrett struggled with his shot early but tried to shoot himself out of the slump. Unfortunately, that led to multiple forced shots and ugly drives into traffic. I have no problem with missing shots when they’re within the flow of the offense, but not when he’s creating problems for himself.
But Barrett finally let the game come to him in the second half. That led to his first three-pointer of the season and what felt like RJ’s first signs of confidence in his jump shot. It was especially nice to see teammates try to get RJ going with some transition dimes for nice highlights.
But a lot of Barrett’s offensive success came with the game in hand. His defensive play picked up along the way, as he proved capable of defending any of the Magic’s versatile attacking wings…but he had concentration lapses on that end as well. We need the RJ from the late second half to show up for an entire game. This version grabs a 2 out of 5 but includes promising signs that Barrett is settling down.
Evan Fournier: 8 PTS (2/8 FG, 2/8 3PT, 2/2 FT), 2 AST, 2 REB in 27 mins
It was a fourth-option kind of night for Evan Fournier. He got his shots up but never got hot enough to command much of the offense. So there isn’t much to report on that.
Defensively, I do think Fournier’s showing more effort this year. But he’s a limited defensive player, which means effort brings some bad fouls and doesn’t always make up for slow feet. So his performances still rely on making shots to cover for mistakes on defense.
Fournier didn’t play much in the second half, as Immanuel Quickley provided more versatility. Without much production and poor shooting numbers, Fournier’s stuck at a 1.5 out of 5. I debated making that a 2 because the Frenchman didn’t hurt the Knicks, but his game lacked a meaningful impact.
Julius Randle: 25 PTS (10/19 FG, 2/9 3PT, 3/5 FT), 4 AST, 12 REB, 1 STL, 2 TO in 34 mins
This version of Julius Randle is a player that can change New York’s trajectory. Randle made quick decisions before traps could arrive, which meant more opportunities to score in single coverage and faster ball movement while defenders were out of position. He didn’t shoot well from three, but most of those shots came within the flow of the offense.
Even without his jumper falling, Randle could dominate his defenders in the paint. His decision-making was impeccable throughout most of the night. He accentuated the offensive output with a great effort on boards.
My one issue with the big man was that he got caught flat-footed on defense a few times. I like his ability to switch onto perimeter players, but he’s late to hedge or help in situations where his man’s not directly involved.
It’s not just the production from Randle that’s so promising. It’s the way he looks between plays. You might catch the former all-pro huddling teammates together before a free throw or actually working the refs (as in joking with them instead of yelling at them). Julius seems to have transformed into a new person. Randle gets a 4.5 out of 5 for picking the Knicks up in a tough first half and never letting up.
Mitchell Robinson: 14 PTS (6/7 FG, 2/5 FT), 6 REB, 1 STL, 3 BLK in 29 mins
There wasn’t a big man on the Orlando Magic that could keep Mitchell Robinson out of the paint. Mitch got position whenever he wanted, leading to offensive rebounds and easy dunks throughout the night. The Magic have plenty of length, but nobody had the athleticism and size that Robinson requires.
The shot-blocker also made his presence known defensively. He chased after everything near the basket, with some athletic blocks and plenty more shots deterred. On the downside, that once again left Robinson out of position for many defensive boards. Oddly though, even when Mitch was in decent spot to chase a defensive rebound, he seemed disinterested.
Robinson spent a lot of time chasing players out of the lanes on defense. But, at the other end, he put just as much energy into bumping guys out of prime positions inside. It’s strange to speak out his imposing presence with so few rebounds, but his impact was felt to the tune of a 3 out of 5 in this one.
Light work for New York’s second-unit
Immanuel Quickley: 0 PTS (0/5 FG, 0/4 3PT), 8 AST, 6 REB, 1 STL, 2 TO in 23 mins
With some creative passing and a ton of pace, Immanuel Quickley managed to play-make his way into a strong performance despite his poor shooting. Quickley spent most of the first half grabbing the ball and seeking out runners. On multiple occasions, Orlando scored, and IQ turned the ensuing play into a rapid counter for New York.
I’m not overly concerned with the shots that Quickley missed. He did take a couple of pull-up threes, but they felt well-timed to try and keep the defense honest. The Magic’s length seemed to deter IQ from attempting too much inside. It turned into a rare chance for IQ to show that he could make positive impacts without scoring.
On another note, Quickley bolstered his performance with solid defense and strong rebounding. He chased after loose balls, and his defensive play was only limited when Orlando’s bigger bodies drove at him. Quick was good enough to earn a 2.5 out of 5 despite failing to score. That’s a rare feat.
Derrick Rose: 3 PTS (1/4 FG, 1/3 3PT) in 9 mins
Unfortunately, we were back to wondering if everything was okay with Derrick Rose. He played less than ten minutes in this game and rarely attacked off the dribble. Instead, we saw Rose play off-ball and take a few jumpers, with no time to do much else.
Cam Reddish: 7 PTS (3/4 FG, 1/1 3PT), 2 AST, 2 REB, 1 TO in 14 mins
Cam Reddish had an impressive opening run to this game. He beat defenders down the court and had some great finishes and passes in transition. He quieted down after that, but his initial impact flashed a developing rapport with teammates.
That’s not to come down too hard on the wing. He turned in another solid defensive effort to go with an offensive spark in his first minutes. Reddish looked comfortable in his role and was productive enough to earn a 2 out of 5 with limited minutes to work with.
Obi Toppin: 14 PTS (4/6 FG, 0/1 3PT, 2/2 FT), 1 AST, 4 REB, 1 STL, 1 TO in 14 mins
Tonight marks my first “Obi Toppin should have gotten more time” of the new season. The Magic sent out a bunch of big bodies, but none of those guys could keep up with Toppin. So all fourteen of Obi’s minutes felt like a track meet with him outrunning everyone and highlights to follow.
Toppin dunked on number one overall pick Paulo Banchero twice with alley-oops. He added another highlight with a beautiful no-look drop-off to RJ Barrett. Since no one could keep up with Obi, the entire game opened up while he played. There weren’t any lulls that justified him leaving the game early.
I suppose Toppin’s defense is to blame for his quick hook. The Magic were using Wendell Carter and Bol Bol in tandem, which left Obi undersized. But the Knicks had a comfortable lead, and Obi was too productive in his minutes to get such a short hook. As a result, he picks up a 2.5 out of 5 that could have been much higher with more time. Even with Julius Randle playing great basketball, Obi warranted a few more minutes to impact this night.
Isaiah Hartenstein: 7 PTS (2/5 FG, 3/4 FT), 9 REB, 1 STL, 1 TO in 18 mins
Isaiah Hartenstein’s night felt quiet, but it was productive for the time he got. Hartenstein was great on the glass and did a commendable job rotating to challenge slashers at the rim. He did the hard work that allowed the rest of the second unit to focus on speed. The fact that Hart has a knack for moving the ball fast, even off rebounds, also helped.
But there were some holes in the big man’s game. He tried to get some shots off from further out, but no one found him for three, and his floater was flat. So Hartenstein was relegated to impacting the game from the interior instead of working the perimeter, as we’ve seen in his best performances.
We’re only three games into the Hartenstein run, but he already feels like a reliable piece of the puzzle. His defense doesn’t have Robinson’s upside, but it’s effective. His offense is versatile when he gets touches, and his hard work demands attention from opposing bigs. That’s good for a 2.5 out of 5 in this one, and I anticipate many more scores in the 2 to 3.5 range throughout the year.
Some curious choices from Tom Thibodeau
Leave it to Tom Thibodeau to make me eat crow a game after giving him props. I shouted out Thibs for putting the young guys in growing positions to succeed, and then he rewarded Julius Randle for a good game but left Obi Toppin out in the cold. I think there’s some psychology at play with that decision. Randle’s playing the right way at the moment, and keeping him enthusiastic is crucial to this team’s long-term success. It’s just brutal to see that decision come at the expense of Obi reaching even 15 minutes of playtime.
To Thibs’ credit, he stuck with RJ Barrett through the rough patch. Barrett didn’t find his footing until extended minutes with multiple second-unit players, most notably Obi Toppin. Brunson, Randle, and Barrett are working to find a balanced attack that involves all three players. By giving RJ time with the second group, New York’s young future star led the unit without question.
But I’ll forever be nervous when the Knicks lead by double-digits throughout a fourth quarter and still need close to 35 minutes for each of their key starters. He got the win, and players found their footing, but I’m still worried about old habits returning. Thibodeau receives a 2.5 out of 5 for the win, with me docking a point for failing to find five more minutes for Obi Toppin.
Closing Thoughts
How often have we seen scenarios like this Magic game spiral into a loss? Last season, the Knicks blew more leads than the Yankees struck out in their postseason. New York would have the game in a vice, but that grip would start slipping until the opponents came back and won. The difference against Orlando was Jalen Brunson. There are other factors, of course, but Brunson’s play seems to set everything else up that has worked. Julius Randle alluded to as much in the post-game presser.
For younger Knicks fans, this might be their first close look at a floor general. Brunson’s not just a guy that can pick up assists from simple reads or drive through a screen. He also puts teammates in positions to succeed and gets out of the way. This is what setting the table looks like, and for long-suffering Knicks fans, it’s as refreshing as an oasis in a desert.
New York has one more opponent that the consensus says they should beat. Charlotte is up next on Wednesday with a depleted roster but is off to a fast start. They’ll bring a more formidable bench to test the second unit and a group of starters with playoff experience. That’s an excellent chance for New York to step up the competition before running into the best in the East for a five-game stretch.
We’ll see how the Knicks hold up after Charlotte and what confidence we can bring into the dangerous stretch after. I’ll be here to discuss it all with you, Knicks fam! See you then.
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 Knicks Weekly, where CP and Alex discuss what they saw from the previous week!
