The New York Knicks blowout the Atlanta Hawks 113-89. Julius Randle was cooking, and the Knicks’ defense was impeccable defense.
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The New York Knicks dominated the Atlanta Hawks with a final score of 113 to 89. The Knicks started off hot, led by Julius Randle and some stellar defense. The Hawks deployed their zone defense in the second quarter, which left the Knicks briefly reeling. But a Quentin Grimes three-pointer sparked another run, and New York never looked back against a depleted Hawks opposition.
The Knicks moved the ball fluidly and earned plenty of opportunities to attack in transition. On the other hand, the Hawks never found much momentum as the Knicks pressured ball-handlers and consistently closed out. The Hawks shot 37.6 percent from the field and 16.7 percent from three, a testament to New York’s stout defense.
This felt like a revenge game after the Knicks’ last embarrassing loss to Atlanta at home. Players looked like they were having fun, but they never let up against the Hawks. Let’s take a look at how the Knicks cruised to victory.
Julius Randle leads the way with help from Quentin Grimes
Jalen Brunson: 8 PTS (2/14 FG, 0/2 3PT, 4/4 FT), 6 AST, 4 REB, 2 STL, 4 TO in 26 mins
Jalen Brunson suffered a rare off-night. The Hawks sent help defenders his way and never allowed the crafty point guard to get comfortable. He still used trickery to get shots off that he’d usually make, but they rimmed out. Brunson also threw some errant passes for turnovers, an even rarer occurrence.
Brunson’s defense deserves a shout-out. His two steals are no fluke, as he stayed aggressive in rotations. He didn’t often switch onto Trae Young but held his own against the Hawks’ scorer and other match-ups.
New York’s lead guard had a bad game. It doesn’t happen often, and I’m encouraged to see that the Knicks played well anyway. It’s nice to see the team pick him up, and I expect him to get right back on track. Brunson receives a 1.5 out of 5 for poor efficiency and extra turnovers.
Quentin Grimes: 23 PTS (8/11 FG, 5/7 3PT, 2/2 FT), 2 AST, 4 REB, 2 BLK, 3 TO in 31 mins
Quentin Grimes’ jumper came back at the perfect time because the Hawks’ zone left him plenty of space to fire away. So Grimes capitalized with big shots, but his offense exceeded simple spacing. He continues to turn baseline drives into dimes and athletic finishes. Also, he flashed a few spins and misdirections, making his quick first step even more lethal.
Grimes’ defense still managed to overshadow his stellar offensive display. He chased Trae Young for most of the night and contained the star scorer to the extent that Young never made a three. Grimes has excellent hand speed and could knock the ball loose without picking up fouls. That left Young settling for floaters because he couldn’t get into shooting form comfortably.
I could go on about this performance. Grimes’ first dime to Mitchell Robinson combined a hard dribble and a beautiful quick pass-release. In addition, Grimes’ defense included clever switching to box out bigs when Robinson or Hart stepped out on Young. Grimes made winning basketball plays all night, and that’s worth a 4.5 out of 5 for his impact.
RJ Barrett: 15 PTS (4/13 FG, 2/6 3PT, 5/7 FT), 7 REB, 1 STL, 3 TO in 36 mins
RJ Barrett’s struggles continued, although his stat line hides some of that. He shot the ball poorly and once again fell into the habit of driving into crowds. His poor shooting and finishing are frustrating enough, but add 3 turnovers without an assist to accentuate the problems. He’s still searching for a consistent rhythm.
But he didn’t give up on offense and still managed some solid scoring and rebound. The offensive woes didn’t prevent him from diving for a loose ball late and attempting an unlikely shot as the third quarter ended.
My bigger concern is his defense. RJ gave up a few blow-by drives from the likes of AJ Griffin, a rookie known more for shooting than quickness. It makes me wonder what the game would have looked like had Dejounte Murray avoided injury. An ankle injury that resulted from RJ closing out late.
Barrett’s tough night earns a 1.5 out of 5, with me hoping that his effort is followed by improved decision-making.
Julius Randle: 34 PTS (10/19 FG, 6/12 3PT, 8/8 FT), 5 AST, 17 REB, 1 STL in 33 mins
Julius Randle went 3-3 from behind the arc in the first quarter, helping to set the tone for the Knicks early. But he didn’t settle on jumpers; he also attacked off the dribble. Randle was looking to pass on a few possessions where he was late to make a read but had the right idea. As the game wore on, those reads became faster, and even his jump passes began to work.
With Randle’s offense buzzing, we could’ve expected him to slack on defense. But, instead, he turned in one of his better defensive games in recent memory. For instance, he worked incredibly hard on the glass and helped Mitchell Robinson keep Capela and Okongwu from doing much damage. Randle’s effort was strong, and his results are undeniable.
At one point, it looked like Jalen Johnson asked Nate McMillan, “what am I supposed to do” since Randle bullied Johnson into 6 fouls in just 14 minutes. That’s how dominant New York’s big man was, and it barely scratches the surface of how well he performed. Randle picks up a 4.5 out of 5 for leading New York on a night that Brunson and Barrett struggled.
Mitchell Robinson: 8 PTS (4/4 FG), 2 AST, 10 REB in 26 mins
Mitchell Robinson enjoyed some easy opportunities at the rim. He only had to find the dunker’s spot for slashers and cutters to throw some nice dimes his way. But even when players didn’t see him, Mitch was in the perfect position to clean up the glass. He grabbed 9 offensive rebounds through the course of the action.
Robinson’s 1 defensive rebound might look bad on paper, but it hides the fact that he was boxing out a quality big man in Clint Capela. Mitch was a deterrent inside, denying virtually everyone. I say virtually because Trae Young did manage a handful of solid finishes around the Knicks’ shot-blocker.
Mitch was good, although we’ve seen him play better. He was still a force in the middle and provided precisely what New York needed. The fact that he’s been even more dominant in the most recent games only shows that he can be a great impact player. Mitch gets a 3.5 out of 5 for his strong work in the paint.
The Knicks’ second unit’s defense outpaces its offense
Deuce McBride: 3 PTS (1/4 FG, 1/2 3PT), 6 AST, 2 REB, 1 STL, 1 TO in 27 mins
Miles McBride’s offense took a while to show up. He started the game barely attempting shots, besides a blocked attempt at the rim. But McBride seemed to settle in as the game wore on. He picked up a few assists on swing passes, then knocked down a three in the fourth. After that, Deuce began to attack off the dribble with a pick-and-roll lob assist to sims and a drive and kick to Grimes.
But the real story for McBride is point-of-attack defense. While Grimes set the tone to start the game, McBride ensured that the Hawks’ ball handlers never caught a break. He applied strong defense on Trae Young when Grimes sat and locked up everyone else he defended, including Bogdan Bogdanovic. That’s an impressive feat considering Bogdanovic’s scoring prowess and size.
McBride’s defense has given the Knicks a boost. He combines with IQ and Grimes to give New York effective perimeter defense for most of the action. If his comfort on offense comes around, then the Knicks might have stumbled upon a rotation that can truly live up to Tom Thibodeau’s reputation. McBride gets a 3 out of 5 for the pressure he applies.
Immanuel Quickley: 8 PTS (2/8 FG, 1/2 3PT, 3/3 FT), 3 AST, 3 REB, 1 TO in 25 mins
Immanuel Quickley had a quiet night by his recent standards. Like Brunson, the Hawks’ shot blockers and help defenders threw him off. Quickley’s sole turnover came about as he hunted for contact but failed to get the whistle. But he at least moved the ball well and showed excellent rapport with McBride and Barrett.
IQ’s defense was strong again, although the performances of McBride and Grimes overshadowed it. Quickley was a stingy defender in his match-ups, challenging shooters and keeping ball handlers in front of him.
Quickley wound up with an okay performance. He didn’t provide much scoring or playmaking as he’s capable of, but he did enough to keep the second unit ahead of the Hawks. Of course, it helped that the second-unit defense was incredible, and he also played a role in that. IQ gets a 2.5 out of 5 for his impact on the night.
Obi Toppin: 3 PTS (1/3 FG, 1/3 3PT), 1 REB in 8 mins
Obi Toppin barely played before hurting his knee in the first half. Toppin limped up and down the court a few times, trying to shake off the injury. He was relegated to a few three-point attempts and didn’t do much else before calling it an early night due to knee soreness.
Isaiah Hartenstein: 4 PTS (2/4 FG, 0/1 3PT), 2 AST, 5 REB, 1 STL, 1 TO in 19 mins
Isaiah Hartenstein had a performance that was primarily solid but relatively forgettable. He had his typical share of hustle plays and nice moments on defense. Unfortunately, he also scattered a few mistakes on defense that allowed players to beat him for lay-ups. But one play did grab my attention that showed more potential for Hart.
When the Hawks first switched to zone, there was a play in which Isaiah Hartenstein received the ball at the free-throw line. Hartenstein used a head fake to Quickley at the top of the key before hitting Obi Toppin for three along the baseline. I think he could do a lot more of that if the Knicks got him the ball in those midrange areas more often.
Hart gets a 2 out of 5, which is fine for a backup. But I still feel that he’s being misused as predominantly a roll man. He could do some damage out of the high post and open space.
Another impressive showing for Tom Thibodeau’s defense
We’ve only seen Tom Thibodeau’s new rotation for two games, but it has been impressive. In those games, the Knicks have held the Hawks and Cavs below 90 points. We could insert caveats about depleted opponents, but this new rotation has also made a visible change. The amount of pressure on ball handlers has increased, and with it, we’re seeing opponents shoot later in shot-clocks and rush their releases.
The defensive aggression has increased thanks to Quentin Grimes and Deuce McBride spending the majority of games at the point of attack. They seem to drive the action for the defense, while their teammates are also making sharper rotations and closing out more aggressively. I’m quick to call out Thibodeau when the team isn’t performing, so I’ll give him all plenty of props while New York is performing this well.
As far as in-game decisions with implications go, the blowout made those hard to find. RJ Barrett spent a lot of time with the second unit, which is a good idea to get him going. Keeping one of Grimes or McBride on the floor while Trae Young played was smart. But this game’s success seemed to lie with rotation changes and an effective game plan. Thibodeau gets a 4.5 out of 5 for New York’s second straight dominant defensive showing.
Closing Thoughts
Things are starting to get interesting for the Knicks. They’re playing defense again, and Julius Randle has begun to close in on his success from two years ago. As a matter of fact, his 46 percent from the field is higher than the 45 percent he shot during that success. In addition, he’s recovered from an abysmal start from three-point land, not to the level of that all-pro year, but comfortably within league-average range of 34 percent.
With Jalen Brunson around, Randle’s resurgence gives New York two players that can lead the team to a win. If RJ Barrett can find the success he had last season, that would make three players suitable for that mold. Then add Grimes, McBride, and Robinson to the defense, and this team can keep games close so that one hot hand can steal a win, and two hot hands guarantee it.
I can suddenly see a path to sustainable success for this core, and it gets more interesting when we consider that New York is 1.5 games out of the fourth seed. The parity in the NBA is tighter than ever, meaning that one big run can launch a team ahead of the pack. New York just so happens to play three of its next four games against opponents with losing records. So here’s an opportunity to build momentum and make one of those runs.
The Charlotte Hornets are next; I don’t call this a must-win out of desperation. But it’s a must-win because this is New York’s chance to reclaim fans’ enthusiasm heading into the season. We’ll see if the defense stays strong and the momentum continues to build after the next game. Then we can discuss it here. I’ll see you then, Knicks fam!
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