The New York Knicks defeat the Golden State Warriors 119-112. Deuce McBride displayed his sharpshooting and lockdown defense on national television.
The New York Knicks went to Golden State and never trailed against the Warriors, winning 119-112. Jalen Brunson finally got scoring help from an unlikely source as Deuce McBride stepped up with career highs in scoring and three-pointers made.
McBride wasn’t the only player to surprise on offense. Isaiah Hartenstein broke Golden State’s double-teams with field goals early, and Donte DiVincenzo got a revenge game for his poor performance when the clubs met in New York. Meanwhile, Josh Hart turned in his fifth triple-double of the season. Every starter came up big to give New York its third win in three games out West.
Let’s zoom in on the performances in this wire-to-wire victory.
The Knicks’ starters go small and look great
Jalen Brunson: 34 PTS (12/25 FG, 3/9 3PT, 7/8 FT), 7 AST, 4 REB, 1 STL, 3 TO in 35 mins
Jalen Brunson’s spectacular run continued, with fewer points but more assists than his previous two games combined. The Warriors often doubled Brunson when he crossed half-court, meeting him far above the arc. New York’s MVP made quick passes to his would-be-screen Isaiah Hartenstein, which helped set off the action early.
Once Golden State gave up on daring others to beat them, Brunson settled back into his dominant scoring. He knifed through the Warriors’ defense and finished from every distance. That’s an especially impressive feat considering how often the refs let physicality go, including hits to the face.
As Golden State began to close in during the fourth quarter, announcers remarked that Steph Curry hadn’t returned to the game yet. I rolled my eyes because they didn’t mention that neither had Brunson. That’s how dominant Brunson looked; I felt confident that Brunson checking in would be more impactful than Steph Curry. Brunson gets a 4.5 out of 5 for sustaining this dominance.
Miles McBride: 29 PTS (9/13 FG, 6/9 3PT, 5/6 FT), 2 AST, 1 REB, 1 STL, 1 TO in 47 mins
Miles “Deuce” McBride seemed to get the start with a focus on slowing down Steph Curry. But then he scored 8 points in the opening quarter and proved his floor spacing was just as important. McBride put together a gem, hitting clutch shots in the fourth quarter while forcing Curry to fight for every basket.
Deuce didn’t reserve his scoring for catch-and-shoot situations. He hit two three-pointers off the dribble and nailed another pull-up from midrange. McBride’s confidence in his jumper opened his options for attack and created openings for everyone else. Teammates repeatedly looked for Deuce on kick-outs, and he paid them back with buckets.
While Steph Curry got his points, McBride’s defensive impact can’t be understated. He challenged nearly every shot Curry took without resting until a brief minute in the fourth. Deuce put together a special performance worth a 4.5 out of 5.
Donte DiVincenzo: 18 PTS (7/13 FG, 4/8 3PT), 1 AST, 4 REB, 1 STL in 31 mins
Donte DiVincenzo got his mojo back from three. Despite taking eight deep attempts, he seemed more patient with his shot. DiVo didn’t rush his release against closing defenders or fire off shots from well behind the arc. He settled into good, open looks and finally found his rhythm.
DiVincenzo did a little of everything else to help as well. He only clocked one steal but repeatedly slid over to deflect passes or poke at ball-handlers. Similarly, he only tallied one assist but frequently moved the ball well as part of fun passing sequences.
The Big Ragu was involved in a lot of New York’s success, whether he was the scorer, passer, or decoy. He even chipped in on the boards, chasing loose balls down. DiVincenzo gets a 3.5 out of 5 for his best game in two weeks.
Josh Hart: 10 PTS (5/18 FG, 0/6 3PT), 11 AST, 11 REB, 1 STL, 2 TO in 48 mins
We’re once again ignoring poor efficiency for Josh Hart because he was so good everywhere else. Hart couldn’t get three-pointers to go and even reverted to hesitating on open looks. With the refs swallowing their whistles, Hart’s forays into traffic weren’t successful either.
But the scoring struggles didn’t matter because Hart was still a force. He constantly won rebounding battles in traffic and pushed the pace at every opportunity. Hart would turn East to West trips across the floor into quick passes to open cutters in half-court sets. All the while, his defense helped contain the Warriors’ wings.
Of course, I wish Hart’s jumper would get going again. But he’s playing too well to linger on the one part of his game that isn’t clicking. Hart is a Swiss army knife that makes everything else easier for teammates. He gets a 4 out of 5 for his triple-double.
Isaiah Hartenstein: 13 PTS (6/7 FG, 1/2 FT), 4 AST, 10 REB, 2 STL, 1 BLK in 25 mins
While the rest of the starters have flashier numbers, Isaiah Hartenstein is the unsung hero who got everyone going. Golden State forced the ball out of Brunson’s hands early and often, but it didn’t matter as long as Hartenstein could receive the rock. He turned and attacked early, diving to the rim for floaters and layups, but quickly began spraying the ball to open shooters.
The Knicks’ ball movement looked like poetry in motion, with everyone orbiting I-Hart’s screens and passing. His two-man game with Brunson turned in some of the night’s best highlights, and then he added touch passes for dimes to McBride and DiVincenzo.
I didn’t mention Big Hart’s defense and rebounding, but both were great. He attacked the boards at both ends. His ability to disrupt pick-and-rolls defensively is well-documented and worked even against Steph Curry and Draymond Green. Despite his minutes limit, I-Hart gets a 4 out of 5 for a spectacular performance.
New York’s second unit stagnates without Deuce
Alec Burks: 5 PTS (1/5 FG, 1/3 3PT, 2/2 FT), 1 AST, 1 REB in 14 mins
Alec Burks’ performance wasn’t as bad as his low efficiency suggests. Three of his missed attempts came as a bailout option with the shot clock running low. I’ve complained about him rushing and forcing shots, but it wasn’t his fault this time.
That said, Burks’ defense and effort for loose balls felt lackadaisical. If his jumper isn’t falling, he’ll need to pick up his game in those areas or lose his spot in the rotation. Burks gets a 1 out of 5 for the tough night.
Bojan Bogdanovic: 4 PTS (2/6 FG, 0/2 3PT), 2 AST, 2 REB, 2 TO in 16 mins
Bojan Bogdanovic filled the role of lead playmaker off the bench since Deuce moved to the starters. We could see a shift in Bogdanovic’s approach to being more downhill-focused. But Golden State’s quick and athletic wings gave Bogey fits and made his life hard.
Bogdanovic had some bad misses and turnovers but also flashed some good. He finished at the rim and on a quick pull-up jumper. Both his dimes were not bits of passing against Golden State’s movement. I like Thibodeau’s decision to get the ball in Bojan’s hands to try and get him going. Bogdanovic gets a 1.5 out of 5, but I see a path to success for him.
Precious Achiuwa: 6 PTS (2/4 FG, 2/2 FT), 1 AST, 9 REB, 1 TO in 18 mins
Precious Achiuwa didn’t have a great game, though his numbers aren’t bad. He remained a force on the offensive glass and a useful tertiary passer when perimeter players were swarmed.
But Precious’s defense lacked bite, as he lost track of Trayce Jackson-Davis too often. He also missed his box-outs on the defensive glass a few times. Precious slipping up on the defensive end sapped his impact, leaving him with a 2 out of 5 despite good production in limited time.
Jericho Sims: 0 PTS (0/0 FG), 1 REB, 1 TO in 5 mins
Jericho Sims entered the second quarter due to Hartenstein’s minutes limit and Achiuwa’s struggles. He never got synced up with the pace of action.
Tom Thibodeau makes a surprise move and wins again
Tom Thibodeau made the bold decision to start Deuce McBride instead of Precious Achiuwa. I never expected Thibodeau to go small, but he took the risk, and it paid dividends. McBride turned in the best performance of his career, and the Knicks won from the opening tip on.
Thibodeau’s put a lot of common complaints to rest this season. He’s gone small repeatedly. Any claims about his offensive scheme lacking plays were put to rest since Julius Randle and OG got hurt. The Knicks have survived injuries to their entire frontcourt and continue churning out good results and quality basketball.
I know some fans are upset about the minutes Thibodeau puts on players. But he’s having a banner year as a coach and deserves consideration for Coach of the Year honors.
Closing Thoughts:
I was exhausted last night before tip-off. These Western Conference trips and late-night games remind me I’m getting older. But the Knicks played such a beautiful game of basketball that I was wide awake for all of the fun.
I remember being jealous of Warriors fans and Spurs fans before them. They got to watch the game played at a high level every night. Every cut or off-ball move had a purpose, and decisions happened so fast that it felt like players had ESP. This is the first time that a Knicks team has given me that same feeling.
As long as the Knicks’ shots are falling, we’re watching basketball at the highest level. We see old-school hard work and grit mixed with new-school movement and shooting. In other words, we’re witnessing something special, and we should enjoy every minute of it…even if it’s a little past our bedtime.
Denver is next as the Knicks look to sweep a road trip out West. I’m greedy enough to want that win, but I’ll accept one more quality effort. New York’s given us plenty to cheer about, and I can’t wait for our boys to come home. I’ll see you next time, Knicks fam!
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