The New York Knicks lose to the Memphis Grizzlies 112-115. The Knicks fell short in overtime but showed some promise.
Make sure to catch the whole Knicks Fan TV Postgame show on all major podcast platforms below:
• Spotify
• Apple Podcasts
• Google Podcasts
• Stitcher
The New York Knicks lost a nail-biter in overtime to the Memphis Grizzlies 112 to 115. The Knicks looked like a team adjusting to new players, while Memphis felt like a well-oiled machine. Part of the problem for New York was foul trouble that forced Tom Thibodeau to mix and match his usually rigid rotations. But that was also an issue of poor defense, leading to shoddy fouls.
The Grizzlies had a crucial difference-maker in Ja Morant, who entered the paint at will against all defenders. The Knicks focused so much on Morant that players like John Konchar and Santi Aldama were left open to score freely. Without stops, the Knicks failed to replicate their pace from the preseason, and everyone’s efficiency suffered.
Well, not quite everyone suffered. Julius Randle and Cam Reddish powered the Knicks back into this game. Randle was crucial in erasing a 19-point deficit in the third, and Reddish forced overtime on a beautiful set piece from Thibodeau. Overtime might have gone differently if an obvious foul (and goaltend) from Ja Morant were appropriately called.
The Knicks almost stole a win on the road against one of the best teams in the West. The loss was rough, but there’s plenty to look forward to, even in that defeat. Let’s see how everyone performed and kick off player ratings for the season.
A big game from Randle carries New York’s starters
Jalen Brunson: 15 pts (7/18 FG, 1/4 3PT), 9 AST, 6 REB in 36 mins
There was rarely a chance for Jalen Brunson to find a rhythm. He was in foul trouble after five minutes and couldn’t stay on the floor for long until the fourth quarter. Jalen missed jumpers and some bunnies in the early portion of this game. But once Brunson had extended run in the latter parts, he started to work Morant over with post moves and footwork.
Despite poor shooting for most of the night, Brunson supplied excellent playmaking and strong rebounding throughout his time. The team ran best with the ball in Brunson’s hands. However, I was concerned with the fact that Brunson didn’t defend Ja Morant. Instead, he matched with Desmond Bane, which created early mismatches for Morant and didn’t stop Brunson from picking up fouls.
The new starting point guard salvaged his performance late with some clutch baskets. His production was solid, but the Knicks need Brunson to avoid foul trouble and be the creator for everyone else. His poor efficiency and defensive play lower Brunson’s rating to a 2 out of 5 on the night.
RJ Barrett: 11 PTS (3/18 FG, 0/6 3PT, 5/6 FT), 3 AST, 8 REB, 2 TO in 38 mins
The preseason left RJ Barrett poised for a hot start, but he had a frustrating night instead. Barrett’s jump shot which looked great and fluid all preseason, was off the mark all night. That made him easier to sag off of and contain on drives. Unfortunately, his poor shot selection only made matters worse.
Barrett also drew the short straw and spent extra time guarding Ja Morant. He’s a solid wing defender but guarding elite point guards is out of his scope. New York was always one screen away from Morant collapsing the defense and sealing off Barrett.
Some solid rebounding and a couple of nice passes keep this game from being the absolute bottom for RJ. The good news is that it’s one game, and I think Barrett might have been playing a bit too fast in the energy of a season opener. But that doesn’t stop his rating from falling to a 1 out of 5 thanks to extra forced shots in overtime.
Evan Fournier: 14 PTS (4/11 FG, 3/6 3PT, 3/3 FT), 3 AST, 4 REB, 2 STL in 33 mins
This was a solid complimentary performance from Evan Fournier. He hit some big three-pointers to keep things close and was never afraid to drive past a closeout. That gave him some opportunities to create. It was typical Fournier offense, but I mean that as a compliment.
Fournier’s defensive effort was respectable for most of the night as well. He still looked a step slow on some rotations, but he didn’t give up on plays, which led to some steals and deflections. The problem is that Fournier’s presence forced Barrett to guard Ja Morant and Brunson to check Desmond Bane.
I appreciate Fournier’s effort, and this game is a solid 2 out of 5 for Fournier, which would take a leap with one or two more makes. But the Knicks’ defensive struggles were a reminder of why Quentin Grimes is so important. Grimes guarding Morant would reduce the defensive load on everyone else, and that’s something only Grimes can prove for the starters.
Julius Randle: 24 PTS (9/16 FG, 2/6 3PT, 4/5 FT), 6 AST, 11 REB, 2 STL, 3 TO in 35 mins
Julius Randle’s performance was the most promising of the starters. That’s because he made the right plays despite multiple teammates struggling on offense. Randle never slipped into hero mode, and his efficiency and playmaking reflected as much while his production was as strong as ever.
Randle occasionally settled for pull-ups when I thought he should punish smaller defenders. His jump shot was still shaky from mid and long-range. But his overall play was fantastic, from shooting and rebounding to creating looks for shooters outside. His defensive play was just okay, but that’s good enough, combined with his other qualities.
I’m trying to give tough grades to start this season and leave everyone with room to grow. But it’d be unfair to give Randle anything less than a 4.5 out of 5. He put the starting unit on his back for most of the first three quarters.
Mitchell Robinson: 4 PTS (2/3 FG, 0/1 FT), 2 REB, 2 BLK in 13 mins
There was an incredible run in the first quarter where Mitchell Robinson challenged multiple shots and caused a run of missed shots from the Grizzlies. He didn’t get boards, but his presence caused offensive fouls and extra chances for New York. Unfortunately, Mitch got into foul trouble during this torrid start and continued to pick up tacky fouls all night.
There’s not much to write about when Mitch can’t stay on the floor. He was rapidly in and out of the game for the rest of regulation and overtime.
I’ll give Mitch credit for his promising start and some beautiful blocks. But that’s not enough to cover for just 13 minutes of action and more fouls than points. Mitch gets a 1 out of 5 for failing to stay out there when the defense desperately needed him.
An explosion from Cam Reddish off the Knicks’ bench
Immanuel Quickley: 0 PTS (0/6 FG, 0/3 3PT), 3 REB in 17 mins
Immanuel Quickley’s play started to slip from the third preseason game but bottomed out in this season’s opener. He couldn’t get much separation against a stout Memphis defense. That left him struggling to get good shots and failing to create anything for others.
But he pressed and forced some shots while missing open players, including Obi Toppin, whom IQ always looks for. On top of that, when Quick got open looks from teammates’ creations, he still couldn’t convert. It left his offense completely toothless.
Quickley was utilized as the sixth man over Derrick Rose. So Thibodeau put IQ in a position to lead the second unit, and this game was uncharacteristically bad. But it’s as close to a 0 out of 5 as I’ve gotten due to a complete lack of production. I’ll give Quick a 0.5 out of 5 for a couple of solid rebounds, but this was the worst game I can recall him having.
Derrick Rose: 4 PTS (2/8 FG, 0/3 3PT), 2 AST, 4 REB, 1 BLK, 1 TO in 12 mins
Derrick Rose probably deserved a few extra whistles. When Rose tried to pressure defenders in the fourth, he was consistently bumped off-balance for what I felt were fouls. But the no-calls meant he was inefficient even on his forays inside. His jumper didn’t fall, either.
Rose only played 12 minutes which concerns me. IQ didn’t have it, Brunson was in foul trouble, but Rose still played a limited role. It’s hard to tell if age is catching up with him or if the limited time is cutting into his production.
But Rose’s production is still better than the number of players that got more time. He still got into the paint and pressured defenders into taking risks. That’s enough for a 1.5 out of 5 in a limited time, a score that would be higher with a better field goal percentage.
Cam Reddish: 22 PTS (9/15 FG, 3/6 3PT, 1/1 FT), 5 REB, 3 AST, 3 STL, 1 BLK, 2 TO in 28 mins
By the time Cam Reddish hit a three-pointer to force overtime, he’d already shown more potential than he had throughout the preseason. Reddish started his night by being patient and taking shots within the flow of the offense. Then, a couple of makes forced defenders to tighten up and helped Cam get the step on them.
I have to give Reddish props for his fantastic euro step. On multiple occasions, he used that Euro-gather to take a long stride past defenders and finish acrobatically. He was one of the only Knicks to consistently get into the teeth of the defense, making him the driving force for the second unit’s scoring.
Cam’s success carried over to a better defensive effort too. He picked up steals, challenged shots, and was a presence on defense despite still missing some switches. This was all of Cam’s potential showing up to remind everyone why New York risked a first-round pick for him. Cam gets a 4.5 out of 5 for the stellar performance.
Obi Toppin: 2 PTS (1/3 FG), 1 AST, 3 REB, 1 TO in 13 mins
I don’t have much to say about Obi Toppin’s performance because he didn’t do much. Toppin’s minutes were limited thanks to Julius Randle balling out while Obi wasn’t getting many looks. The high-flying big man never got chances in transition, and his guards never found him.
But I’ll give Toppin the benefit of not doing much that hurt the team. He didn’t force shots; he stayed home to box out on defensive boards and generally was okay on the floor. So I’ll give him an incomplete instead of docking him for lack of utilization by the coach and teammates.
Isaiah Hartenstein: 16 PTS (7/11 FG, 0/3 3PT, 2/2 FT), 4 AST, 8 REB, 1 BLK, 3 TO in 40 mins
Isaiah Hartenstein was almost an unsung hero for New York. He covered for Mitchell Robinson’s foul trouble, which meant a ton of extra minutes on the floor. Hartenstein’s ability to open up the floor as a big man kept the offense afloat even as critical players struggled. He also showed an effective floater when teammates found the big man around the paint.
It wasn’t all gravy for Hart, though. He struggled a bit with Steven Adams’ strength, and the team’s rebounding was better when Mitch played. Unfortunately, our new big man also picked up three turnovers, mainly due to miscommunications on passes.
So Hartenstein’s contributions were good rather than great. He can still have an even more significant impact if his defensive play can reach expectations. I suspect his passing chemistry will only improve with more reps with teammates. Hartenstein picks up a 3.5 out of 5 for handling a massive workload and playing well.
The ups and downs of Tom Thibodeau on display
The first-half struggles for New York left me wondering if Tom Thibodeau needs an offensive coordinator. Jalen Brunson’s foul trouble left Thibs searching for a playmaker to run the offense and nobody truly stepped up. But as players settled in, the team started to run better and show some promise.
My biggest compliment for Thibodeau is for the tying basket at the end of regulation. Cam Reddish had an excellent baseline cut across the floor and into position for an open look. Jalen Brunson got the ball and made a fast move to the rack that drew defenders and created the look. Thibs drew it up nicely.
Other than that, foul trouble left Thibodeau with few options. Maybe Fournier over Obi late was the wrong choice, but I don’t blame Thibs. He also trusted Cam Reddish in big spots despite past struggles. It’s enough for a 2.5 out of 5 for Thibodeau’s coaching.
Closing thoughts
Somehow, that tough loss managed to be fun. Maybe it was the raucous energy at the 40/40 club with so many of the KFTV community together. But I think it’s just as much that Memphis is a fantastic team, and New York went toe to toe with them. The Knicks could have folded after a dud of a first half and a 19-point deficit, but they didn’t. Despite multiple players shooting poorly, this team was just one made field goal away from winning this game in regulation.
The sloppy portions and defensive lapses tell us that this team is still a work in progress. New pieces need time to gel, and players have time to reach midseason form. This win would have been a luxury, but it shouldn’t bring us down too much.
The important thing will be taking care of the games that New York is supposed to win. That starts with Detroit in Friday’s home opener. The Knicks came out swinging against an elite opponent, and now we’ll hope they’re even tougher against lesser opposition. I’ll see you after the home opener with more to talk about and new scores for each player, 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 the latest Knicks Weekly, where CP, Alex, & CK discuss season expectations!
