The New York Knicks lost to the Milwaukee Bucks 108-123, and for the second straight game, the Knicks never held a lead.
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The New York Knicks trailed from beginning to end for the second consecutive game as they lost to the Milwaukee Bucks 108 to 123. The Bucks’ pace and transition offense left New York’s defensive rotations in shambles early, though the Knicks kept things relatively competitive on the glass and at the three-point line. Giannis broke the game with a scoring burst in the early portion of the fourth quarter, and the Knicks never put together the consecutive scores or stops to get closer than eight before the buzzer.
Evan Fournier was New York’s best scorer, with RJ Barrett chipping in plenty for the starters. Quentin Grimes was the bright spot off the bench, while Alec Burks didn’t shoot often but finally had an efficient night from the field. The Knicks ran into a perennial MVP candidate playing at his peak, and thus their free fall continues. Let’s see where we can fish out points of optimism and room for adjustment in each individual performance.
Fournier and Barrett give the Knicks’ starters some fight
Kemba Walker: 8 PTS (4/8 FG, 0/4 3PT), 7 AST, 5 REB, 1 STL, 2 TO in 30 mins
I was happy to see Kemba Walker beat defenders off the dribble and finish inside on multiple plays. He used a hesitation dribble into a long stride that helped him past his initial opposition (watch some of those drives back, I’m stealing that combination for my next open court run). Walker’s ability to beat players also created far more opportunities to pick up dimes to teammates, including a beauty of a line-drive lob to Robinson for a dunk.
But Walker’s night was far from perfect. He was one of many culprits of bad rotations that left Milwaukee shooters wide-open too frequently. Jrue Holiday’s tank-like build meant that there were no easy assignments for Kemba to defend. That said he finished the game as one of only two players with a positive +/-. Everyone was bad on defense, Walker was at least effective on offense.
Walker’s offense wasn’t perfect though. Had he knocked down his usual share of three-pointers then this performance would have taken a step to another level. He got his looks off, but just didn’t can them. It’s a minor quibble for an otherwise solid night of production though. Walker grabs a 2.5 out of 5 for frequent kick-outs to other shooters.
Evan Fournier: 25 PTS (10/19 FG, 5/12 3PT, 0/1 FT), 3 AST, 7 REB, 1 STL, 1 BLK in 32 mins
While everyone else seemed to struggle, Evan Fournier had the Bruce Leroy glow. He got into the lane and threw up some ridiculous floaters that managed to fall. When defenders rotated to stop those close attempts, Fournier looked for Mitchell Robinson. Fournier wasn’t lying about finding the mismatch against a switch last post-game. He fed Robinson against smaller defenders which earned fouls and dunks.
The French wing also shot the ball really well at range. He was flirting with a night over 50 percent from the three before he rushed some attempts trying to come back late. His movement into open space off the ball was fun to watch and paired well with Kemba Walker’s forays inside. He was the release valve when gravity pulled everyone into the middle.
But as much as I praise his offense, Fournier’s defense was a glaring step behind. I’ll credit him with showing frustration at himself for losing Grayson Allen at times and picking up bad fouls at others. But there’s getting mad after a mistake and then there’s not making the mistake. Fournier played well, but his defense kept this from being a great performance. He picks up a 3.5 out of 5 for great efficiency and shooting.
RJ Barrett: 23 PTS (6/20 FG, 3/8 3PT, 8/10 FT), 3 AST, 4 REB, 2 STL, 2 TO in 35 mins
Doris Burke called out the same issue that I referenced a few recaps back as the key to Barrett completing a true leap. He has to get better at finishing at the rim to bring his efficiency up to match the production. But Barrett was a force once again, getting inside and scoring in an array of ways. Unfrotunately, he made just six attempts out of twenty tries, and that can’t cut it when the team plays quality competition (especially a transition attack like Milwaukee’s).
Barrett’s struggles to finish inside don’t take away from an otherwise nice performance though. He shot the three-ball well and converted his free throws for a change. The third-year prospect’s trips inside had enough gravity that his misses once again helped feed Mitchell Robinson for a putback and some free throw attempts. RJ is starting to make clean reads on his forays as well, a kick out to Fournier at the baseline standing out along with the usual lobs to Mitch.
The efficiency struggle aside, Barrett is still looking the part of a focal point that the offense can run through. He’s making better, faster reads on his trips to the middle; drawing fouls; and frequently hitting the twenty-point mark. The prospect has taken a big step forward and if his finishing clicks then the leap is complete. RJ gets a 3 out of 5 for another nice performance for his January run.
Julius Randle: 9 PTS (4/9 FG, 0/1 3PT, 1/2 FT), 3 AST, 11 REB, 4 TO in 37 mins
Julius Randle can tell us that he wants to bring a title to New York, but he has to show us on the court to avoid scrutiny. To his credit, he did a few things that I liked in this game but nine points and three assists to four turnovers in 37 minutes isn’t changing anyone’s mind.
The good was Randle’s shot selection. He didn’t hesitate on open looks and didn’t force much in isolation. But his jumper is still somewhere in a galaxy far, far away with a Monstar that’s trying to beat the Looney Tunes. The big man looked to roll to the basket on more screens, which got him the ball with momentum for some scores but also a couple of turnovers. He tried to pass out of doubles, but sometimes he replaced fast decisions with speeding up the pass itself which doesn’t have the same impact.
So Randle was trying to do a lot of the right things here, but it didn’t quite translate. If a couple more jumpers fall, if he shields the ball with his body on gathers, and if he makes the quick reads against double teams then the improvements will happen fast. It looks like he knows what he has to do, so now it’s a matter of execution. What’s worrisome is his body language at times, like walking away when Obi Toppin needed to be helped up late. Frustration is understandable, but that’s not a good look.
Randle picks up a 1.5 out of 5 for low production in big minutes.
Mitchell Robinson: 7 PTS (3/3 FG, 1/6 FT), 6 REB, 1 BLK, 1 TO in 25 mins
I have a hard time judging Mitchell Robinson’s performance in this game. He started off by overwhelming Giannis for an offensive board and dunk. He would pick up a couple more dunks along the way, to go with a series of trips to the charity stripe. But Mitch missed all but one free throw attempt, including a pair that came with the Knicks down by eight points late in the fourth quarter. His missed freebies felt like the nail in the coffin of that late comeback attempt.
Defensively, Robinson had his hands full with the entire Bucks offense. That’s hardly hyperbole, the Bucks were getting into the lane against any and all defenders. That left Mitch with the basketball equivalent of a prisoner’s dilemma. Should he rotate to the slasher and leave Giannis open for a dunk or should he stick to Giannis and try to feint at a rotation in hopes the driver rushes his attempt. Neither strategy worked and Mitch doesn’t have the mobility to do much else.
That’s no excuse for the ineffective defense though. Mitch is out there to be a rim protector and I generally expect more from him. His presence in the middle on offense was better but that was hampered by poor free-throw shooting. At the end of the day, Robinson simply didn’t match his typical impact on games. He’ll need Taj Gibson-like anticipation to cover when the perimeter defense falls apart like this. Mitch gets a 2 out of 5 for an okay, but definitely not a good performance.
Aches, pains, and struggles mean short minutes for most of New York’s second unit
Immanuel Quickley: 5 PTS (2/6 FG, 1/3 3PT), 2 AST in 11 mins
Immanuel Quickley barely got a chance to make things happen. Quickley was active, but slow in his decision-making. Those slight delays meant offensive sets starting later, passing lanes blocked, and fewer attack options. IQ was also the victim of being out there when Giannis went nuclear with his jumper in the fourth.
Quickley also missed a few rotations, or so it seemed. He had a couple of miscommunications where he seemed to miss a switch and leave a player open. As ugly as the entire team’s defense was, it’s possible that the errors weren’t his. But Quickley’s the player that got benched in just 11 minutes, too few to warrant an impact grade.
Alec Burks: 10 PTS (3/5 FG, 2/4 3PT, 2/3 FT), 2 AST, 3 REB, 2 TO in 18 mins
The production isn’t eye-popping, but it was still nice to see Alec Burks hit some shots. He’s been battling with his jumper for some time now but managed a pair of threes in space. Burks also got into the lane to finish once and draw free throws with his usual ability to time his release with defenders’ contact.
The microwave scorer didn’t have as many dimes as usual, but he continued to throw some nice passes along the way. Burks has a knack for finding dimes when players drive and kick out to him. He dribbles middle, draws extra attention, and quickly swings the ball to whichever shooter’s defender came loose. It’s a nice touch for a player that’s known for scoring.
I might be overselling this performance, but I’ve been pretty tough on Burks lately. This game was a step in a positive direction. He hit his open looks, made some nice passes, and managed to be productive overall. None of the Knicks looked great, but so Burks did well by simply not looking bad. The scorer picks up a 2 out of 5 for ten points on five tries in limited minutes.
Quentin Grimes: 11 PTS (4/8 FG, 3/7 3PT), 2 REB, 1 STL, 1 BLK, 2 TO in 18 mins
Quentin Grimes continues to give Knicks fans silver linings in losses. He came into the second quarter and shot the Knicks back into competitive range. Grimes also hit a floater and proved willing to take the ball up the court and look for teammates. He played with confidence and made things happen offensively to go with his usual quality defense.
Both of his turnovers were the results of telegraphed decisions. Grimes was aggressive off the dribble, but sometimes his stare lingered on his pass targets. That was about the only thing to go wrong for the kid though. The fact that he was dribbling at defenders and looking for shooters to pass to is a promising start. I’ll take those mistakes when his aggression produces good results so much more often.
Do you know the saying, “in the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king?” On a team that sucks at defense, the feisty rookie is refreshing. Grimes wasn’t changing the trajectory of a defense that got ripped to shreds, but at least was getting into opponents’ numbers. His effort and motor really helped him stand out among some glazed-over faces. Grimes grabs a 2.5 out of 5 for a solid two-way effort.
Obi Toppin: 5 PTS (2/4 FG, 0/1 3PT, 1/2 FT), 2 REB in 14 mins
Obi faked a hand-off and flew into the lane for a monstrous dunk in the second quarter. He would continue his stint at a frenetic pace with aggressive play at both ends. That play earned him a few extra minutes in the second quarter.
His fourth quarter didn’t go as smoothly. Obi’s only opportunity came at the top of the arc, after an awkward possession where he and IQ played hot potato without actually pressuring defenders. Thibs did give Obi a brief run with Randle in a small-ball lineup, but that pairing struggled like everyone else. So Toppin left the game with 14 minutes of action, just below the threshold for a performance score.
Nerlens Noel: 5 PTS (1/2 FG, 3/4 FT), 5 REB, 1 AST, 1 STL, 1 BLK, 1 TO in 20 mins
Nerlens Noel appeared to reinjure his ailing knee early on. He doubled over for a moment and then limped up and down the court until Tom Thibodeau noticed and called time out. But the big man never left the game. He came back in and showed a lot of heart, although I’d rate his efficacy as a mixed bag.
Noel had to meet a lot of ball-handlers at the rim. The Bucks were constantly getting inside with Giannis as a pass target in the middle and sharpshooters lining the perimeter. That meant even when Noel denied the first attempt, it typically meant a quick pass to the next shooter. Noel did manage some deflections, but his presence could only provide so much help.
Noel hurt his hand blocking a shot in the third quarter. The block was a beauty that sent the ball flying, but the aftermath left him holding his hand up and down the court. This is the player with the worst hands on the team, to begin with, but he did manage to corral a pass and drop it in with his good hand. But that was his night in a nutshell, getting hurt and playing through the pain for mixed results. Noel grabs a 2 out of 10 for the effort through aches and pains.
The same starters get the same results twice in a row on national television for Tom Thibodeau
Tom Thibodeau: There’s an elephant in the room and we’ve been discussing it long enough for fans to be at their wit’s end before the all-star break hits. Tom Thibodeau trotted out the same lifeless starting unit that holds the league’s worst scoring differentials for any five-man group that has played more than 300 minutes together. They played better against the Bucks than they did against the Miami Heat, but it would be almost impossible to match that level of futility. What matters is they fell behind from the beginning of the game and never held a lead for the second straight game.
The rest of Thibs’ standout decisions are also pretty typical. I can’t explain why Julius Randle led the team in minutes despite struggling, but I feel like it puts undue pressure on New York’s most scrutinized player. Meanwhile, Immanuel Quickley barely got a chance to find his rhythm despite being the best passer for New York over the past couple of weeks. I’m also a bit frustrated that we haven’t gotten an extended look at a Fournier/Grimes pairing on the wings since they’re the team’s best floor spacers while everyone else needs to get inside.
This season might feel less frustrating if Thibodeau would at least commit to some changes. He’s slow to adjust, and that just makes it more frustrating that we can all see the problems with this team. Nobody is expecting the starting line-up to turn things around after months of being the worst in the league. We know this doesn’t work, so why won’t Thibs try to fix it? Thibodeau gets a 1 out of 5 for continuing to make the same mistakes.
Closing Thoughts
The Knicks are only a game out of play-in territory but it feels like ten. They’ve got an incredibly tough schedule from here on out and have shown no signs of turning things around. That makes recent rumors that they’re looking to move vets and turning down offers for youth a bit of a relief. A big acquisition might push this team into the play-in territory but it’s hard to envision much beyond that for this deeply flawed cast. They were built to play off Randle, but he hasn’t been himself all season.
So what do we look forward to as Knicks fans? Trades that create opportunities for the young guys to do more. RJ Barrett has shown growth this month after becoming more of the focal point for the offense. Immanuel Quickley has flashed room to grow into a point guard role as the other playmakers have sat out. Quentin Grimes is all we have on defense some nights. Now I’d like to see if Obi Toppin, Cam Reddish, or even McBride or Sims can have a similar growth spurt amid this spiraling season. Losses aren’t as bad if the path to future success is clear.
The Sacramento Kings are next on Monday, and the nature of the schedule makes that a must-win. The Knicks will face a who’s who of dangerous Western Conference opposition after that, so gaining some kind of goodwill early is key. We’ll see if the front office of Thibodeau makes changes to try and find a spark or if we’re still hoping for players to turn things around after months of the same struggles. We’ll chat afterward Knicks fam!
Stay tuned to KnicksFanTV.com for the latest Knicks news, rumors, and recaps throughout the 2021-22 NBA season. And in case you missed it, make sure to check out CP’s reaction to the Knicks’ trade rumors.
