The New York Knicks fall short to the Sacramento Kings, 117-122. The Knicks almost made a comeback, but their late game execution was poor.
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The New York Knicks failed to complete a comeback, falling to the Sacramento Kings 117 to 122. New York started the game as they ended last, missing shots. They shot 35 percent from the field through two quarters, with Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart providing the only signs of life.
The Knicks started the third quarter down by 16 points but finally woke up. Quentin Grimes got going in the third, and RJ Barrett found offense in the fourth, which helped the Knicks tie the game. However, De’Aaron Fox responded with a run of his own, and New York cooled off in crunch time. They fought until the final minute, but the Knicks came up short.
There were still signs of tired legs from that double-OT battle against the Boston Celtics. But there was also proof of players waking up. So let’s look at the brutal loss and how everyone played.
New York’s starting line-up misses its closer
Jalen Brunson: 19 PTS (6/12 FG, 3/5 3PT, 4/5 FT), 2 AST, 2 REB, 1 TO in 19 mins
Jalen Brunson gave New York an offensive boost when everyone else seemed cold. Brunson knocked down crucial three-pointers that kept the game within reach, and he showed off his flashy footwork and clever finishing inside. On his return after missing two games, the point guard got 19 points before halftime.
Unfortunately, Brunson exited the game at the half. He reaggravated his injured left foot, leaving him with an incomplete game, which was on the verge of becoming a gem. I won’t give an impact score to half a game’s worth of play, but Brunson looked great while we had him.
Quentin Grimes: 19 PTS (7/13 FG, 4/10 3PT, 1/1 FT), 2 AST, 1 REB, 1 STL, 1 BLK, 2 TO in 29 mins
It took Quentin Grimes a while to find his jumper. But once the first one fell, he began hitting shots even with defenders in his face. We saw Grimes get into a groove with baseline drives, leading to a dime to Mitch and a reverse layup. And because of his ability to attack the paint and boost his confidence, that allowed the three-ball to follow.
On the defensive end, Grimes was the only player that could contain De’Aaron Fox. For you see, Fox exploded in the second half but did almost all of his damage while guarded by Josh Hart. However, any time Grimes defended the star guard, New York made stops. Unfortunately, Grimes didn’t get many fourth-quarter minutes to slow Fox down.
Grimes played a strong game of basketball. He gave the Knicks life after Brunson left the matchup and provided the best perimeter defense on the roster. His strong play earns a 3.5 out of 5 for his impact.
RJ Barrett: 25 PTS (9/23 FG, 1/8 3PT, 6/10 FT), 2 AST, 7 REB, 1 TO in 33 mins
RJ Barrett struggled through most of the first half. His saving grace came from trips to the free-throw line, but he also left a few points there. In addition, Barrett missed his three-pointers all night, dragging down his overall efficiency. But to his credit, RJ chased down some tough rebounds and looked for his bigs in the lane again.
The 22-year-old really found his rhythm in the third and fourth quarters. He started attacking the rim more effectively, providing the only crunch-time scoring anyone could muster. That made up for some missed connections on passes and late closeouts.
Barrett led the Knicks in scoring, finding enough offense to produce even without his jumper. But this performance falls to the median thanks to inefficiency and some mixed results on defense. He’s unlocked the confidence that was missing for most of February, but there’s still plenty of room for improvement. Nevertheless, the developing youth earns a 2.5 out of 5 for his solid night.
Julius Randle: 23 PTS (8/22 FG, 2/12 3PT, 5/9 FT), 5 AST, 10 REB, 2 STL, 4 TO in 36 mins
Julius Randle still looks exhausted, which is understandable. He settled for jumpers more often than usual, and sadly those shots kept falling short. He’s one of two players whose legs look drained (we’ll get to the other guy soon), so it makes sense why his shots aren’t connecting.
Defense became another problem for Randle. The Kings intended to get Randle to switch on the guards to exploit the matchup, which happened early and often throughout the night. Julius looked a step slow as the Kings’ guards repeatedly beat him to the basket, but that’ll happen when a big man is switched onto De’Aaron Fox.
Nevertheless, Randle deserves credit for the fight that he showed. He threw some nice passes and fought his way to double-digit rebounding. But it’s obvious the big man also missed Jalen Brunson’s presence in crunch time. He had turnovers and missed shots that sealed New York’s loss. Ultimately, Randle gets a 1.5 out of 5 for inefficiency and a brutal finish to the night.
Mitchell Robinson: 9 PTS (4/6 FG, 1/2 FT), 1 AST, 8 REB in 20 mins
Mitchell Robinson looked alright on offense. He grabbed his usual array of offensive rebounds and finished plenty of dunks along the way. The big man worked to a near double-double in reduced time.
So why did Mitchell Robinson’s minutes get cut? Because he had no answers for Domantas Sabonis. This is the first time an opponent has dominated Mitch since he returned from injury. Sabonis left the shot-blocking Knick in foul trouble and without any answers.
Mitch was solid for most of the game, but his defensive lapses earned him a shorter leash than usual. As a result, he picks up a 2 out of 5 for a decent game, but a lack of stops against the Kings’ star big.
The Knicks’ second unit attacks the offensive boards
Immanuel Quickley: 3 PTS (1/11 FG, 1/8 3PT), 5 AST, 2 REB, 1 TO in 27 mins
Immanuel Quickley hasn’t been the same since his performance in Boston. IQ shot poorly from everywhere against Sacramento. All but one of his threes bricked, and even his floaters rimmed out. The clever guard did find seams for some nice assists, but that was all the offense he could muster.
IQ had his moments on defense. He didn’t defend Fox as frequently as I expected but held his own when they did locked horns.
If anything points to fatigue, it’s my inability to say much after 27 minutes from Quickley. He’s a player that finds positive impacts virtually every night. But that wasn’t the case in this one, as IQ gets a 1 out of 5 for the rough performance.
Miles McBride: 0 PTS (0/1 FG, 0/1 3PT), 3 AST, 2 REB in 7 mins
Deuce McBride played spot minutes in the second half and looked good. He gave the Knicks a boost of energy and pushed the pace. He managed 3 assists in just 7 minutes and also provided some defense. His play warranted more minutes.
Josh Hart: 9 PTS (3/4 FG, 1/1 3PT, 2/2 FT), 7 AST, 15 REB, 3 STL, 3 TO in 32 mins
Josh Hart was the only Knick to make consistent contributions in both halves. He started with a three, but most of his impact came from offensive boards. As the Knicks struggled to make any shot count, Hart continually grabbed boards that created extra opportunities. His passes out of those moments led to most of his 7 assists.
Hart’s rebounding also helped him push the pace off defensive grabs. He put together some coast-to-coast finishes that energized the team. The deadline acquisition played a step faster than most of his teammates on offense.
But he was a step behind against De’Aaron Fox. Hart couldn’t contain the speedy guard, and for some reason, Tom Thibodeau allowed that matchup to be exploited far too often. Combine that tough defensive assignment with a few turnovers, and Hart’s performance goes from great to good. He gets a 3.5 out of 5 for the night.
Obi Toppin: 5 PTS (2/7 FG, 1/5 3PT), 2 REB, 1 STL, 1 TO in 12 mins
Obi Toppin had a tough time in the early going of this game. He seemed a step behind on defense, and his rotations didn’t look sharp. To make matters worse, he shot poorly despite getting some good looks.
But Toppin picked things up with a burst of energy in the second half. He finally got a three to fall and followed it with a fast break finish. That helped him earn a 1.5 out of 5, but his minutes were still short, and his defense has to be better.
Isaiah Hartenstein: 5 PTS (2/2 FG, 1/2 FT), 9 REB, 1 STL in 25 mins
Isaiah Hartenstein did a better job defending Domantas Sabonis than anyone else. That’s not to say he shut down the big man, but I-Hart contained Sabonis and forced a few misses. The defensive play was enough to give New York momentum in bursts.
Big Hart also found space to cut into the middle for nice dunks in each half. He added his usual work on the boards for an additional contribution. Hartenstein played well enough for a 3 out of 5 on impact. His defense on Sabonis alone is worth the shout-out.
Poor shooting limits Tom Thibodeau’s options
Looking toward the coach is easy when games are lost on the margins. Despite the defender’s impact in the third quarter, Tom Thibodeau was slow to bring Grimes into the fourth quarter after the sophomore immediately hit a three. On top of that, Thibs pulled McBride for an ice-cold IQ in that same quarter, and the move flopped.
But those decisions shouldn’t distract from the larger issue. The team couldn’t hit shots. New York earned plenty of open looks and had every opportunity to complete this comeback. They just didn’t have the legs, and that’s a problem of the schedule as much as it is anything else. In the end, Thibodeau gets a 2 out of 5 for a solid night with one or two glaring errors.
Closing Thoughts
I’m still not concerned about the Knicks after this loss. The fact that they found energy and life in the second half gives me optimism. But they’ll need to find their legs to avoid this trip West becoming a spiral.
My biggest concern is Brunson’s foot. New York has proven they can survive without Brunson, but barely. The star point guard’s value shows when the team is in a tight game late; New York doesn’t have poise in clutch situations without Jalen leading the way.
Next is a back-to-back with the Los Angeles Lakers and the Los Angeles Clippers. Those are two winnable matchups but with brutal timing. The team looks tired, so two games in two days has the feel of climbing a mountain. But these guys have shown resilience before, and I’m curious to see how they bounce back. Catch you later, 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 CP’s interview with Hall of Fame Broadcaster, Mike Breen!
