The New York Knicks lost to the Charlotte Hornets because the starters continue to struggle and keep relying on the bench to bail them out.
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The New York Knicks lost in familiar fashion to the Charlotte Hornets 104 to 96. The starters got off to a hot start, and the second unit followed by pushing the Knicks to a 16-point lead. But even before half-time, the starting unit began to cool down and the lead fell to 9 in the closing minutes of the second. That spiral continued into the third, with the 9-point lead turning into an 11-point deficit before the second unit got a chance to come back and tie the score. Fatigue set in and the starters got one more chance in which they failed mightily, as the Hornets made one last run to win.
Kemba Walker found scoring success and finally broke out of recent struggles. Alec Burks led the bench in scoring, but it was another team effort from that backup crew. This game followed the exact same patterns as the Bucks loss, and that adds salt to the losing wound. The Knicks have problems that they can’t seem to solve, let’s look at the loss and try to find some fixes.
Kemba Walker comes to life, but the Knicks’ starters remain listless
Kemba Walker: 26 PTS (9/19 FG, 4/9 3PT, 4/5 FT), 3 AST, 3 REB, 2 STL, 2 TO in 23 MIN
A return to familiar territory added a spring to Kemba Walker’s step. Walker came out the gate gunning with early three-pointers and a 16-point first quarter. His jumper cooled off after, but Walker still produced by getting to the rack and finishing. He was aggressive throughout the game and kept that starting rotation from falling off a cliff.
The challenge for Walker was that once he cooled off there wasn’t a true second scorer to help. His shooters continued their slumps and Julius Randle wasted possessions more than he helped. All the while, there was Kemba making nice passes and grabbing points when he found openings. His production slowed as the game wore on, but Kemba was still the starter that made the most of his possessions.
I’ll add this as well: I didn’t think Kemba stood out for poor defense. He gets dragged for being the cause of defensive woes, but Fournier and Barrett had just as many perimeter mistakes or maybe more. I mentioned this when Kemba rested, but the starting unit’s defense has more problems than benching Walker will fix. Walker was the life of the starting unit and gets a 3 out of 5 impact score for finally getting to the rim consistently.
Evan Fournier: 5 PTS (2/6 FG, 1/3 3 PT) , 6 REB, 1 AST, 1 STL, 2 TO in 17 MIN
Evan Fournier started the game aggressively. He knocked down an early midrange jumper and added a corner three-pointer that pointed to breaking his slump. But then he faded completely to the background. The French wing didn’t see frequent touches and was hesitant when he did receive the rock. This slump continues to look like a mental block.
The few times that Fournier relied on his instincts, he produced. But we more often caught the free-agent acquisition pump faking against nobody and then dribbling in place. He’s anticipating close-outs that aren’t there because his scoring threat has no gravity right now. A soft close-out is all it takes to make him hesitate or miss, and that breaks spacing.
Compounding the problem, Fournier hasn’t had a good defensive performance since his slump began. He’s struggling to pick up the communication and rotations that make a Thibodeau defense pop. His hesitance is appearing on both ends of the floor and the team suffers for it. Fournier gets a 1.5 out of 5 on impact, staving off a 1 because he didn’t play enough minutes to do that much damage.
RJ Barrett: 2 PTS (1/9 FG, 0/2 3PT), 4 REB, 1 BLK, 1 TO in 26 MIN
This is the first time all year where RJ Barrett’s offensive struggles bled into his defensive effort. Barrett couldn’t hit shots or get into the paint and saw fewer touches to find a rhythm. When he did get possessions, Barrett pounded the rock and forced bad shots. It was his worst offensive game of the season, and the woes continued into defense.
With fewer opportunities and no success, the third-year prospect needed to find other ways to help. But instead, his effort was lacking which meant few rebounds, no assists, and porous defense on Gordon Hayward. Hayward torched Barrett during a third-quarter run that was a nail-in-the-coffin for the starters.
Compared to just a few games ago, RJ Barrett’s performance is night-and-day. He went from looking like a rising star to a rookie who is unable to hit jump shots and is forcing bad shots. Barrett’s playmaking has faded almost as fast as his jumper. This is a rough patch that reminds me how bad RJ’s first month was last season. He’s 21, and inconsistency is expected, but this stretch is ugly enough for Barrett to get a 1/5 for his performance.
Julius Randle: 10 PTS (4/15 FG, 1/5 3PT, 1/4 FT), 8 REB, 5 AST, 1 STL, 5 TO in 33 MIN
Julius Randle’s first quarter was both scoreless and brilliant at the same time. The big man peppered in a couple of shot attempts, but predominantly acted as a decoy on offense. He could set screens for Walker and draw a crowd wherever he decided to cut. When the shots weren’t available, Randle swung the ball and let other players create. It was exciting and fun… and fleeting.
When Randle came back into the game in the second quarter, he immediately botched a handoff with Kemba. The Knicks’ star took a step back and allowed Walker and RJ Barrett to work for a few unsuccessful possessions. Then Randle got his turn and dropped 7 quick points that completely warped his approach on offense. That brief success led him to force shots, dominate the ball, and completely stagnate the starters’ offense once his shot stopped falling.
Make no mistake, the starting unit’s offense was fading already when Randle went into hero mode. But that’s no excuse for how much he forced things. Even when Walker’s possessions didn’t produce, he was making passes to teammates and other players got opportunities. Even Randle’s lone three-pointer was an easy bucket produced by a Walker-dominated possession. But New York’s star refuses to let the game come to him and that’s why he gets a 1 out of 5 for impact.
Mitchell Robinson: 11 PTS (4/5 FG, 3/4 FT), 6 REB, 1 BLK, 1 TO in 23 MIN
Mitchell Robinson had his most successful stint since before the Cleveland loss. That came when he spent some time working with the second unit, of course. Mitch got offensive boards and easy looks with that free-wheeling unit. Robinson looked more effective defensively as well, with his size and Obi Toppin’s mobility working as perfect compliments.
The shot blocker’s minutes with the starters weren’t nearly as impactful. That entire unit’s rotations are slow which only serves to highlight how much Robinson’s bulk has sapped his speed. The lack of ball movement from starters also makes his rim running useless for most possessions. Mitch watches isolations and one-pass possessions while defenders can keep a body in his path to stop his pressure on the offensive boards.
Talk about a revelation, Robinson’s run with the second unit was like a return to form. He was back to a menace on the boards and suddenly became a genuine threat from the dunker’s spot. I’m tempted to say “take him out of the starting unit” even though Robinson is not the problem with that group. I want to see more Mitch and Obi front-court work, and that brief run was enough to bump Mitch up to a 2.5 out of 5 on the night.
New York’s second unit thrives, but can’t bail out the starting line-up
Derrick Rose: 8 PTS (3/6 FG, 1/3 3PT, 1/1 FT), 2 AST, 1 REB, 1 TO in 17 MIN
Derrick Rose had a subdued first half, as he missed some looks and allowed his wings to run the offense. But Rose appeared poised to make a run with his second-half minutes. Rose hit a three early and began to collapse the defense with forays inside. Then the former Bull appeared to tweak his ankle which cut his night short.
Without the limp, Rose probably gets over 20 minutes with more production to boot. But that doesn’t mean to imply that New York would have won. The starters were already losing steam when the former MVP left. Rose never fully took over as we’ve seen in his better performances. His downhill approach might have produced a couple of better looks though, so who knows?
The limited minutes sapped Rose’s chance to make a bigger difference. He wasn’t quite himself even when he was running at full speed. Our sixth man was solid, but he’s routinely great for New York. So this one lands Rose a 2 out of 5 on impact, not bad off the bench but not much better than a bench contribution either.
Immanuel Quickley: 9 PTS (3/8 FG, 3/7 3PT), 2 AST, 2 REB, 1 STL, 1 TO in 21 MIN
Immanuel Quickley’s three-point shooting was back in all its chaotic glory. IQ entered the second quarter and quickly knocked down a pair of threes that grabbed momentum for the bench unit. He had a similar momentous three-point make during the second-half comeback. He’s fast approaching the “anytime, anywhere” threat level as a shooter.
The downside of this performance is that all of IQ’s scoring came from three. Charlotte’s athletic and lengthy wings gave Quickley some trouble inside. The sophomore couldn’t get downhill, even being stripped on one of his few attempts to get inside. On the bright side, when Quickley did find a lane he made a couple of clever dimes with that space.
Another bit that stood out, was Quickley’s defense. This might just be thanks to the starters looking so bad, but IQ played an engaged and energized defense along the perimeter. He creates a stark contrast with the starters, just by closing out hard and being willing to bump a ball-handler. Quickley’s combination of shot-making and defense is worth a 2.5 out of 5 on impact; with room to do even more.
Alec Burks: 15 PTS (6/12 FG, 3/6 3PT), 9 REB, 3 AST, 2 STL, 1 BLK, 1 TO in 25 MIN
Alec Burks is coming into his own after early struggles. The scoring wing led the bench in scoring with a 15-point outburst that included three-pointers and clever trips inside. With Rose taking a backseat this game, Burks added some downhill activity to help with spacing and ball movement. He’s a midrange make or two away from getting back to the all-levels scoring threat that he was last season.
It’s worth highlighting that Burks has developed real chemistry with Obi Toppin. He’s the best rebounding guard on the team and frequently turns defensive boards into outlet assists to Obi. Burks also loves to throw the lob when his gravity draws defenders inside. This chemistry has quickly made the Burks/Obi pick and roll one of my favorite plays to watch in any game.
Just like IQ, Burks also stood out for his defensive effort. I’m recalling one play in particular where Burks anticipated a lay-up and jumped early enough to block a bigger man who got good position inside. The microwave scorer isn’t a stopper on defense, but his effort is enough to produce solid results when combined with the rebounding. Burks gets a 3.5 out of 5 for his two-way performance in this one.
Obi Toppin: 7 PTS (3/9 FG, 1/2 FT), 8 REB, 1 AST, 1 BLK, 1 TO in 15 MIN
I usually get on players that finish with more shot attempts than points. But I watched Obi Toppin’s performance and was begging for him to get more minutes. The Knicks transform from lifeless to energized as soon as Obi touches the floor. Any stagnation fades once Toppin starts flying around the floor and chasing open space.
The big man was met with length and athleticism that cut into his efficiency a bit. But Toppin still had some moments and dunks to marvel at. His windmill is the highlight but was even more impressive when Charlotte tried to full-court trap IQ. Obi was the inbound-man and he got the ball back to dribble the length of the court (outrunning Terry Rozier) before lobbing a dime to Mitchell Robinson. We don’t see big men make plays like that often and no big man is moving as fast in that sequence.
Again, I’ll reference defensive effort before closing this out. Toppin has an incredible motor on both ends of the floor. He can get jumpy or find himself out of place at times, but he’s generally making up for mistakes by way of intense work rate and pace. It was notable that Miles Bridges went off in the fourth quarter only after Toppin was benched for Randle. 15 minutes is not enough for Toppin who grabs a 3 out of 5 for his energizing impact.
Taj Gibson: 3 PTS (1/4 FG, 1/2 FT), 4 REB, 1 STL, 1 BLK, 4 TO in 22 MIN
It was a rare off-night for Taj Gibson. We generally know what to expect from Taj, but his physicality was ineffective against Charlotte. The big man picked up offensive fouls and turnovers that hampered his impact. He also struggled to get rebounds or finish over Charlotte’s athletic bigs.
It’s tough to write about Gibson because you already know his style of play. He stuck to his usual script for the most part but just didn’t have his typical success. He was less involved than usual, but that’s because illegal screen calls kept cutting off the plays meant to get him going.
That means if there’s one bench piece that I can say was bad, it’s unfortunately Taj. The second unit’s best run of the game came with Mitch replacing Gibson as the center for that group. I honestly wouldn’t mind flipping their roles to see if Gibson’s effort and veteran mentality could help snap the starters into gear. But for this game, Taj gets a 1.5 out of 5 on impact, mainly thanks to his 4 turnovers.
Tom Thibodeau waits too long to see the writing on the wall a second straight time
Tom Thibodeau: I’ve complained about Tom Thibodeau’s strict adherence to his rotations through the first three quarters in the past. Barring an injury, you can expect the bench to come into the game around the 4-minute mark of any odd number quarter. Knowing his habit doesn’t make it any easier to watch the starters flop at the end of second-quarters and then continue to flail into the third. The Knicks saw a 9-point lead become an 11-point deficit while Thibodeau stubbornly stuck with his typical rotation.
Thibodeau’s only shift was to play the bench a bit longer in the fourth quarter. But his wholesale line-changes meant that the entire second unit was too gassed to seal the game. He never made any strategic moves to keep a pair of fresh legs among his most productive players. Instead, he had to check in his starters that had dug the hole in the first place and they failed again.
I’m especially frustrated at Julius Randle’s handling. Randle was the central reason for stagnation while Obi Toppin was a breath of fresh air. But we still see Julius with 33 minutes of action to Toppin’s 15. If Thibodeau wants to send a message, he needs to hold his stars as accountable as everyone else. That’s especially true when those players are the main reason that the team is struggling. Thibodeau gets another 1 out of 5, and I think his inability to adapt is quickly feeling inexcusable.
Closing Thoughts
That starting unit is down bad. Nobody is shooting well consistently and there’s a lack of rhythm pervasive throughout. If Kemba is cooking then Randle can’t; if RJ is hot then Fournier won’t touch the ball for a quarter. This feels like too many cooks are in the kitchen on offense and we’ll call their aversion to defensive effort a peanut allergy.
But how much do we blame the starters when Tom Thibodeau is doing them no favors? He’s not staggering the minutes for players unless they get hurt and he hasn’t touched his rotation all season. New York is 2-5 and continues to trot out the worst five-man unit in the NBA to start halves and lead the league in minutes together. He’s letting these guys flounder and it makes no sense.
The Pacers are up next and they’re not far removed from smacking New York by double-digits. They have the requisite size and spacing that has been kryptonite for the Knicks all season. I’m praying for someone to get a hot hand because I have doubts that Thibodeau will make any changes. New York is 1-game over .500 but it feels like a season on the brink already. But even when the Knicks struggle, we ride with our guys! I’ll see you after the next one Knicks fam!
Stay tuned to KnicksFanTV.com for the latest Knicks news, rumors, and recaps throughout the 2021-22 NBA season. In case you missed it, catch the KFTV panel discuss whether or not Obi Toppin deserves more consistent playing time below.
