The New York Knicks fall short again to the Chicago Bulls by losing 119-115. The Knicks lost their composure and they need a closer.
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The New York Knicks lost another close contest, this time to the Chicago Bulls 119 to 115. The Knicks lost composure early, with the players and coach arguing with the refs until Taj Gibson was ejected. The Bulls capitalized and got out to a more than 20-point lead in the first half. But the Knicks got things together by the third quarter, staging a comeback by pushing the Bulls into foul trouble early. New York fought all the way back to take a late lead, but the Bulls closers stepped up while the Knicks had no answer.
Julius Randle was the engine for the starting unit, though that came with lapses in concentration. With Alec Burks and Immanuel Quickley starting, Derrick Rose stepped up for a bench that was missing most of their weapons. New York had moments of brilliance mixed between some mental collapses. Let’s take a look back at how the Knicks managed another almost, but not quite effort.
Knicks’ starters rely on Randle for the good and the bad:
Alec Burks: 16 PTS (3/10 FG, 1/5 3 PT, 9/10 FT), 3 AST, 7 REB, 2 STL, 1 TO in 43 mins
Alec Burks couldn’t get much going from the floor but made up for it with free throws. The Bulls defended New York’s ball-handlers well all night, and that meant Burks was chased off jumpers and into the lane often. He hunted for foul calls and finishes, but the whistles were his saving grace. But chasing whistles turned playmaking into an afterthought for most of his possessions.
It shouldn’t exactly surprise anyone, but Alec Burks isn’t a point guard. When he’s starting, the offense runs through Randle with a “playmaking by committee” approach for everyone. That’s fine when Randle’s wreaking havoc, but when things stalled there was no one to create easy looks for teammates. The new-look starters have plenty of firepower, but the lack of floor general means more isolations and stagnant possessions.
Burks rounded out his game with some nice rebounding and a couple of steals. His defense overall wasn’t great, however. Burks consistently dropped too far off his men which meant that Derozan and Lavine shot plenty of pull-up jumpers right over him. He didn’t have many answers when those guys took him into the lane either. RJ Barrett’s size and defense were sorely missed. Burks’ performance gets a 2.5, with the foul trouble he put Lonzo Ball in as a saving grace.
Immanuel Quickley: 15 PTS (6/17 FG, 3/9 3 PT), 3 AST, 3 REB, 2 STL, 1 TO in 38 mins
Immanuel Quickley’s first start didn’t quite go as planned. Outside of a brief run of baskets that ended with back-to-back threes, IQ had a tough scoring night. He couldn’t get to the rack and that meant a lot of awkward pull-ups and floaters. Quickley has a knack for making something out of nothing. But when he’s trying to work that magic too frequently inefficiency follows.
I’ll give IQ this benefit, the Knicks’ offense ran better when he was the main ball-handler rather than Alec Burks. Quickley moved the ball more freely and is better at throwing entry passes into the post. The sophomore had some moments of nice creation for himself and others. The problem is that scattered opportunities meant he never got into a real rhythm as a playmaker or scorer.
Chicago’s big backcourt also took the bite out of IQ’s defense. He wasn’t bad on that end, but we rarely saw him trusted to match up with the Bulls’ key scorers. When Quickley got the chance to chase around Trae Young, he gave us a gem. But it’s hard to stand out when you’re guarding Lonzo Ball who isn’t even hitting wide-open looks. IQ gets a 1.5 out of 5 for more attempts than points without other contributions standing out enough to make up for it.
Evan Fournier: 16 PTS (6/14 FG, 4/10 3 PT), 1 REB, 4 STL in 32 mins
It’s tough to judge Evan Fournier because his game came in bursts of action both positive and negative. In the first half, he was the first player to really harass ball-handlers as a second defender. His smart double-teams led to steals and easy points. But he otherwise was most noticeable for arguing with Randle and getting stuck when he handled the ball.
The second half saw Fournier find his three-point shot. Evan strung together some lovely shots thanks to clever off-ball movement. But throughout the game, he also kept forcing off-balance threes that left him fading or leaning while trying to convert. He would give the Knicks momentum one minute and then force an ugly possession the next. I’m not sure how he had no turnovers because I was sure I counted two occasions where his ball-handling led to easy fast-break buckets for the Bulls.
The difference-maker for Fournier in this one was defense. He was much more active in rotations and as a help defender. He had a big denial at the rim against a would-be dunk that should have counted as a block. That’s not to say he was a great defender, but this was enough defense for his offensive qualities to make up for mistakes. Fournier gets a 3 out of 5 for being willing to yell at Randle when the star was getting out of control.
Julius Randle: 30 PTS (14/21 FG, 2/5 FT), 6 AST, 12 REB, 2 BLK, 7 TO in 39 mins
The last two minutes of this game stand out enough to steal a lot of goodwill from Julius Randle’s performance. Randle was a monster getting to the rack against a Bulls team that has no big bodies to contain him. Randle used that size advantage to score, own the boards, and otherwise bully his opponents physically. But he was also susceptible to being stripped; arguing with the refs, and losing composure for entire chunks of the game.
There are two sides to this performance. On one hand, you have Randle refusing to settle (no three-point attempts) and scoring at an incredibly efficient rate. On the other, you have Randle turning the ball over and then being too busy yelling at refs to defend properly or help out ball-handlers that picked up their dribble. We saw the best of New York’s star for spurts and then we saw the absolute worst for others.
The rollercoaster performance was destined to be decided by how Randle closed. He spent the last two minutes missing key free throws, turning the ball over, and watching Derozan and Lavine close the game competently on the opposite end. It was a contrast that laid bare New York’s biggest problem with so many close, tough losses…we need a closer and Randle doesn’t seem to be it. Randle still gets a 3 out of 5 for the big double-double, but it would have been a much higher score if he’d have kept his focus for the whole game.
Mitchell Robinson: 9 PTS (3/5 FG, 3/3 FT), 8 REB, 5 BLK, 2 TO in 30 mins
Whereas some players were inconsistent for no apparent reason, Mitchell Robinson seemed to be done in by the scheme and an injury. He went to the locker room early but came back out after the Knicks’ only other healthy Center was ejected. Mitch spent a big chunk of the first half struggling to defend the pick and pop with Vucevic and failing to stop players at the rim. Thibodeau had him dropping against screens and he didn’t have the mobility to get back out to Vuc or rotate to cover for others.
But in the third and into the fourth quarter, Mitch seemed invigorated. He was determined to get his mojo back and began to impose his size on the Bulls. Robinson blocked slashers and finally did a good job deterring Vucevic. The only problem is that after playing for almost the entire fourth, he was too exhausted to keep up that effort. So his late minutes faded into giving up jumpers or missing rotations again.
It’s notable that once again, Mitch had his best minutes when paired with Obi Toppin. Toppin can move and rotate to buy Robinson that extra second to make the proper rotation. Obi also speeds things up, his cuts inside draw a crowd and then leave openings for Mitch to do some rim running of his own. New York’s rim protector is starting to put up some healthy scoring totals, but his defensive play is at its best with Obi’s effort rather than Randle’s size. Mitch gets a 2.5. out of 5 for one good half and one bad.
Knicks’ shorthanded bench searches for extra help:
Derrick Rose: 16 PTS (4/6 FG, 0/1 3 PT, 8/8 FT), 6 AST, 2 REB, 1 BLK in 26 mins
If New York wants a floor general out there, Derrick Rose is their best option. Rose only needed 6 attempts to add 16 points to the board and tallied just as many assists as shots. He did that by getting into the teeth of the defense and feeding others as often as he would take the shot. Rose’s superior ball-handling skills also allowed him to draw fouls similar to Burks, while still keeping a head up for passing options.
Is it just me or is Rose blocking a lot of shots lately? His extra effort through screens has led to a myriad of pretty blocks including one last night. Rose was solid as a defender overall, something I only bring up because if the Burks experiment fails then maybe New York’s clear best point guard should get the nod. He’s not going to allow as much switching as Burks, but I think his leadership could help create easy baskets when the starters hit a lull.
On another note, Rose started the fourth quarter with some really nice finishes. His passing and ability to draw fouls helped create space to launch into some lay-ups and floaters late. But when Randle came back on late, the team went back to feeding their star. I think that’s a mistake as we’ve seen a pattern of late-game struggles even in wins. Even if Rose isn’t starting, Thibs should let him close games and I mean with the ball in hand to create for everyone. Rose gets a 3.5 out of 5 for fantastic efficiency.
Obi Toppin: 8 PTS (4/6 FG), 1 AST, 4 REB, 2 STL, 2 TO in 19 mins
Noel and Sims were out, Mitch was laboring, Taj got ejected, and Tom Thibodeau still couldn’t find 20 minutes for Obi Toppin. That’s not because was Obi playing poorly either. The sophomore played at a breakneck pace, providing good scoring and solid periphery stats in limited minutes. He more than made up for a few mistakes in the form of turnovers and late rotations.
Toppin’s size and athleticism allowed him to give Chicago headaches all game. At one point, he beat every big down the floor but missed a lay-up, made it back in on defense in time to challenge a transition lay-up, and then still beat everybody back for a finish on his next try. The man was literally running laps while most plays couldn’t cross half-court before the play was switching sides. Obi’s a freak of nature that Thibs doesn’t use enough.
There are some defensive warts to reference. Toppin can get dragged out of position and sometimes is overzealous to the point of biting on head fakes. But it’s far from the sort of problem that should cut his minutes. The team’s pace and energy always look best with Obi out there and we even got a glimpse of a power move in the post this time. Obi’s coming on strong but needs the minutes to make any further steps. He gets a 3 out of 5 for big impact in short minutes.
Quentin Grimes: 0 PTS, 1 REB in 6 mins
Quentin Grimes only got 6 minutes and was quiet in terms of the stat sheet. But he’s clearly one of the better defenders on this team and it shows even in limited opportunities. He’s limited offensively to a catch-and-shoot player right now, but the Knicks could really use his defense when ball-handlers like Derozan and Lavine are victimizing our guards.
Taj Gibson: 2 PTS(1/2 FG), 1 REB in 3 mins
I was excited to see Tom Thibodeau’s favorite veteran big man Taj Gibson get back to work. But he picked up two quick offensive fouls and was promptly tossed from the game for arguing the calls. It was an overreaction from the refs and meant we only got 3 minutes and one basket from Gibson.
Kevin Knox: 3 pts (1/1 FG, 1/1 3 PT) in 4 mins
With nothing else working the first half, Tom Thibodeau tapped Kevin Knox for a 4-minute spell to end the second quarter. The team desperately needed shooting, and Knox provided a three-pointer. So he did his job in the quick appearance.
Not many options and even fewer adjustments from Tom Thibodeau:
Tom Thibodeau:
It has to be tough for a coach with multiple sick players, injured players, and then a key veteran getting ejected before the end of the first quarter. Tom Thibodeau didn’t have much to work with and tapped a couple of young guys for brief bits of help. He got a three out of Kevin Knox and some defense out of Quentin Grimes but didn’t stick with either player long enough to really draw out much impact from either. Instead, Thibs stuck to his usual guys and played them massive minutes in the process.
That might be the reason for a lackluster close. IQ and Burks didn’t have extra gears to kick into for the fourth quarter because they had so little rest prior. Randle was approaching 40 minutes on the floor by the time he missed important free throws. Mitch had a great defensive second-half that fell off a cliff when he clearly needed a break but stayed out there.
Thibs didn’t have many options, but he also failed to use his best bench pieces enough. Derrick Rose is the only point guard in the rotation but barely broke 25 minutes while Burks played 43. Obi Toppin was really good and couldn’t crack 20 minutes. The players can use fatigue as an excuse, the coach can’t really point to his limited bench as easily. Thibodeau gets a 1.5 out of 5 for putting too much burden on starters.
Closing Thoughts:
This season is frustrating because it’s so inconsistent. Sometimes the Knicks look like they can take down anyone and other times they have zero composure. The team ebbs and flows with Julius Randle’s play, but the star’s play has regressed from last season with fewer jumpers falling and more lapses in concentration. We can talk about which free agents or offseason moves could have made this squad marginally better, but the reality is that this team was always going to make it as far as Julius Randle can lead it…and right now even his good games lack closing punch.
But it shouldn’t all fall on Randle to save the squad. You look at some of the other teams that have consistency and their budding stars have veteran star help. Lavine had Derozan yesterday and Devin Booker’s leap last season came with Chris Paul to help. Julius Randle has a few minutes of Derrick Rose helping before playing in a rotation that puts the entire onus on himself. The Knicks need a move to bring in a closer or veteran stud that can take some pressure off Randle.
But that move isn’t anywhere in sight. The parity is too good in this league for stars to dangle free just yet. That means New York will head into Denver on Saturday just hoping to have enough healthy players to complete a rotation. A lot of key pieces played massive minutes in tough losses to Brooklyn and Chicago. That means the Nuggets game could set New York below .500 and maybe start the pressure on the front office to make a move…or maybe the Knicks bounce back with a step down in competition. We’ll talk about it after the matinee action 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 CP, CK, and the fans’ reactions to the brutal crunchtime loss to the Brooklyn Nets!
