The New York Knicks lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers 93-95. Missed free throws and late-game execution continue to be a problem for this team.
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The New York Knicks let a chance to steal an away game slip, losing to the Cleveland Cavaliers 93 to 95. The contest remained close and competitive through two quarters as New York generated points by forcing turnovers, which made up for their poor three-point shooting. The Knicks missed a series of free throws in the third quarter which allowed Cleveland to make a run and take a big lead. The second unit fought back from down as many as fifteen points before the Knicks missed a series of three-point attempts (some unnecessary) as they failed to complete the comeback.
RJ Barrett was a force again, but the shots he missed might be a bigger story. Quentin Grimes and Obi Toppin stepped up for the second unit, providing much-needed scoring for New York. The Knicks let a golden opportunity slip, but there was plenty of good mixed into the back and forth contest. Let’s see how it went down.
Poor free-throw shooting comes back to haunt the Knicks starters
Kemba Walker: 8 PTS (4/8 FG, 0/3 3PT), 1 AST, 1 REB, 1 STL, 2 TO in 20 mins
Kemba Walker returned to the team with a forgettable night. He wasn’t bad but didn’t do much to stand out beyond one nice lay-up at the basket. His jumper lacked range which took some pressure off his defenders and he didn’t attack as often as I’d prefer from the starting point.
On the bright side, Kemba spent most of the night playing solid defense on Darius Garland. He challenged more than a few shot attempts by Garland. But Cleveland’s budding star picked apart the Knicks’ pick and roll defense with passing. Walker isn’t a switchable defender which can complicate rotations.
We’ll blame the mediocre effort on a bit of rust for now. Walker sat for the past couple of games and that might explain his inability to find the range. He seemed active and engaged, but he didn’t put enough pressure on defenders. Walker’s impact score lands at 2 out of 5 for a solid twenty minutes that failed to stand out.
Evan Fournier: 7 PTS (3/9 FG, 1/6 3PT) in 21 mins
Evan Fournier started this game with a three-pointer and a mid-range jumper that had me thinking he was ready to explode. He would proceed to miss a series of open three-point shots and never find his rhythm again. The French wing moved well off the ball and had plenty of space to shoot, but he couldn’t seem to convert anything.
The shooting woes are only part of the story. The empty box score is even more egregious. I won’t call Fournier out for a lack of effort, but he didn’t add an extra push to make up for missed shots. His defense was forgettable, he didn’t touch the glass, and I can’t recall his feet touching the paint as a ball-handler to open up passing options. He just took some shots and bricked them…that’s his night in a nutshell.
There’s not much more to say because Fournier didn’t do anything. Tom Thibodeau benched Fournier and rode Quentin Grimes’ hot hand for the fourth quarter. It was the right decision for a rookie who helped spark the comeback. Fournier’s impact suffers from inefficient shooting and nothing else to bolster it, 1.5 out of 5.
RJ Barrett: 24 PTS (9/16 FG, 1/4 3PT, 5/10 FT), 4 AST, 5 REB, 2 STL, 1 TO in 34 mins
RJ Barrett continued his assault on the rim, though he once again started the game missing on trips into the painted area. Barrett refused to be denied, attacking constantly and winding up with some beautiful and crafty finishes. The Cavaliers’ physicality shook the young prospect initially, but he began to finish and draw whistles instead; which is where things get frustrating.
Barrett missed half of his ten free throw attempts. He missed three in a row right before the Cavaliers went on their run in the third quarter. The youngster also missed multiple open looks from three, including a pair in the fourth. The Knicks were down by one point with some time on the clock, and Barrett settled for a three-pointer that rimmed out. That was New York’s best chance in the final minute.
The rest of Barrett’s game was a mixed bag. He made some lovely dimes to mix up his trips inside, but also missed some open runners in transition. His defense was strong for most of the night, but he let Isaac Okoro take the baseline multiple times. The young man still looked like a force for the offense, but he also reminded us that he’s still got a lot of growth in line. Barrett picks up a 3.5 out of 5 that breaks into the fours with a few more free throws.
Julius Randle: 18 PTS (6/17 FG, 2/7 3PT, 4/6 FT), 4 AST, 7 REB, 3 STL, 4 TO in 33 mins
Julius Randle’s jumper is beginning to come around, and I’m hoping that will help snap everything else into shape. Randle wasn’t bad in this game, but not bad isn’t what we’re expecting from New York’s star player. The big man knocked down some nice shots and beat up his defenders whenever Cleveland allowed an isolation. But when the defense stacked or zoned on him, Randle made mistakes.
The stand-out error comes from a pair of traveling violations. Randle jumped into a crowd twice while looking to pass and didn’t find the open man before his feet touched back down. He also settled for some jumpers over smaller defenders. He played off-balance at times, possibly thrown off by the different looks Cleveland threw his way.
I won’t complain too much about Randle’s defense except to point out that Kevin Love’s 20 and 11 often came at his expense. The big man was spirited for the most part and forced some turnovers, but his rotations against the pick and roll left something to be desired. He had an inefficient night that ended with him holding the ball too long before RJ Barrett’s missed three and then stuck taking a fadeaway three from thirty feet out. Randle gets a 2.5 out of 5 on impact.
Nerlens Noel: 2 PTS (1/1 FG, 0/3 FT), 1 AST, 13 REB, 2 STL in 29 mins
Nerlens Noel is the only player that can put up 2 points in thirty minutes and still get me cheering for his effort. The shot blocker did a fantastic job defending the athletic freak Evan Mobley. Mobley still got some free trips inside over the course of the night, but Noel really played him well (especially in the second half).
Noel’s best impact came on the boards. He wasn’t just responsible for the thirteen rebounds on his sheet, but also for poking loose balls into the air that sometimes found Knicks. His tip-outs led to second-chance points a few times. He also seems more willing to take a dribble or two this season, which we’ll just call interesting.
Noel’s game was far from perfect though. He managed to miss all three of his free throws, although one came after a hard foul that left him holding his wrist. The big man’s lack of offensive prowess is forgivable on a night when he defends this hard. New York held another opponent under 100, and Noel’s impact grade is a 3 out of 5 for playing the key role in that.
Unlikely scoring options step up for the Knicks’ second unit
Immanuel Quickley: 3 PTS (1/10 FG, 1/6 3PT), 6 AST, 1 REB, 1 STL, 1 TO in 26 mins
Immanuel Quickley continued to flash his playmaking prowess. The second-year point guard managed to throw another series of clever passes behind his patient and probing approach. But he couldn’t buy a bucket whether he was open or shooting over a contest. Whether the jumper led to other problems or not, IQ failed to get separation to score inside. That meant his contributions came solely as a passer and defender.
As much as I loved some of the tricky passes that Quickley weaved through the defense, he still has work to do. He was patient to a fault at times, dribbling until there wasn’t enough shot clock to do anything but for a shot. The Knicks were delayed getting into their sets sometimes and that was because IQ was resetting and calling out motions. Usually, that isn’t a bad thing, but when it leaves Randle only a few seconds to act then the point guard has screwed up.
It’s important to note that Quickley is still showing tremendous growth as a playmaker. His willingness to take command of the offense even from Randle and Barrett is a good sign. The sophomore is defending well and passing well, so he just needs to be efficient from the field and his case for starting grows. Quickley gets a 2 out of 5 for the poor shooting in an otherwise solid night.
Alec Burks: 0 PTS (0/4 FG, 0/2 3PT), 4 AST, 3 REB in 18 mins
Alec Burks went scoreless for the second time in four games. He barely attempted to attack defenders and shots kept coming up short. I’ll continue to blame these struggles on constant role changes. The microwave scorer hasn’t had to be a scorer lately.
At least he passed the ball well. Burks threw some nice passes, finding Grimes for one of his fourth-quarter threes. As much as the scoring wing has struggled with efficiency, I credit him for looking to be productive in other ways. He didn’t get boards like he’s proven capable of, but Cleveland’s athleticism played a role there.
I gave him some props, but there’s no sugar-coating this performance. Burks didn’t score, bringing down his season’s field goal percentage that was already below 40 percent. He’s not playing well lately, bailed out by free throws on his efficient nights. It’s enough to look in Cam Reddish’s direction and wonder how long Burks can afford to struggle before his role is reduced. Burks gets a 1 out of 5 on impact, for a few dimes but not much else.
Quentin Grimes: 12 PTS (4/7 FG, 4/6 3PT), 1 AST, 1 REB, 1 BLK in 24 mins
Quentin Grimes shot red hot from three and that’s not even my favorite part of his game. The rookie’s defense at the point of attack was spectacular at times. That’s especially because he was defending Darius Garland and Rajon Rondo for most of the action. Grimes was all over the ball, and with the refs allowing physical play, he was more effective than ever.
I’m sure you want to hear about his shooting though. Grimes was able to shoot with plenty of space for his first couple of knocks. But even when the windows were tighter, he got shots up with pure form. He proved unintimidated whether the shot clock was running low or a closeout was on top of him.
My only complaint is that Grimes doesn’t seem to have much in his bag to create separation off the dribble. He attacked a defender at one point but just went for a bump and a step back from midrange (it missed). He’s got plenty of time to add some flare to his ball-handling and get some shots off though. The rookie’s quick release and sharpshooting ways will make him a scoring threat in no time. Grimes gets a 3 out of 5 for multiple late three-pointers.
Obi Toppin: 13 PTS (5/9 FG, 3/4 3PT), 6 REB, 1 STL, 2 TO in 15 mins
Say it with me, “Obi Toppin should have gotten more minutes tonight.” Toppin drive and finished on his first touch of the night, then drilled a pair of threes before his first appearance was over. The big athlete continued his effective offense when he came on in the fourth quarter, hitting another three.
Toppin was solid on the boards as well. He picked up a bad loose ball foul on Kevin Love but also chased down a few loose balls of his own. Obi’s biggest mistake was an attempt to spark the transition with a quick outlet pass that was intercepted in the fourth quarter. It wasn’t enough to warrant a quick hook, but his turnovers were the downside of an otherwise strong performance.
Again an opponent loaded with athletes, Obi Toppin looked completely comfortable. He flew the defense and didn’t hesitate to let his jump shot fly. Tom Thibodeau gave him a few more minutes than recent games, but it still felt like a rushed hook. He deserves more minutes when he’s playing this well. Obi Toppin picks up a 3 out of 5 with hardly any time to achieve as much.
Taj Gibson: 6 PTS (2/3 FG, 2/2 FT), 8 REB, 1 STL, 1 TO in 19 mins
Taj Gibson will always be one of my favorite players on this roster. He just brings a poise that seems to give confidence to everyone else. The Knicks were able to beat the Cavaliers’ zone defense while Taj was out there floating around the free-throw line. Part of that is how the Knicks are running some new off-ball motion against the zone, but I also think Gibson’s savvy makes a world of difference.
He also gets his props for defensive presence. Gibson was up against some big bodies and still manages eight rebounds in less than twenty minutes. It’s the usual story, Taj makes up for any limitations of size with physicality. I’m reading Chris Herring’s Blood in the Garden and Taj feels like a throwback to that 90’s era with his toughness.
The big man plays winning basketball and his presence seems to calm younger players. There always seems to be an energy boost when Taj makes a big play, be it a finish inside or a blocked shot. Gibson’s impact bumps up to 2.5 out of 5 thanks to his presence in an effective second unit.
Late game execution leaves questions for Tom Thibodeau
Tom Thibodeau:
There are aspects of this loss that Tom Thibodeau had no control over. He can’t make the free throws for his players and he can’t make his shooters hit their open looks. After a two-point loss, either of those changes would be enough to win.
But Thibodeau made some familiar mistakes along the way. His strict adherence to a regular rotation through three quarters can be grating during struggles. By the time he got the second unit into the third quarter, they were fighting back from double-digits and the game was nearly out of reach (a far too common occurrence). That’s a stark contrast to how Bickerstaff mixed and matched his starters with bench players. Bickerstaff’s approach out of timeouts also felt superior.
Thibodeau does deserve credit for the players he stuck with late though. He kept IQ and Grimes on the court with the starters, creating the best combination of defense and offense that he could. The group played well, but their lack of chemistry together showed up in late-game execution. Thibodeau gets a 2 out of 5 because this game slipped away.
Closing Thoughts
This loss is grating because of all the ways New York let it slip away. From the last three field-goal attempts New York rushed through, to the many missed free throws and wide-open looks at range. It seems like the Knicks find ways to lose instead of fighting for wins. When it seems like each step forward is followed by an inevitable slide backward, fans start to look for changes.
With that search for improvement in mind, I’d like to revisit the spirited Cam Reddish discussions from the KFTV panel but from a different angle. When the Hawks moved Cam Reddish, a pervasive claim was that it might be addition by subtraction. The Hawks needed to move him to clear some logjams and give the players left behind stable roles, plus they could pick up some bonus assets for the future in the process.
An underperforming team with logjams that are limiting the minutes for their valued developmental pieces sounds familiar. I don’t think that the Knicks are force-feeding us struggling vets just for the sake of Tom Thibodeau’s stubborn attitude. Maybe I’m just being hopeful, but I suspect that players are being shopped around. We’ve heard rumors about interest in Turner, Grant, Gordon, Fox, and just about everyone else on the block. I don’t think the wheeling and dealing are finished; I suspect that the Cam Reddish trade was a precursor to something more.
Trades can take time, however, and the Miami Heat won’t wait. They’re the next opponent on the schedule with the best record in the East right now. They’re also not nearly as depleted as the Cavaliers or many opponents that New York has struggled against lately. This could get ugly, but it could also be an opportunity to prove that the Knicks can compete with anybody. We’ll see if New York can flip the narrative after this battle with the East’s elite. See you then 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 the analysis and fan reactions when the Knicks defeated the LA Clippers.
