The New York Knicks loss to the Philadelphia 76ers 109-125. RJ Barrett showed leadership and Jericho Sims flashed potential.
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The New York Knicks fell to the Philadelphia 76’ers 109 to 125. The Knicks struggled with Philadelphia’s star talent but fought back with hustle. They got to the free-throw line and earned second-chance baskets to keep the game close. New York even tied the game early in that final quarter, but things fell apart after both of their centers fouled out. Once Robinson and Sims left the game, the Knicks had no answers for the Harden and Embiid pick-and-roll attack, which meant another fourth-quarter collapse.
The good news is that a few young Knicks flashed their potential. RJ Barrett led the offense again, Jericho Sims was a game-changer, and Immanuel Quickley’s offense came to life. Those weren’t the only Knicks to play well either. This game ended ugly, but there is plenty of good play to highlight. Let’s have a look at each player’s night.
A new focal point for the starters, at least until crunch time
Alec Burks: 6 PTS (2/6 FG, 1/4 3PT, 1/1 FT), 6 REB, 2 TO in 34 mins
Tom Thibodeau said that the stats suggest Alec Burks has been one of New York’s best point guards. That’s a low bar for success since Derrick Rose went down and I’m still skeptical about the claim. Burks put up 6 points and no assists while playing 34 minutes at point guard. That’s not enough productivity for any position but looks especially egregious for the point-guard role after New York tallied 18 turnovers as a team.
Burks’ lack of offensive output could be explained somewhat by the shift in the offensive game plan. New York seems fully invested in giving RJ Barrett the keys. Burks essentially played an off-ball, floor stretching role while Barrett and Randle handled most of the offense. But this highlights the fact that New York is running without a point guard for most of the game. Plain and simple, Burks is not the answer.
This gets worse for Burks when we factor in defense. He couldn’t keep up with the speedy Tyrese Maxey. Burks’ size advantage made no difference because of the gap in foot speed. That leaves Burks with low scoring, poor efficiency, no assists, and only rebounding to point to as a positive. Burks gets a 1 out of 5 for his impact while playing out of position and looking like it.
Evan Fournier: 24 PTS (9/16 FG, 6/11 3PT, 0/3 FT), 2 AST, 2 REB, 1 STL, 2 TO in 37 mins
There are two sides to this performance from Evan Fournier. We’ll start with the good, which is that Fournier knew his opponent. Fournier practically licked his chops at opportunities to attack Harden’s defense. He got free or attacked switches to find a quick rhythm and never let up. Randle and Barrett both helped out with scoring, but Fournier was the most efficient scorer on the team.
But there was a downside to Fournier’s night, which is predictably defense. Fournier had a handful of clear miscommunications. He would get caught ball-watching and lose sight of his man along the perimeter. The entire squad seemed focused on Harden and Embiid, but Fournier’s errors stood out more than anyone but Randle. It turned a strong scoring night into more of a give-and-take performance.
Fournier did his job for the most part. He came in, stretched the floor, and provided a bit of playmaking help along the way. His free throw woes were bizarre, his poor defense was less so. But despite the mixed bag of performance, this lands as a positive night. The talented wing helped keep things competitive. He earns a 3 out of 5 for his impact on the result.
RJ Barrett: 24 PTS (9/22 FG, 0/3 3PT, 6/10 FT), 6 AST, 5 REB, 2 STL, 4 TO in 38 mins
RJ Barrett might as well have been the point guard for long chunks of this game. He received the ball at the wing or top of the key and attacked screens all game long. Philly provided more resistance than the Miami Heat did last time. They loaded up doubles and forced Barrett to miss or go to the free-throw line, but he still managed high scoring on some nice finishes.
The young prospect showed us some good and some bad as an engine. With doubles flying, RJ got his pocket picked a few too many times. But the up-and-comer responded by finding teammates in the middle or on the perimeter. His assists came in an early barrage that opened up finishing opportunities late. The kid is growing before our eyes.
My biggest complaint about Barrett’s night is that the ball went away from him late. The game started with almost every play running through the third-year stud’s hands. By the fourth quarter, he felt like a little-used third option behind Julius Randle and Immanuel Quickley. But Barrett was a genuine first option for most of this action. He picks up a 3.5 out of 5 for a solid night, but the turnovers are worth watching.
Julius Randle: 16 PTS (4/13 FG, 1/4 3PT, 7/12 FT), 7 AST, 10 REB, 3 TO in 38 mins
I really want Julius Randle to find his way, but this game felt like a step backward. He still provided good effort on the glass and seemed comfortable moving the rock. Randle continues to throw some clever passes when double-teams arrive. But the big man will continue to fall short of expectations until his scoring comes around.
Randle shot uncharacteristically poor from the free-throw line, otherwise, I might overlook his 4/13 shooting on the night. But his jumper continued to struggle and trips to the basket were only fruitful if defenders didn’t foul or beat him to the rim. He settled for jumpers too much, struggled to punish fouls, and the result was mediocre scoring from a near max-player.
The bigger issue for Randle was defense. He kept losing track of his assignments and giving up free looks or cuts to the basket. The big man’s rotations for help defense were egregious at times. If you’ve heard the term “fake hustle” around Knicks fandom, Randle’s rotations embodied that. His numbers don’t look bad on paper, but they hide a disappointing performance, especially after so much success during the road trip.
Randle gets a 2.5 out of 5 for his game. That’s fine for a regular starter, but Randle is making star money. He has to play better.
Mitchell Robinson: 6 PTS (3/3 FG, 0/1 FT), 1 AST, 4 REB, 1 TO in 17 mins
I’m not sure how much I can harp on Mitchell Robinson’s inability to stay on the floor. He faced my pick for MVP this year in Joel Embiid. That match-up is difficult, to begin with, but the refs called this game particularly tight. The refs’ approach played into the hands of Philly’s star players and left Mitch frequently returning to the bench with foul trouble.
You might ask, “but what about when he did play?” Well, Mitch wasn’t bad, but he was forgettable. He fed off Barrett and Randle’s gravity a bit early but struggled to get involved as things wore on. Embiid kept the Knicks’ shot-blocker at bay on the glass. Even when Robinson stayed in front of his man, Embiid often knocked down contested jumpers or was bailed out with a foul.
I’m tempted to give Mitch a pass on all of this. Joel Embiid is elite and he’s doing this to everybody. But Robinson is the defensive anchor and a limited offensive piece at that. He’s on the floor specifically to challenge scorers, no matter who they might be. Forget providing resistance, Robinson needed to provide a presence that his foul woes never allowed. Robinson gets a 1.5 out of 5 for constant foul trouble.
The second unit gets offense from Quickley, defense from Sims and Reddish
Immanuel Quickley: 21 PTS (5/13 FG, 3/7 3PT, 8/8 FT), 1 AST, 5 REB, 1 STL, 3 TO in 26 mins
Immanuel Quickley finally found ways to thrive as a scorer. The fact that his three-ball was falling is a start. It allowed him to draw defenders out deep and beat them with space to finish. That meant Quickley was finishing floaters and drawing free throws at a rate that we haven’t seen too often. His jump shot truly unlocks his array of options inside.
It likely helped that IQ played as an off-ball option for a change. Thibodeau mixed RJ Barrett or Julius Randle in with the second unit for most of the first half. That meant that Quickley could focus on his scoring while the team leaders handled the playmaking. An unconscious Immanuel Quickley is a much bigger scoring threat.
Quickley could still use better efficiency to improve his overall impact because he missed almost twice as many shots as he made. The sophomore also turned the ball over three times compared to one assist. I wasn’t happy about some of his choices in the waning moments of this game. But that’s a sophomore with ever-changing roles for you. IQ’s growing pains are understandable and his contribution was strong. I’m giving him a 2.5 out of 5, and he could argue for a higher impact grade.
Cam Reddish: 6 PTS (3/6 FG, 0/3 3PT), 2 AST, 3 REB, 1 STL, 1 BLK, 2 TO in 17 mins
Cam Reddish flashed his potential despite missing all his three-pointers. He made the most of his touches from the corner by driving baseline. Reddish is a smooth athlete with surprisingly tight ball-handling for his size. Cam’s first step frequently got him ahead of defenders for smart finishes and a nice dime across the paint to Obi. He hit his only midrange attempt as well.
Cam’s defensive play was a mixed bag, but with similar flashes of potential. Without Grimes, New York desperately needs quality on-ball defenders. Reddish did well to stay in front of assignments and challenge them. Cam was a victim to some Harden wizardry and less effective off the ball. But he still stood out for his ability to defend multiple positions and sizes.
Reddish only got 17 minutes to make his mark. In that time, he managed to show off his scoring and defensive upside. The former first-rounder was a willing passer. His shot selection has improved in recent games. He also has an easy chemistry with RJ Barrett that makes me want to see them paired on the wings with a true point guard. Reddish gets a 2.5 out of 5 for doing a little of everything in a small amount of time.
Obi Toppin: 6 PTS (3/5 FG, 0/1 3PT), 2 REB, 1 TO in 16 mins
Obi Toppin showed some promise himself. He and Cam Reddish are starting to find each other cutting to the basket. They both move freely off the ball and it can warp a defense. Their off-ball action also serves to create more lanes and options for ball-handlers. Obi’s baskets all came with momentum toward the basket.
Toppin topped 15 minutes for a change, but a big part of that was foul trouble. Mitchell Robinson and Jericho Sims fouled out before the midway point of the fourth quarter. Thibodeau extended Obi’s time and we got a brief look at a Randle/Obi frontcourt. The pair didn’t get enough time to show much, and neither player could contain Embiid. Thibodeau eventually decided to go even smaller, benching Obi and moving RJ to the four.
Toppin’s problem was his inability to impact the rest of the game. His cuts and finishing were nice contributions. Now he has to add rebounding, rim protection, or some nice passing to round out his impact. Toppin can’t be a one-trick pony, especially while New York operates without a point guard. Obi gets a 1.5 out of 5, while he searches for more ways to be an impact piece.
Jericho Sims: 0 PTS (0/1 FG), 10 REB, 2 AST, 1 BLK in 18 mins
Jericho Sims was the opposite of Obi Toppin. Sims provided no scoring and hardly even looked at the basket if we’re being honest. That didn’t matter though, because Sims was such a live body in every other situation. The young big man got in the game early and immediately stepped up on defense and the glass.
Sims wasn’t always successful in containing Joel Embiid. He picked up foul trouble just as fast as Robinson did. But the big man also managed some nice stops and challenged some shots that only Embiid could finish. Sims also fought for rebounds and tipped plenty of opportunities out to his teammates. The rookie didn’t win his match-up, but he showed no fear against an MVP talent.
Doris Burke spent the second half lauding Sims’ impact. She called the Knicks a different team while the rookie was on the floor. That’s how impressive his impact was despite going scoreless. He was active and aggressive, sometimes to a fault. Sims’ motor meant results that overcame his mistakes. The big man earns a 2.5 out of 5 on impact, for having the only positive plus/minus on the team.
The shift from Tom Thibodeau is slow but promising
Tom Thibodeau:
Tom Thibodeau made a lot of decisions that I’ve wanted to see. He staggered the minutes for RJ Barrett and Julius Randle. That allowed both guys to lead units and find a rhythm. It kept the bench tough against a deep Philly opposition. Thibs also continued to utilize Jericho Sims and an entirely youthful bench unit. The first steps toward a full youth movement have arrived.
I saved the biggest decision for its own paragraph. That’s Thibodeau running the offense through RJ Barrett. The offense moves faster when Barrett is at the lead. The youngster’s decisiveness and aggression are perfect for a young team that needs pace for success. Unfortunately, the team fell to old habits late and Thibodeau didn’t do much to change that shift.
The obvious flaw for Thibodeau was in his adjusting after the big men fouled out. Thibodeau went with Obi and Randle for a while but didn’t trust that tandem. His push for offense by shifting RJ to power forward and bringing on Fournier fell flat. The team needs more dynamic action to succeed in slowed-down fourth quarters, I don’t think rotation changes will help without a point guard. Thibodeau picks up a 2.5 out of 5 on a night where New York was competitive until foul trouble hit.
Closing Thoughts
For the second double-digit loss in a row, I’m not even mad. That’s because RJ Barrett is leading the starters while the second unit is a glimpse into the future. I hope that these trends continue because we’re already seeing some promising results. We’re starting to see the young players on this team get opportunities to step up into bigger roles.
Barrett’s leap and focus in the offense is the clearest example. But keep an eye on that second unit. Jericho Sims managed to flash big potential without scoring a point. Cam Reddish is beginning to show more comfort and that’s leading to more assertiveness. IQ and Obi have shown us flashes before. With more opportunities, I expect both Knicks’ sophomores to have a few breakout games.
If you’re watching for wins and losses, I’ve got bad news for you. I stressed the dangers of the late-season schedule plenty in prior pieces, so I won’t list the upcoming opponents again. But the good news is that our young prospects will face elite opposition. They’re going into a trial by fire and pressure makes diamonds. We’ll get a rematch with Philly on Wednesday to see how the kids continue to develop. I’ll see you there 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 on WFAN discussing why the Knicks can’t attract big stars.
