The New York Knicks lost to the Philadelphia 76ers (again) 108-123. The Knicks lost in the same fashion that we’ve grown accustomed to.
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The New York Knicks turned in a strong first-half, but ran out of steam against the Philadelphia 76’ers and lost 108 to 123. The Knicks ran into the same issue from their game against Philly on Sunday, an inability to contain James Harden, Joell Embiid, and Tyrese Maxey. The Knicks’ stars showed up and played well, but needed help. As a result, the game slipped away throughout the second half.
The good news is that the Knicks played hard, with help from multiple young players. But there were still some questionable rotation decisions from Tom Thibodeau. The Knicks clearly need a point guard, which isn’t news. They continue to struggle without any adjustments to a losing formula. But thanks to promising showings from stars and youth, we have plenty to reflect on. Let’s revisit the performances and discuss the loss.
Backcourt woes disrupt frontcourt success for the Knicks
Alec Burks: 9 PTS (2/11 FG, 1/4 3PT, 4/6 FT), 4 AST, 7 REB, 1 STL, 1 BLK in 31 mins
Alec Burks didn’t connect for a field goal until deep into the third quarter. That’s concerning because despite being a point guard in name, he’s essentially returned to an off-ball role. Nevertheless, Burks got the touches and looks that he likes. But, unfortunately, he couldn’t get any of his offense to stick.
There were some positives for Burks, as he did make some quick decisions for assists. He often received the ball in motion, then found open teammates while the Sixers were still rotating. But those dimes relied on other ball-handlers. The microwave scorer also grabbed his share of defensive boards.
But some tertiary playmaking and rebounding won’t cover Burks’ scoring woes. He’s still trying to draw fouls instead of focusing on finishing. His defense hasn’t held up against Tyrese Maxey in consecutive contests. The Knicks need more from their point guard. Burks gets a 1.5 out of 5 for his impact score.
Evan Fournier: 3 PTS (1/8 FG, 0/5 3PT, 1/2 FT), 2 STL, 1 BLK in 27 mins
The maddening inconsistency of Evan Fournier continued in Philadelphia. He dropped 24 points on this same opponent a few days ago. But this time, the same types of looks and opportunities produced three points on eight attempts. Fournier connected on one of three floater attempts, and that was it for his field goals.
The one compliment that I can give Fournier is for those two steals and the block. The Frenchman has clever timing on double-teams. He repeatedly snuck up on Joel Embiid and caused disruption. It’s a small accomplishment from an otherwise tough night.
But beyond a few pesky moments on defense, Fournier struggled. He added no assists or rebounds and shot miserably. Had he played half as well as his prior performance, New York would have a chance to steal this game. Unfortunately, we’ve grown accustomed to this mix of very good games followed by bad ones. The French shooter gets a 1 out of 5 for his rough game against Philly.
RJ Barrett: 30 PTS (10/23 FG, 3/8 3PT, 7/8 FT), 7 AST, 6 REB, 3 TO in 40 mins
My favorite part of RJ Barrett’s performance wasn’t his scoring. It was his three assists to Mitchell Robinson. We’ll talk about scoring in a minute, but Barrett’s playmaking was fun. As he’s become comfortable getting into the lane, Barrett has begun to open up new passing options. He’s still a scorer first, but he’s improving his playmaking.
I’m sure you’re interested in the scoring part too. Barrett knocked down three-pointers early. Then he drove for dunks and lay-ups as defenders closed out. When the defense adjusted to him again, he started knocking down pull-up jumpers instead. The 21-year-old was potent from all three levels. RJ’s only challenges came in a few possessions against Matisse Thybulle.
This feels like the new RJ Barrett. He’s averaging 23 PPG over the last quarter of a season. He’s drawing fouls like a first-option and developing playmaking. He hasn’t reached the defensive goals he’d set, but he’s solid. Shifting the offense to Barrett has also helped Randle (we’ll discuss next). Barrett gets a 4 out of 5 for continuing as New York’s engine.
Julius Randle: 24 PTS (9/21 FG, 0/2 3PT, 6/8 FT), 3 AST, 6 REB, 1 STL, 3 TO in 33 mins
A fantastic first quarter propelled Julius Randle’s production past struggles later on. He operated closer to the basket, scoring on short jumpers and lay-ups all night. His midrange shots fell in the first, which unlocked even more scoring. But the most significant difference was that Randle could post-up without instant double-teams arriving.
That doesn’t mean Randle didn’t make some mistakes. The big man got himself into trouble by dribbling into traffic. Even with extra space, he took too long to make some decisions. His playmaking was neutered due to less face-up action. That meant similar turnovers to his norm, with fewer assists to make up for them.
At this level of production, Randle’s defense becomes magnified. He scored well but didn’t pile on rebounds or assists like we’re used to. He began the game with two crisp rotations that gave me hope. But his impact waned and dipped into the negatives as the game wore on. If he can become a tough defender, especially in help situations, Randle can boost his impact to another level. For now, his impact grade is a 3 out of 5, just slightly above average.
Mitchell Robinson: 10 PTS (5/6 FG, 0/2 FT), 7 REB, 1 BLK in 21 mins
Mitchell Robinson had a strange night. He started the game like gangbusters, with multiple dunks. But Joel Embiid got the Block Ness Monster into foul trouble again. So despite being strong on both ends, Mitch saw limited minutes. When the big man finally had fourth-quarter action to lay it all out, he took a nasty shot to the chest and had to sit out.
Mitch put up numbers when he was on the floor. Ten points and seven rebounds in 20 minutes is a strong showing against a star center. Robinson also defended Embiid as well as one can ask for, but Joel hit contested jumpers all night. New York’s shot blocker was a strong presence whose night got cut short.
Robinson’s only problem was staying on the floor. When he wasn’t in foul trouble, he got hurt. That’s incredibly frustrating, considering his performance was promising. Mitch gets a 2.5 out of 5, needing more minutes to score higher.
Promising signs from some young Knicks on the second unit
Immanuel Quickley: 11 PTS (4/7 FG, 1/3 3PT, 2/2 FT), 2 AST, 1 REB, 1 STL in 20 mins
Tom Thibodeau staggered minutes for Julius Randle and RJ Barrett. The move meant that Immanuel Quickley shifted to the secondary playmaker role for most of the first half. Quickley was able to play aggressive, scoring basketball and the results speak for themselves. He shot the ball efficiently!
But that shift in mindset comes with new challenges. IQ held the ball for long stretches, sometimes dribbling out the shot clock. He missed open shooters or found them late on a few occasions. The sophomore still hasn’t struck a balance between scoring and playmaking.
But I’m much more comfortable with Quickley being a scorer. He can fill the basket and stretch the floor. The downside to this is that he’ll need to rein in the long dribbling possessions. I want to see IQ next to a playmaking point guard…I miss Rose. IQ gets a 2 out of 5 for his solid bench presence.
Cam Reddish: 7 PTS (3/6 FG, 1/3 3PT, 0/1 FT), 2 AST, 2 REB, 2 STL, 1 TO in 23 mins
This marks my favorite performance from Cam Reddish so far. That’s mainly because of Cam’s chemistry with RJ Barrett during the first stretch of second-unit action. Reddish and Barrett were driving and cutting for dynamic connections that don’t happen with any other pairs on offense.
Reddish frequently used an explosive first step to get inside the defense. That propelled him to a few excellent finishes and passes along the way. But his assists were the results of steals and transition offense. The young prospect played the part of a disruptive defensive presence. He was locked in at both ends.
The best thing about Reddish is that he’s beginning to gel. The kid’s oozing with confidence, sometimes to a fault. He picked up a charging TO when he missed an Obi Toppin cut. But Cam’s assertive play is already helping a second-unit that has needed more offense lately. Reddish gets a 2 out of 5 for doing a little bit of everything.
Obi Toppin: 4 PTS (1/3 FG, 1/2 3PT, 1/2 FT), 1 AST, 1 REB, 1 STL in 15 mins
Obi Toppin’s performance continues to feel the lack of point guards. He had multiple cuts behind defenders that went without reward. Obi had to yell about a mismatch he had in the post at one point. Unfortunately, he received the ball too late and was blocked on the attempt. This left Toppin floating on the perimeter.
We all know that Obi doesn’t thrive around the perimeter. So it was to no surprise that his first three-pointer was an airball (at least he knocked down his next try). The big man tried to assert himself and get touches, but he needs players that can find him before the defense catches up.
I was pleasantly surprised when Obi switched onto James harden and played solid defense. But it’s tough to deny that the Sixers targeted Toppin. In the second half specifically, it felt like they isolated on him often. Toppin’s improving as a defender, but he has work to do. The big man gets a 1.5 out of 5 for little touches in his short minutes.
Jericho Sims: 2 PTS (1/1 FG), 6 REB in 13 mins
Jericho Sims had an excellent first spark with some rebounds and a putback. He continued to have trouble avoiding fouls against Joel Embiid unfortunately. Foul trouble sent him to the bench and got Taj Gibson back into the mix. Sadly, that meant Sims fell below the fifteen-minute threshold for a full impact review.
But I do want to speak to the promising elements of Sims’ game. He’s been gobbling up boards since entering the rotation. The big man also flies for dunks whenever he has a step. Of course, Sims still has some issues with attention to detail that will grind at Thibodeau. But the rookie’s upside is obvious.
Miles McBride 3 PTS (1/1 FG, 1/1 3PT), 1 REB in 1 min
Duece McBride came back from another gem in Westchester to play just one minute with the pro squad. He still managed to hit a three, grab a rebound, almost get stripped, then pass to a player that earned free throws. So he only got a minute but made it eventful.
A glaring issue at Point Guard, but no solutions for Tom Thibodeau
Tom Thibodeau:
Every reason to complain about Tom Thibodeau will inevitably come down to youth. He played Alec Burks for 31 minutes while McBride got one minute. Coach gave Taj Gibson a minute more than Sims. Cam Reddish outplayed Evan Fournier, but Fournier got more time. Fans have transitioned to thinking about the future, but Thibodeau hasn’t yet.
But we ought to acknowledge some progress at least. Thibodeau’s finally staggering Barrett and Randle’s minutes. RJ is now running the offense at 21 years old. We’re seeing an uptick in minutes for Reddish and Jericho Sims is getting time. Could it be better? Absolutely. But Thibodeau has at least begun the transition to youth.
My kind words aren’t changing my major complaint. Forcing Burks into a point guard role has only hurt the player. With Burks struggling, I think we’re all ready to see Miles McBride get a shot. The rookie might not be a solution, but we’ll never know if he doesn’t play. So for refusing to address the elephant in the room, Thibs gets a 1.5 out of 5 on the night.
Closing Thoughts
I think we’re all prepared to stick a fork in this season. The play-in game has never been farther away and the schedule is ruthless. But as long as RJ Barrett is playing like he has, I don’t mind. There are hints of a brighter future scattered between the vets. It might be a blessing in disguise to lose. The front office needs to realize the challenges that lie ahead.
Now is the time to think about what the offseason strategy should be. The Knicks are well-positioned to land another top ten pick. Some draft lottery luck would give them a shot at adding another blue-chip piece next to a rising star in RJ Barrett. But there are also rumors of multiple stars that could be available. We know this dilemma all too well. How much of the future should the Knicks mortgage if they can bring in a sure thing to help?
I don’t know the answer to that question. I’m curious about what you all think. The Knicks aren’t close to contention, but they do have some promising young pieces. Do they continue to stockpile youth or should start to consolidate? How important is fit for a team overwhelmed by more talented rosters? There are a lot of questions and few answers.
Phoenix is up next and maybe we’ll get more clarity as the young guys play. Cam Reddish feels close to a breakout game. Jericho Sims and Miles McBride are trying to break into the rotation. RJ Barrett is becoming the face of the franchise. We’ll see if trends pick up or if “same old Knicks” is the mantra. I’ll see you after the next game, 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 from this week’s earlier matchup between the Knicks and the 76ers.
