The New York Knicks defeat the Houston Rockets in a match that shouldn’t have been that close to begin with.
The New York Knicks held their fourth straight opponent below 100 points, beating the Houston Rockets 106 to 99. New York had better ball movement out the gate but continued to miss wide-open and well-defended looks all the same. The Rockets saw their own issues in the form of unforced errors and throwing passes out of bounds repeatedly. It wasn’t until the fourth quarter when the Knicks second-unit played heroes again as two wings exploded on offense.
Julius Randle was more active and moved the ball more freely than he has in some time, and Evan Fournier finally found his offensive games with the extra touches. Off the bench, it was fourth-quarter Burks and Immanuel Quickley that helped get the Knicks through the finish line. This game was closer than it needed to be, but there were some promising developments in the process. Let’s see how the Knicks managed to close this win out on a high note.
Signs of life from Fournier and Randle, but the New York Knicks’ starters still need more:
Kemba Walker: 9 PTS (3/7 FG, 2/4 3 PT, 1/2 FT), 3 AST, 2 REB, 2 STL, 1 TO in 21 mins
Despite solid production in limited time, I’d chalk this into the “forgettable” category. Walker was active off the dribble, but often seemed just a split-second slow on his reads. He’s trying to get downhill more often, but results are a mixed bag so far.
On the bright side, Kemba was efficient from three. He didn’t fire away as we’ve seen in his best performances, but Walker was a live threat from distance. Patience is the word… the New York native didn’t settle for contested three-pointers, and that led to a more efficient night from range. He shot less but made the most of his attempts.
Walker took a back seat on offense. The field goal splits among the starters bare that out. He had half as many attempts as three of his fellow starters. But is his spacing enough to make up for sketchy defensive play? This time around, I’d argue that yes it was. Walker played limited minutes and put up efficient production for that time. It’s enough to grab a 2 out of 5 for impact, which isn’t bad considering his floor time.
Evan Fournier: 19 PTS (7/13 FG, 5/10 3PT), 2 AST, 2 REB, 1 STL, 1 BLK, 1 TO in 30 mins
After missing his first three-point attempt, Evan Fournier passed up a decent look and drove into a tougher shot two-point attempt… but the shot went in. Then he knocked down his next attempt at a jumper. It’s incredible what a few made shots can do for a guy’s confidence. Fournier finally broke out of his slump with aggressive play and a ton of three-pointers.
Fournier was the Knicks’ lifeline for the second and third quarters. He hit timely buckets that kept Houston from building too much momentum. The Frenchman made some difficult shots in the lane, smart passes out of trouble, and showed zero hesitation when he got space to shoot. He was locked in and made the most of more frequent touches.
I’ll credit some of Fournier’s success to Julius Randle. Randle initiated the two-man game with Fournier early and often. Once it seemed like Fournier was locked in, teammates actively sought him out. That has to be a confidence booster for a shooter that players were looking off in recent games. Our big free-agent acquisition gets a 3 out of 5 for snapping out of his funk.
RJ Barrett: 11 PTS (4/13 FG, 1/5 3 PT, 2/2 FT), 2 AST, 1 REB, 2 STL in 25 mins
I don’t think RJ Barrett’s game was as bad as his numbers suggest. His jumper still refuses to go home like a Happy Gilmore putt, and his minutes were trimmed for other hot hands. But Barrett’s resilience was clear as he got downhill in transition and then even in half-court situations. Sometimes he used muscle, other times he had to finesse it, but Barrett found some baskets inside despite no threat from a jumper.
Two assists might not seem like much, but in limited touches, it shows promise. Barrett was active and aggressive despite his shooting woes, but he wasn’t forcing. That’s why he had no turnovers despite some trips into traffic during a game where contact inside rarely drew whistles. The inefficient shooting is more a result of not being able to can easy looks and the aforementioned lack of calls inside.
There are some blemishes and concerns to bare in mind though. Barrett’s defense hasn’t come close to his early-season returns in a couple of weeks. He also had another slow rebounding night. That’s unfortunate because defensive rebounds become transition opportunities to get easier baskets. But the past two games have been a step in the right direction from a viewpoint of effort and impact. Barrett only gets a 2 out of 5, but if the jumper starts to fall I think that his entire game will unlock.
Julius Randle: 16 PTS (4/15 FG, 2/6 3 PT, 6/8 FT), 9 AST, 10 REB, 2 TO in 33 mins
Talk about a difficult game to evaluate. Julius Randle clearly played with more focus on moving the ball and making fast decisions. He got downhill more in the first quarter than he did all game against Orlando. But he still had moments of waiting too long to make the next pass or just taking head-scratching shots.
This was probably the best example of a game where Randle is actively looking for balance. He has to establish his scoring threat for the other players to work off him. At the same time, if Randle focuses too much on that threat, it can cause the entire offense to stagnate. Randle made good decisions more often than bad, but his efficiency from the field was painful despite finally getting some easy points thanks to trusting his teammates more.
Like Barrett, I’d toss Randle’s game into the “a step in the right direction” bucket. He managed to let Fournier, Barrett, and Walker all work into a rhythm while still getting his shot off. His effort on the glass was strong on a night when we really needed the extra boards. That said, his defense is lagging behind his offense with slow rotations standing out lately. So there’s still work to do for New York’s star play, but he gets a 3 out of 5 for his near triple-double along the way.
Mitchell Robinson: 6 PTS (3/4 FG), 5 REB, 2 BLOCKS in 18 mins
Alperin Sengun had committed two hard fouls in short succession. The Rockets rookie big man wasn’t playing dirty, but he was hitting folks. Sengun went up for a shot of his when Mitchell Robinson blocked him with a ferocity that sent the big bully to the ground grabbing his back. Mitch’s play wasn’t dirty either…but it felt like karma.
I focus on that moment because Robinson’s night got cut short after taking an elbow to the face. The refs let a lot of rough play go and Mitch wound up paying the price for it. But in his brief 18-minutes of action, Robinson established his presence on the defensive interior and finished a few dunks along the way.
Robinson’s limited minutes are only the result of that hit in the head he took. His effort was good. His mobility looked better for the second-straight game and he showed off his strength against the Houston bigs. But be it freak accidents, blown out shoes, or hard falls… Mitch has had no luck when it comes to in-game injuries. He gets a 2 out of 5 for being productive but only playing backup minutes.
Burks and IQ take over in the fourth for the New York Knicks bench:
Derrick Rose: 4 PTS (2/8 FG, 0/2 3 PT), 4 AST, 1 REB, 1 STL, 2 BLK, 1 TO in 21 mins
Derrick Rose couldn’t get his offense going but did everything else well. He attacked the paint early on and his shot selection on jumpers was good. But the former MVP couldn’t get much of anything to go down. His veteran savvy shined in the way that Rose managed to still help the team despite his off-night.
My favorite part of the game for Rose was a block. He sent a baseline three-point attempt into the crowd after getting over a screen. We’ve seen this sort of block a few times from the former Bull in recent games. It’s a small display of the kind of effort he’s consistently given on defense. Rose isn’t a world-beating defender but he’s working hard and helping the team.
There are also the dimes to discuss. Even when Rose isn’t scoring, he’s active off the dribble and finding seams for others. The next couple of guys we discuss really took over the game, but Rose’s presence makes that more likely. Our sixth man makes easy looks for everyone, and with microwaves on either wing, he’s always one or two dimes for setting off an explosion. Rose grabs a 2 out of 5 for this performance, but I could see arguments for higher.
Immanuel Quickley: 13 PTS (3/5 FG, 2/4 3 PT, 5/6 FT), 1 REB, 1 TO in 21 mins
Quick trigger Quickley is back in season form. It’s not just that Immanuel Quickley is hitting his long-range looks at a high clip; it’s how fast he can get into form and make a defense pay. The fact that IQ can punish even the smallest window of space means that defenders have to play way too high on a blow-by threat. Quickley’s game is built around that fast pull-up and an elusive dribble to compliment it.
Take note of the free throw attempts too. Quickley had two major positives going for his efficiency last season. He knocked down threes in bunches, and he knew how to draw fouls for easy points. This season’s new rules had sapped IQ of some trips to the line early, but he’s starting to get the whistle again. It seems like the sophomore has adjusted to the changes now.
It’s notable that Quickley did almost all his damage in the fourth quarter. The second unit was slow to ignite against Houston. IQ put up 10 in the fourth, but the bench was actually being outscored by Houston’s after the first half. I’m not sweating it, but that’s an interesting wrinkle to be mindful of. When the starters give away too much momentum, even our monster second-unit has trouble taking back the energy. Quickley’s performance is worth a 2.5 out of 5, but if he can turn it on earlier then that output goes up fast.
Alec Burks: 20 PTS (6/8 FG, 6/7 3 PT, 2/2 FT) 3 AST, 5 REB, 5 STL in 25 mins
For the first three-quarters of this game, Alec Burks barely made a blip. It feels like his entire box score is the result of a monstrous fourth quarter. Burks hit shots off the dribble and catch alike, threw some dimes out of traffic, and compiled consecutive steals all in the final quarter of action.
The legend of fourth-quarter Burks has been building since last season. Put the ball in his hands and watch him outwork tired defenses late. This was an especially big outburst from the microwave scorer. Burks put up 17 points, multiple assists, and steals, plus notched a few boards all in short order. He was silent before the clutch minutes started, but locked in and took over late.
I must admit some mixed feelings about the way this production comes. I’d prefer to see Burks involved in a more consistent manner throughout the game. But how can I complain about a player taking over and sparking a win? Burks’ production in just 25 minutes is astounding and it’s not a fluke. He’s been a driving force for fourth-quarter success since he got there, and the strong close gets him a team-leading 4 out of 5 for his night.
Obi Toppin: 6 PTS (1/3 FG, 0/2 3 PT, 4/4 FT), 1 AST, 4 REB, 3 TO in 15 mins
This is the rare occasion where I won’t complain about Obi Toppin’s limited minutes. The big man wasn’t bad, but he wasn’t great either. Toppin got more looks from long range than he did inside, and on those few opportunities in the paint, he got slammed. See those 4 free throw attempts? The man earned those through contact that would make the 90’s Knicks proud.
Toppin had a pair of issues that warrant mention and cut his time short. First is the obvious one, his turnovers. Offensive fouls and poor positioning on the floor got Obi into a bit of trouble. He’s constantly active, but that chaotic energy has to be controlled to be productive.
Obi’s second flaw is three-point shooting. He has blow-by-speed and improved ball-handling, but it’s not very helpful if defenders can defend him from five feet away. The developing sophomore will need some consistency from three to reach his potential. Toppin was wide open for his looks, but just couldn’t make defenders pay this time. He gets a 1.5 out of 5 for a quiet night without many minutes to produce in.
Nerlens Noel: 2 PTS (0/2 FG, 0/1 3 PT, 2/2 FT), 1 AST, 6 REB, 3 BLK, 3 TO in 29 mins
Nerlens Noel had a hellish first five minutes before settling into the game. Noel started his night by picking up a foolish flagrant foul, getting into foul trouble, and then picking up a technical from the bench. But after Mitchell Robinson left with an injury, Noel’s focus returned and he brought this game home defensively.
Don’t bother looking at the points or field goals, because we know that’s not where Noel makes his money. The shot blocker lived up his title by sending shots flying and turning denials into offensive opportunities for teammates. His mobility was on display as he disrupted pick and roll ball handlers but still recovered to get back to his own assignments. Evan Fournier marveled at that mobility in a post-game interview, saying that not even Rudy Gobert could match it.
This team doesn’t win without Nerlens Noel in the fourth quarter. For as much as we can celebrate Burks and IQ, a lot of offense started from defense. Noel was the key to those stops. He led the bench in plus/minus for a reason and did so on starter’s minutes. Noel gets a 3.5 out of 5 and has proven his value in just a handful of appearances.
Slow to make changes, but hanging on by a thread with Tom Thibodeau:
Tom Thibodeau:
The conversation for Tom Thibodeau is going to always start with his rotation. Thibodeau stuck with his usual starters and they laid an egg to start this game. New York scored just 13 points in the first quarter and only 25 in the third. Compare that to 34 points in the second and fourth, where bench pieces took over most of the minutes. Even in this win, there’s a bittersweet feeling because the starting unit simply doesn’t gel.
There’s a reason for optimism too though. The ball movement was much improved even for struggling starters and I think they generated much better looks for that change. But they didn’t capitalize at all. Against a better team, the bricklaying of the first quarter digs a hole too deep to escape. Houston gave New York a break by air-mailing passes into the stands. But we leave this game with the same concern that has plagued them all season, the starters aren’t working.
I’m not sure whether to praise Thibodeau for increasing the bench unit’s minutes or blast him for keeping a floundering starting five together. The upside of finding a rhythm for those starters is obvious, but it also seems less and less likely to come to fruition. I’d rather pull the plug and look for solutions that balance out the rotation now…because last year Thibs waited all the way through game one of the post-season. Thibodeau gets a 2 out of 5 and won’t score higher until the starting unit wins a match-up clearly.
Closing Thoughts:
When does a win stop feeling like a win? I suppose it’s when you barely manage to scrape past the worst team in the league with one of the best teams approaching a day later. There’s a palpable concern from the fanbase, from the postgame coverage, and from just about everyone else. The Knicks feel like a team teetering on the edge of collapse more than a team turning any corners… so why am I optimistic?
I think New York needed a game like Houston. A weaker opponent allowed our boys to play through mistakes without losing confidence or having the game run away from them. By the end of the action, the starting backcourt had gotten their shots falling and the bench was thriving again. I’m hopeful that the ball movement we saw against the Rockets will lead to faster results…they’re gonna need it.
Make no mistake, the New York Knicks aren’t beating any of their quality opponents over the next week if they play the same way that they did against Houston. But I’m hoping the late game trends in confidence carry over to a Sunday success against the Bulls. The schedule is about to get a lot tougher but pressure makes diamonds, so let’s hope New York can rise to the occasion as hell week approaches. I’ll see you after the Bulls 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 discussing the key moments to the Knicks’ loss against the Orlando Magic.
