The New York Knicks defeated the Washington Wizards 105-89. The Knicks’ starters look ready to go while the bench is still trying to gel.
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The New York Knicks closed the preseason strong by defeating the Washington Wizards 105 to 89. The Knicks’ starters were dominant yet again, controlling the action for most of their time on the floor. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case for the second unit, which struggled early but improved in the second half.
New York’s ball movement and pace continue to embody its potential. The team’s three-point shooting slipped, but that didn’t sap their ability to score. They also turned in their best defensive performance of the preseason. So let’s look at the individuals who stood out en route to the regular season.
Knicks’ starters dominant in their final dress rehearsal
Jalen Brunson: 27 PTS (10/16 FG, 3/5 3PT, 4/4 FT), 5 AST, 4 REB, 1 STL, 3 TO in 31 mins
Jalen Brunson seemed to score at will against Washington’s defenders. He dribbled into the teeth of the defense often and was both a threat to score inside and to find open teammates. At times his constant attacks led him to get caught in traffic for turnovers, but the pressure he applied led to far more successes than failures.
Brunson’s scoring came easily and within the flow of the offense. He knocked down catch-and-shoot opportunities in space or used footwork for openings inside. The floor general was always unpredictable and incredibly efficient by feeding teammates along the way.
Brunson’s command over the offense seems like a safe bet to continue into the regular season. His crafty approach and easy chemistry with new teammates are the reasons New York pursued him so aggressively. This team has a pace and a tempo that we haven’t seen before. I credit Brunson for that.
RJ Barrett: 19 PTS (6/13 FG, 4/7 3PT, 3/5 FT), 2 AST, 12 REB, 1 BLK, 2 TO in 33 mins
RJ Barrett continued his promising preseason by knocking down jumpers around the arc. He’s never looked more confident in catch-and-shoot situations. Barrett’s finishing inside and free-throw shooting slipped a little, but he got to the rim and line as often as ever. The end result was another efficient scoring effort.
Barrett’s playmaking came in transition. He managed to spark multiple fast breaks thanks to excellent work on the boards. He turned in a double-double and helped push the pace, which favored the Knicks all game long.
If there’s a reason to buy into RJ Barrett taking another leap, it’s his jumper. Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle are adept at drawing a crowd and finding open shooters. Barrett stands to be the recipient of multiple open looks, and his efficiency will improve if he converts them consistently.
Evan Fournier: 4 PTS (2/6 FG, 0/3 3PT), 5 AST, 5 REB, 1 BLK in 16 mins
Evan Fournier started both halves but ceded a chunk of time to Quentin Grimes. He didn’t shoot well in his more limited minutes, but Fournier had some nice passes. The Frenchman found Robinson for a lob early and then picked up a few dimes on drive and kicks.
The limited minutes didn’t leave much else to get excited about. Fournier’s defense wasn’t terrible but wasn’t particularly good. His rebounding was strong for a wing. It was a solid performance, but nothing more.
Julius Randle: 10 PTS (3/11 FG, 0/5 3PT, 4/5 FT), 4 AST, 6 REB, 2 STL, 2 TO in 28 mins
There were a few instances where Julius Randle slipped into old habits in this game. For example, he did a bit more dribbling, leading to some pretty assists and a couple of turnovers.
But he didn’t force many shots and continually made the extra pass when available. Randle just couldn’t buy a three-pointer which affected his percentages. Nevertheless, I liked how he played for around 80 percent of his performance. He seems bought in, even if there’s a bit of adjustment to break old habits.
If Randle can play with quicker decision-making and a selfless approach for the regular season, the Knicks’ ceiling will be exponentially higher. He’s proven he can play that style this preseason. Now it’s just a matter of seeing if he can hang on to that mindset when defenses tighten up.
Mitchell Robinson: 20 PTS (9/12 FG, 2/4 FT), 12 REB, 2 STL, 2 BLK in 29 mins
I could make a case that Mitchell Robinson was the best player on the floor throughout this game. He was an absolute force in the middle at both ends. It felt like Robinson impacted nearly every play, whether setting a solid screen, grabbing an offensive board, or slamming the ball home.
Mitch was everywhere on defense as well. By the second half, his mere presence in the middle caused a shot-clock violation. That’s possible because he’s running the floor and hitting his rotations fast. Robinson is in great shape and ready to produce through sheer hard work.
Robinson has a chance to become an x-factor for this team. There aren’t many bigs his size that can keep up with the pace that New York wants to run. Mitch seems to be in shape to do just that. It feels like we’re getting Robinson’s rookie season motor but with more poise and experience. That’s a potent combination if it sticks.
Searching for chemistry with New York’s second unit
Immanuel Quickley: 6 PTS (3/9 FG, 0/2 3PT), 3 AST, 9 REB, 1 TO in 20 mins
Immanuel Quickley continued his struggles from the field, missing his jumpers and most floaters. And to make matters worst, the offense didn’t look great with Quickley at the helm. His assists got a boost from a couple of transition dimes, but IQ never settled in as a half-court playmaker.
It wasn’t all bad for Quickley, though. His defense returned to form, and he gave the second unit a nice rebounding boost. Like Barrett, extra rebounds mean opportunities to turn a quick fast break in the opposite direction.
I hope IQ’s struggles are more to do with him practicing new things and learning to gel with new players. He’s been working on that off-foot floater, which he can fire at will but hasn’t converted enough. He’s also taken some threes from extra deep. I’ll cross my fingers that his shot selection will improve when the games matter.
Derrick Rose: 4 PTS (1/5 FG, 0/2 3PT, 2/2 FT), 1 AST, 2 REB, 1 BLK, 1 TO in 14 mins
Derrick Rose had an off night from the field but still hit my favorite lay-up of the night with his sole make. Despite his poor percentages, it felt like Rose could do more. He’s moved off the ball for Immanuel Quickley throughout most of this preseason. But, when Rose is on the ball, it still feels like good results follow.
Rose’s short minutes leave us with more hypotheticals and speculation than proof on the court. Nevertheless, he looks prepared to continue where he left off before getting hurt, filling the stat sheet and boosting an otherwise young bench unit. But his health has to hold up, and he may need to continue adjusting to playing off-ball basketball more often.
Quentin Grimes: 0 PTS (0/2 FG, 0/2 3PT), 1 AST, 1 REB, 2 TO in 16 mins
An interesting note for Quentin Grimes is that he spent the lion’s share of his minutes with the starters. He didn’t enter the first half until late, seemingly to save his energy for an audition with the first group. Grimes started slow, missing jumpers and taking a couple of minutes to settle into the game speed.
Once the sharpshooter adjusted to the pace, he started to show promise. Grimes didn’t shoot, but he consistently blew by closeouts and attempted drive and kicks. His one assist is masking the fact that he could have had a couple more, having created open threes and miscommunicated with Mitchell Robinson on a would-be dime for a dunk.
I should throw in that Grimes’ defense was still entertaining. He’s not simply an on-ball pressure player but an impressive team defender for a sophomore. You’ll spot him anticipating rotations and communicating from across the floor from the ball. He’s a heady player through and through. I think it’s a matter of “when,” not “if” he’ll break into the starting unit.
Obi Toppin: 6 PTS (3/9 FG, 0/3 3PT), 2 AST, 4 REB, 1 STL, 1 BLK, 1 TO in 18 mins
I didn’t love this performance from Obi Toppin. He missed all his open looks from range again, possibly rushing things. He got the ball on the perimeter a few times but didn’t take the opportunity to attack, simply returning the ball to its sender. His offense felt too predictable in this game.
Of course, a few leak-outs and fast breaks can remedy half-court struggles. Obi continued to pressure big men to keep up with his dashes up the floor. He also had better games in terms of boxing out before he took off and doing the little things on defense. Contributing beyond scoring will help Obi remain effective on poor shooting nights.
Stop me if you’ve heard this before, but Toppin’s minutes will probably come down to his ability to convert jumpers. Julius Randle is playing very well right now, meaning Obi can’t steal minutes off potential alone. We might want more minutes for the NYC native, but he’s got his work cut out.
Isaiah Hartenstein: 4 PTS (2/7 FG, 0/2 3PT), 1 AST, 8 REB, 2 TO in 17 mins
Isaiah Hartenstein hasn’t been bad throughout the preseason, but I’d chalk this performance up as underwhelming. He missed his jumpers, didn’t create from the perimeter, and missed a few bunnies off putbacks.
The big man’s defense was a big advertisement when he got here. Sadly, his defensive play only stood out in one of the preseason games. However his rebounding has been strong, but he has room for improvement nearly everywhere else. I believe that he’s a better player than what we’ve seen.
I’m still pegging the underwhelming play to adjusting to new teammates and a new scheme. Hart has flashed some lovely playmaking, including a mid-post bounce pass in this game. He’ll find his spots to impact the game with more reps. He adds a new dynamic to the team, but he has to learn how to utilize his unique traits.
Cam Reddish: 2 PTS (1/5 FG, 0/1 3PT), 2 REB in 9 mins
Cam Reddish got one last look with the second unit but failed to capitalize. Barring injuries, I think Cam’s on the outside of the rotation looking in. He had his chances. Now he’ll have to put in the work and wait for the next opportunity, which may come soon if Obi or Grimes’ foot injuries act up.
Tom Thibodeau’s rotation takes shape
I don’t have much to add to my previous comments on Tom Thibodeau. I think he’s done a pretty good job navigating this preseason. He gave opportunities to all the players I wanted to see in extended burn and experimented just enough to get a look at some unique combinations.
The one piece of coaching that mattered in this game was Grimes’ minutes with the starters. It showed that Thibs’ is as interested in Grimes starting as we all seem to be. I think that transition will be gradual with respect to Evan Fournier, who has earned his stripes as a long-time vet and quality player. But this game felt like a sign of the direction Thibodeau’s rotation would take.
Closing thoughts
The preseason is over, and I’m ready for the regular season. New York has shown us some tantalizing flashes of potential and beaten up on bad teams. But when the defensive pressure has turned up on them, we’ve seen some blemishes and room for improvement. We know what this offense should be, but now we need to see if it can hold up against increased intensity and better-quality opposition.
There’s plenty of reason for optimism about New York’s pace and the improvement from its youth. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. But this is a work in progress that will continue to congeal and take shape throughout the season.
The uptick in competition starts right away in Memphis on Wednesday. The KFTV crew will be at the 40/40 club to celebrate the start of the new season, and the Knicks will have a chance to make a statement if they can score the upset. After that action, we’ll have plenty to discuss, so I’ll see you with the following recap Knicks fam!
Stay tuned to KnicksFanTV.com for the latest Knicks news, rumors, and recaps throughout the NBA season. And in case you missed it, check out the latest Knicks Weekly, where CP, Alex, & Geoff discuss season expectations!
