Welcome to part VIII of the Knicks Pulse Check! Where we update the fans with the continuing trends of the New York Knicks.
After 82 games, our New York Knicks are the two-seed in the Eastern Conference playoff picture. And what a ride it’s been. Of course, the cardiac Knicks season came down to a gutsy overtime victory over the Chicago Bulls. The Orlando Magic also helped the cause by beating the Milwaukee Bucks, who are seemingly limping into this postseason.
All that said, the focus now shifts to the Philadelphia 76ers. The NBA’s play-in tournament featured a great matchup featuring the Miami Heat and the 76ers. The Knicks will host the 76ers this Saturday at Madison Square Garden for game one of the first round of the playoffs. More on that matchup a bit later.
Through all the ups and downs, the trades, the injuries, the Knicks managed to make the postseason for the second straight season, and for the third time in four seasons under head coach Tom Thibodeau. Our last check-in with the advanced metrics shows that the Knicks are ranked fifth in net-rating (up one spot from last check-in), seventh in offensive rating (up six spots from last check-in), and ninth in defensive rating (down two spots from last check-in). During the final 12 games of the season, the Knicks jumped six spots in offensive rating to finish ranked seventh in the NBA.
This final stretch included victories against the Sacramento Kings, Milwaukee Bucks, and the top-ranked Boston Celtics.
March 25th – April 14th: 8-4, Overall Record: 50-32, 2nd place in the Eastern Conference
A Look Back
The 2023-2024 Knicks started off 2-4. There was a significant stretch of the season where they played without at least three-to-four starters that were injured. OG Anunoby missed time, Isaiah Hartenstein missed time, Mitchell Robinson missed time, Julius Randle missed time, and eventually opted for season-ending surgery. And through it all, Jalen Marquis Brunson put this team on his back and carried them to a top-seed and home-court advantage in the first two rounds of the playoffs.
It’s hard to quantify just how much Brunson means to this franchise. Over the final 20 games of the season, JB scored 30 or more points 12 times, including an unforgettable 61-point performance in a loss against the San Antonio Spurs. Via Statmuse, in 33 games without Randle, Brunson averaged 31.5 points per game, 7.1 assists per game, and 3.3 rebounds per game. When you factor in the fact that Brunson has seen every type of defensive coverage—blitzing pick-and-rolls, having bigger wings guard him without the safety net of Randle as the secondary scorer—his production becomes even more impressive.
Jalen Brunson capped off his MVP campaign with ANOTHER 40-point game against the Bulls! ?
What do you grade JB's regular season performance?!
Brunson’s performances finally elevated himself into MVP conversations. Per NBA.com, Brunson finished the season 8th in the NBA MVP Ladder behind names like Nikola Jokić, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Jayson Tatum. Regardless of your fandom, even a neutral supporter has to agree that the former Villanova star has to be a lock for an All-NBA second team selection, and first-team is possible, too. I could (and will) make an argument that Brunson should be given strong consideration over fellow Eastern Conference player Jayson Tatum, especially with all the injuries the Knicks dealt with this past season.
With all that said, I’d be remiss if I didn’t highlight OG Anunoby, Donte DiVincenzo, and Isaiah Hartenstein for their contributions. By now, everyone and their mother has heard the impressive stat that the Knicks are 20-3 since trading for Anunoby. Divo set both single-game and single-season franchise records for three-point shooting after canning 11 threes against Detroit and 283 threes overall this year. Hartenstein held down the fort when Robinson got injured, and somehow morphed into one of the best centers in the league on both ends of the court. Brunson may have been the engine of the ship, but OG, Divo, and IHart all took turns keeping this vessel above water when things didn’t always look so good.
No Fear and a Look Ahead
If the majority of your teenage years overlapped with the early 2000s, chances are you came across the incredibly corny and generic slogans printed across clothing from the brand “No Fear.” I’ll admit, I had one: probably a shirt with something along the lines of “Face your fears, live your dreams – No Fear” printed on the back. Thought-provoking stuff, really. But in a weird way, this is exactly how I feel the Knicks’ philosophy needs to be for this particular playoff run.
NBA Twitter didn’t hold back when some felt that the Cleveland Cavaliers intentionally tanked in the last game of the season to avoid playing either the Miami Heat or Philadelphia 76ers in their first found matchup. To be fair, there were some Knicks fans who wanted to avoid those same teams, but it’s a mindset that cannot be endorsed or shared by any fan this time around. That type of thinking belonged to the fan stricken with PTSD from previous Knicks teams and regimes that expected Murphy’s Law to follow their beloved orange and blue in any situation.
Who's the better matchup for the Knicks in the first round?! ?
Are you taking on the reigning MVP in Joel Embiid and the 76ers or the Knicks LONG TIME rivals, the Miami Heat?! pic.twitter.com/8bTlLx2Znz
But this version of the Knicks makes their own luck. Leon Rose, Tom Thibodeau, and Brunson have cemented themselves as the holy trinity, poised to face any challenge in their way. And that’s the way it should be. Personally, I wanted the Miami Heat. I wanted revenge from last season and I think they’re a dragon that needed to be slayed, but there’s no reason to fear a 76ers’ squad with a Joel Embiid that doesn’t look fully healthy.
The Knicks are ready. Madison Square Garden will be ready. Fans need to embrace high expectations and enjoy the ride. There’s no room for doubt on this ship.
Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below! Stay tuned to KnicksFanTV.com for the latest Knicks news, rumors, and recaps throughout the NBA season. Subscribe to the newsletter for KFTV content and events, shop discounts, and more at bit.ly/kftvmail. And in case you missed it, check out our Knicks vs. Sixers Game 1preview.
The New York Knicks finished the season by beating the Chicago Bulls in overtime. They embraced a second seed that most teams seemed afraid of.
The New York Knicks took down the Chicago Bulls in overtime, 120-119. The teams brought playoff intensity on a day when most of their peers mailed it in.
Neither team could build a lead in the first half. They traded shots back and forth throughout the action. But the Bulls stormed out in the third quarter and kept the momentum to start the fourth. Chicago took a 10-point lead before New York locked in and fought back.
Jalen Brunson and DeMar DeRozan dueled through clutch time as both players made shots back and forth. DeRozan had scoring help from Coby White and Nikola Vučević, while Josh Hart and Precious Achiuwa provided surprising energy boosts for Brunson and the Knicks. But New York’s MVP would get the final laugh, as DeRozan missed a shot near the rim at the buzzer.
New York heads into the playoffs on a five-game win streak, with the second seed secured. Let’s look at the performances that closed out an incredible season.
The Knicks’ starters have an MVP with perfect compliments
Jalen Brunson: 40 PTS (14/30 FG, 1/4 3PT, 11/12 FT), 7 AST, 8 REB, 4 TO in 41 mins
Jalen Brunson might be the hottest player heading into the offseason. He’s averaging 38 points and 8 assists over the last ten games. Brunson didn’t even need his three-ball to dominate. He crushed the Bulls with midrange pull-ups, floaters inside, and plenty of free throws.
Jalen Brunson capped off his MVP campaign with ANOTHER 40-point game against the Bulls! ?
What do you grade JB's regular season performance?!
The MVP candidate turned the ball over more than usual, and I think it’s a defensive adjustment. Players have realized that Brunson changes speeds often, so they’re poking the ball loose in trailing situations. Bulls players also blocked Brunson from behind a couple of times.
But even as defenses adjust, Brunson appears to have all the answers. He’s scoring better than anyone in the league and consistently piles on assists when teams try to double him. Brunson gets a 4 out of 5 for his season closer.
Donte DiVincenzo: 25 PTS (10/21 FG, 5/14 3PT), 2 AST, 7 REB, 2 STL, 1 BLK, 4 TO in 53 mins
Donte DiVincenzo hit big shots from deep, but more importantly, he found ways to score inside when the Bulls chased him off the line. DiVo snuck in a few backdoor cuts for easy dunks, beat players off the dribble, and flashed touch around the basket.
DiVincenzo’s defensive effort can sometimes go unnoticed with so many quality defenders around him. He’s aggressive in the passing lanes, deflecting passes frequently. The Big Ragu has active hands in man defense as well, constantly poking the ball loose. He’s a disruptor.
My only concern for DiVo heading into the postseason is on inbound passes. He threw the ball through players’ hands twice on Sunday, including a pass in crunch time. Once Donte fixes those minor errors, he’s on track for big contributions. DiVo gets a 3.5 out of 5 for the win.
Josh Hart: 12 PTS (6/10 FG, 0/2 3PT), 4 AST, 10 REB, 1 STL, 1 BLK, 3 TO in 40 mins
Josh Hart’s a double-double machine. We’re used to this script, but in short, Hart feasted on the boards and immediately raced the other way. He steals points from opponents by beating everyone down the court, and those effort rebounds and baskets add up.
Hart had his own turnover problems in the fourth quarter. I wonder if fatigue is causing some of the key players’ late-game mishaps. But regardless, Hart’s motor always makes up for any errors.
Hart gets a 3.5 out of 5 for another double-double.
OG Anunoby: 11 PTS (4/10 FG, 2/4 3PT, 1/3 FT), 4 AST, 5 REB, 2 STL, 1 BLK, 6 TO in 43 mins
OG Anunoby’s three-pointer looks comfortable again after a few games of rust. He put together a complete stat line with four assists and five rebounds to go with his scoring and stellar defense. But I’d like to see him even more aggressive.
OG hesitated on some open looks and drove instead. The Bulls caught up to those plays, often crashing on him and stealing the ball when he tried to pass out. Anunoby’s six turnovers come from these situations that could have been avoided if he’d shot without hesitation. The defensive ace is too unselfish for his own good at times.
Anunoby’s defense was great as usual, though he couldn’t stop the red-hot DeMar DeRozan late. OG had a strong game and finished with a 3 out of 5 for his quality play.
Isaiah Hartenstein: 8 PTS (3/4 FG, 2/4 FT), 4 AST, 13 REB, 2 STL, 2 BLK, 2 TO in 31 mins
Isaiah Hartenstein probably gets this game over in regulation if not for minute limits. The offense rolled with I-Hart available, and he completely controlled the glass. Hartenstein sat almost immediately after crossing the thirty-minute mark, but he was great.
I’ve preached plenty about Hartenstein’s passing recently and not enough about his defense. I-Hart rose to meet would-be dunkers at the rim on two occasions, both against players with a full head of steam. Hartenstein turned the players away, bringing the Garden to life with his defense.
It’s hard to explain how massive Hartenstein’s impact has become. His passing is crucial when Brunson is double-teamed, and his defense makes it easier for the wings to take risks. Hartenstein gets a 3.5 out of 5, which would be higher without minutes restrictions.
New York’s second unit shows nice chemistry
Miles McBride: 7 PTS (3/4 FG, 1/2 3PT), 3 AST, 2 REB in 14 mins
I wondered why Miles McBride didn’t get more minutes through the first three-quarters of action. I’ll assume it was due to the illness that sidelined him against Brooklyn. When Deuce got significant minutes in the fourth quarter, his impact was undeniable.
McBride hit big jumpers in the fourth quarter and compounded his scoring with a pair of drive-and-kicks for open three-pointers. He spelled Brunson long enough for the Knicks’ star to come in fresh and seal the deal.
I’m not entirely sure why McBride didn’t play more, especially with DiVincenzo getting less than a minute of rest throughout an overtime game. But either way, Deuce was great when he played and gets a 2.5 out of 5 for good production in a limited time.
Bojan Bogdanovic: 13 PTS (4/9 FG, 3/6 3PT, 2/2 FT), 1 AST, 2 REB in 17 mins
Bojan Bogdanovic is fully integrated into the offense now. He’s comfortable hitting quick trigger threes and attacking mismatches off the dribble. Bogey’s offense rarely feels forced anymore, and he’s cut back on the ugly turnovers.
While Bogdanovic didn’t compile assists, his passing looks more comfortable. Depending on the situation, he knows where to look for teammates and which players to pass to. When a play broke down in the fourth, he found Deuce McBride to make something happen late in the shot clock. Small decisions like that can keep an offense in rhythm.
Bogdanovic has found his game at the perfect time. New York will need his offense to advance in the playoffs. Bogey gets a 3 out of 5 for nearly scoring a point per minute.
Precious Achiuwa: 4 PTS (2/3 FG), 2 AST, 5 REB, 1 BLK, 2 TO in 19 mins
Precious Achiuwa got an extended burn because Mitchell Robinson didn’t play after halftime. Achiuwa’s offense didn’t pop, with half his points coming from a putback. But I can’t compliment his defensive versatility enough.
Nikola Vučević can shoot, and that causes headaches for New York’s big men who prefer drop coverage and hard hedging. But Achiuwa has the mobility to run out to a shooting big man, even when he’s caught helping on a ball-handler. Precious showed as much with his late-game rotations.
Achiuwa is a fantastic utility big to have. He can big the PF in big line-ups and the small ball C in others. The big man gets a 2.5 out of 5 for a solid contribution in clutch time.
Mitchell Robinson: 0 PTS (0/0 FG), 1 REB in 7 mins
Mitchell Robinson didn’t get much going in the first half and wasn’t cleared to return after halftime. I’m unsure what was wrong, so let’s hope it was something minor. He has a week to get into shape for the playoffs.
Tom Thibodeau only knows winning
Tom Thibodeau had every excuse to sit players. By the fourth quarter, New York was certain to finish in the top three, and third place would face a young Pacers instead of the Sixers or Heat. But throwing games will never be Thibs’ mentality.
Thibodeau played four starters over 40 minutes, sending a message to the league that New York isn’t afraid of anybody. It’s the perfect embodiment of the Knicks’ resilience and fearlessness. This is New York basketball!
Closing Thoughts:
Now, we relax for a week. We watch other teams fight scrap and pull their way into the final slots of the playoffs. Then, on Saturday, the real journey begins. The Knicks don’t get an easy first-round opponent. They’ll face either one of the best players in the league, Joel Embiid, or one of the toughest playoff teams of this era, the Miami Heat.
But the Knicks clearly aren’t worried. They have an unstoppable force of their own in Jalen Brunson. They’re bringing a more cohesive team with more experience than last year. The quest to 50 wins was fun and exciting, but now the real journey begins.
I’ll see you after the first postseason game, with more breakdowns and plenty of hype for future battles. This season has already been one of the most memorable of my life, and I truly feel that it’s only the beginning. I’ll see you next time, Knicks fam!
Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below! Stay tuned to KnicksFanTV.com for the latest Knicks news, rumors, and recaps throughout the NBA season. Subscribe to the newsletter for KFTV content and events, shop discounts, and more at bit.ly/kftvmail. And in case you missed it, check out today’s episode of Knicks Weekly with a Knicks beat roundtable!
The New York Knicks won games against the Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets on back-to-back nights. The victories give them a chance to steal the second seed.
The New York Knicks steamrolled the Boston Celtics and survived a surprisingly tough game against the Brooklyn Nets on back-to-back nights. The pair of games showed Jalen Brunson’s importance to success as clearly as any game this season.
The Knicks beat Boston 118-109 in a game far more lopsided than the final score. Jalen Brunson attacked early and often while his supporting cast knocked down shots and fought to every loose ball. Brunson toyed with the Celtics’ defense, pumping New York’s lead to 30 points before sitting for the fourth quarter. Boston shrunk the Knicks’ lead in Brunson’s absence, but the win was already in hand.
Next, New York beat Brooklyn 111-107 in a tougher game than expected. This time, the Knicks started slow, while the Nets got off to a 17-point lead early. Brunson didn’t score until late in the second quarter. But as soon as Brunson started scoring, the Nets’ lead evaporated, and he closed the game with the Knicks’ final eight points.
The Knicks are cruising into the playoffs with steam and plenty of hot hands. Let’s examine the key contributions of each player’s performance.
The Knicks’ starters wear down opponents
Jalen Brunson:
Game One: 39 PTS (15/23 FG, 6/11 3PT, 3/5 FT), 4 AST, 2 REB, 2 TO in 30 mins
Game Two: 30 PTS (10/25 FG, 3/7 3PT, 7/7 FT), 11 AST, 1 REB, 1 STL in 36 mins
Jalen Brunson turned in one of his best performances of the season against Boston.
Joe Mazzulla can downplay the Celtics’ effort, but they threw every defensive coverage possible at New York’s MVP. Jrue Holiday, Derrick White, Jayson Tatum, and Jaylen Brown all took turns trying to stop him in isolation. Sometimes, they doubled him with a blitz, and others tried switching to push him toward help defenders. None of it mattered as he scored throughout his three-quarters of action.
Brunson spent a chunk of the Nets game struggling against their length and athleticism. But once he figured out their defense and found his rhythm, he rolled to another thirty points. While he didn’t score as efficiently, Brunson picked apart their defense with playmaking instead. He came up big in the clutch, knocking down field goals and hitting his free throws to close them out.
The diminutive guard is capping an incredible season on a high note. For a pair of great performances, he gets a 4.5 out of 5.
Donte DiVincenzo:
Game One: 17 PTS (7/15 FG, 3/7 3PT), 4 AST, 4 REB, 1 STL, 1 TO in 41 mins
Game Two: 14 PTS (5/12 FG, 2/8 3PT, 2/2 FT), 3 AST, 6 REB, 2 STL, 1 TO in 44 mins
Donte DiVincenzo’s covered all his bases in both performances. He played a quality all-around game, providing timely shooting and enough playmaking to keep defenders off balance. His effort popped defensively, with good rebounding and active hands on ball-handlers and in passing lanes.
DiVo’s standout moments came in switches against Kristaps Porziņģis. KP tried to post up Divincenzo, but the Big Ragu never backed down, forcing him to miss a couple of contested jumpers.
DiVincenzo let the game come to him, thanks to other starters getting hot at different moments. It allowed him to provide efficient scoring and focus his energy on other areas of the game. He gets a 3.5 out of 5 for complimenting everyone else perfectly.
Josh Hart:
Game One: 16 PTS (7/15 FG, 1/4 3PT, 1/1 FT), 5 AST, 16 REB, 1 STL, 1 TO in 32 mins
Game Two: 16 PTS (6/9 FG, 2/3 3PT, 2/2 FT), 1 AST, 7 REB, 3 STL, 2 TO in 40 mins
Josh Hart’s rebounding set the tone against the Celtics just as much as Brunson’s scoring. He picked up a double-double in the first half, often outworking much bigger players to get rebounds. The more rebounds he grabs, the more transition opportunities he has, and he capitalizes with layups and assists in those scrambles.
Hart wasn’t as visible on the boards or in transition against Brooklyn, but he hit a pair of jumpers and ripped ball handlers for multiple steals instead.
I don’t have much to add, because this has been Hart for most of the second half of the season. He’s an energizer who can contribute in every way possible. Hart gets a 4 out of 5 for his hustle and physicality.
OG Anunoby:
Game One: 12 PTS (5/10 FG, 2/3 3PT), 1 AST, 1 STL, 1 BLK, 1 TO in 26 mins
Game Two: 15 PTS (6/13 FG, 3/5 3PT), 1 REB, 2 STL in 33 mins
The Knicks don’t have a true second option for the offense. Most contenders have at least two stars that can take over a game offensively. OG Anunoby isn’t likely to explode for big points, but he takes games over on the defensive end with similar results.
OG showed his shutdown ability in the third quarter of both games. He stopped KP on switches with Hartenstein in one play, then isolated on Tatum and challenged his jumpers the next. But he was even more dominant against Brooklyn. He started the third against Brooklyn by forcing turnovers and dunking in transition; then, he knocked down corner threes after the Nets kept leaving him open.
Anunoby isn’t in peak form yet, but he’s obviously getting close. He started both games slowly, but gained momentum as they wore on. Even as he shakes off rust, he’s dominating games defensively for long spells. OG gets a 4 out of 5 for his game-changing defense.
Isaiah Hartenstein:
Game One: 11 PTS (5/11 FG, 1/3 FT), 6 AST, 11 REB, 1 STL, 2 BLK, 4 TO in 33 mins
Game Two: DNP
Isaiah Hartenstein broke the 30-minute mark for the first time since February 6th. He earned those minutes by dicing the Celtics with his passing. I-Hart also defended effectively against Boston’s five-out offense and owned the glass.
Hartenstein didn’t play in the second game for injury management. All signs point to him being good to go, but getting some rest before the postseason.
I’ll skip performance scores for the players who only played one of the two games, but I-Hart was great against Boston.
New York’s second unit looks different in each game
Miles McBride:
Game One: 2 PTS (1/6 PTS, 0/4 3PT), 4 AST, 1 STL, 1 TO in 21 mins
Game Two: DNP
Deuce McBride struggled with his jumper against Boston. But he flashed a nice two-man game with Mitchell Robinson on the pick-and-roll. His sole field goal came on a nice give-and-go with Hartenstein, though that pair failed to connect on future attempts.
Deuce didn’t play in game two due to “feeling under the weather,” as Mike Breen put it.
Bojan Bogdanovic:
Game One: 14 PTS (6/10 FG, 2/6 3PT), 3 REB, 1 STL, 1 TO in 25 mins
Game Two: 9 PTS (3/11 FG, 2/4 3PT, 1/2 FT), 1 AST, 1 STL, 1 TO in 19 mins
Bojan Bogdanovic continues to find his offensive flow. He looked particularly strong against Boston, taking advantage of every mismatch the C’s switching created. He seemed to relish opportunities to attack Payton Pritchard with post-ups and face-up drives.
Bogey didn’t get as much off against the Nets, who had more size to counter his interior scoring. But Bojan hit his three-point opportunities and managed some offense whenever he hit the floor.
Precious Achiuwa:
Game One: 2 PTS (1/6 FG, 0/1 3PT), 5 REB, 1 BLK, 1 TO in 16 mins
Game Two: 5 PTS (2/2 FG, 1/1 3PT), 3 REB in 8 mins
Precious Achiuwa played an interesting pair of games. His shot selection against Boston left plenty to be desired. But he made his presence felt on defense, with his size and mobility making a difference against the C’s mobile big bodies.
Achiuwa didn’t force shots against the Nets, though his three-point shooting makes me nervous even when he’s wide open. Unfortunately, he didn’t have the same impact defensively, which meant less playtime.
Precious had one strong defensive game with bad offense, while the next reversed the pattern with good offense and weak defense. He gets a 2.5 for the mixed results.
Mitchell Robinson:
Game One: 5 PTS (2/3 FG, 1/1 FT), 4 REB, 1 STL in 15 mins
Game Two: 15 PTS (5/6 FG, 5/8 FT), 8 REB, 1 BLK in 25 mins
Mitchell Robinson looked lumbering against the Celtics. Their five-out approach forced Mitch to play further from the basket or give up jump shots when he dropped too far. Jayson Tatum froze Robinson with a crossover and continued a trend of smaller players driving past the Block Ness Monster.
But Robinson’s timing and instinctual play showed up for the Brooklyn game. It may have helped that Brooklyn has more traditional bigs. Regardless, Mitch anticipated the movement of players, and he defended them effectively. That allowed him to move with the action and challenge shooters. He got better position for rebounds and ate up the boards.
Brooklyn tried Hack-a-Mitch defense in the final few minutes. Robinson looked visibly frustrated but shot 4/6 during that stretch. That’s not a bad response.
Robinson gave his most promising performance yet. So, I’m giving him a hopeful 2.5 out of 5 for finding his efficiency and starting to show the instincts that made him a force on defense.
Alec Burks:
Game One DNP
Game Two: 5 PTS (1/4 FG, 1/2 3PT, 2/2 FT), 4 AST, 1 REB, 1 STL, 1 TO in 11 mins
Thanks to McBride’s absence, Alec Burks made a brief appearance against Brooklyn. He didn’t shoot well, but he knocked down his first attempt at a time when the Knicks couldn’t get anything going. I may be reaching for optimism, but his four assists are a nice symbol of Burks not forcing shots as badly as when he first arrived.
Jericho Sims:
Game One: DNP
Game Two: 2 PTS (0/1 FG, 2/2 FT), 1 AST, 4 REB, 1 BLK in 23 mins
Jericho Sims started against Brooklyn and wasn’t bad. Sims kept Nic Claxton at bay and did well on the boards except for a few mistimed leaps. His block was a highlight! He timed the denial perfectly, pinning a would-be layup against the backboard.
Tom Thibodeau never stops coaching
Tom Thibodeau called more frustration timeouts in the second half against Boston than I recall in any game. The Knicks went up by 30, and Thibs refused to let them take their feet off the brakes. Even with less than two minutes to go and a fifteen-point lead, Thibodeau demanded that players focus on defense.
That’s the character of Thibodeau. His players have to be prepared and play hard at all times. That mentality paid dividends against a fired-up Nets team. The Knicks could have been caught sleeping, but not with Thibodeau!
Closing Thoughts:
New York has one game left, and if they win and the Bucks lose, they could steal the second seed. With that victory, they’d also complete a 50-win season. It’s as good as Knicks fans could hope for, especially after all the injuries.
But whether New York is second or third, or if they win 49 or 50, the Knicks will roll into the postseason with momentum. There isn’t a first-round matchup that I’d worry about with how this team plays. It’s time for the Knicks to see how far they can go when the lights are brightest and the pressure hits its peak.
We’ll watch a finale against Chicago. I doubt that the game will be much more than an exhibition, considering that Chicago’s play-in spot is set. But we’ll be watching in hopes of making the 50-burger official! I’ll see you next time, Knicks fam!
Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below! Stay tuned to KnicksFanTV.com for the latest Knicks news, rumors, and recaps throughout the NBA season. Subscribe to the newsletter for KFTV content and events, shop discounts, and more at bit.ly/kftvmail. And in case you missed it, check out the breakdown of the final playoff seeding scenarios on The NBA Report.
The New York Knicks defeated the Chicago Bulls 128-177. Jalen Brunson is making a serious case for NBA MVP with another 40+ point game as the season wanes.
The New York Knicks got revenge against the Chicago Bulls, beating them 128-117. The Knicks’s offense exploded, helping New York to an early lead that never relinquished. The Bulls fought to keep the game competitive throughout the action, but the Knicks always had an answer for Chicago’s comeback attempts.
Jalen Brunson continued his torrid scoring pace, dominating his matchup with an elite defender in Alex Caruso. OG Anunoby played his best game since returning from an elbow injury, while the Nova boys, Donte DiVincenzo and Josh Hart, continued their hot streaks. The Knicks are building momentum at a perfect time with the postseason approaching.
Let’s take a closer look at the Knicks’ victory.
The Knicks’ starters have hit their rhythm
Jalen Brunson: 45 PTS (13/24 FG, 7/12 3PT, 12/12 FT), 8 AST, 3 REB, 1 STL, 1 TO in 42 mins
Jalen Brunson got off to another hot start and never looked back. He began the game knocking down threes while jawing at Alex Caruso, and his red-hot shooting continued throughout the action. Brunson always shows a knack for drawing contact and finishing inside, which was compounded by his shooting and made guarding him impossible.
I’ve typed enough about Brunson’s playmaking recently, but it pops even more when his supporting cast is rolling. New York’s MVP candidate dismantled double-teams in a myriad of ways. First, he picked out OG Anunoby on cuts to the basket. Next, he spotted shooters like DiVincenzo and McBride along the perimeter. Finally, he went to the tried and true option of hitting Hartenstein near the top of the key and cutting. Thanks to all those other players rolling, the Bulls couldn’t force the ball from Brunson’s hands without paying a price.
I’ll slip my only complaint in here: Brunson ran himself into screens looking for offensive foul calls. This approach got him obliterated a few times with no whistle from the refs, leaving the Bulls’ shooters wide open. But it’s a minor quibble when Brunson dominated the action in many ways. Brunson gets a 5 out of 5 for another MVP-caliber night.
Donte DiVincenzo: 21 PTS (8/15 FG, 3/9 3PT, 2/2 FT), 6 AST, 4 REB, 1 STL, 3 TO in 37 mins
Donte DiVincenzo shredded the Bulls with his passing as much as his shooting. Brunson’s scoring garnered extra attention, which meant the Big Ragu could attack an off-balance defense from the weak side. DiVo continually dribbled past closing defenders and made the extra pass from the lane, leading to a hefty six assists for the wing.
Ironically, DiVincenzo’s usual stellar shooting was inconsistent. He missed some of his best looks of the night and snuck his shooting efficiency up by knocking down a half-court shot before the half-time buzzer. But he was so effective off the dribble that his shooting woes never stood out.
DiVincenzo did have a negative stretch stand out, however. He made consecutive turnovers in the fourth quarter that gave the Bulls a bit of life just when it seemed like the game was in hand. The Knicks recovered and put Chicago away, but it was an uncharacteristic stretch of poor decisions from Donte. DiVincenzo gets a 3 out of 5 for a well-rounded game with some blemishes.
Josh Hart: 16 PTS (6/7 FG, 1/1 3PT, 3/3 FT), 7 AST, 13 REB, 1 TO in 46 mins
Josh Hart made up for lost time against the Bulls. He got ejected 11 minutes into the last matchup, so his 46 minutes of action felt like a small dose of personal revenge.
Hart used his extra minutes effectively, leading all players in rebounds and notching the second-most assists in the game. But we see Hart rebounding and playmaking every night; his sixteen points are the real bonus. Hart continued a recent run of quick trigger drives and quality finishing. His wrist injury has pushed him to drive more frequently, and his lack of hesitation is paying dividends.
Hart’s only downside was defending Demar Derozan when OG Anunoby had foul trouble. But Derozan had an unstoppable game, so it’s hard to blame Hart for it. Otherwise, Josh continues to be an energizer, providing connective tissue for the scorers in the starting unit. He gets a 4 out of 5 for contributing across the board.
OG Anunoby: 24 PTS (10/18 FG, 4/6 3PT), 1 AST, 3 REB, 1 BLK, 2 TO in 35 mins
OG Anunoby is rapidly shaking off the rust. His 24 points felt easy because he let everything come within the flow of offense. OG’s first baskets came from off-ball cuts to the basket. Then he finally got hot from three-point land. Finally, OG began catching the ball in motion and driving at defenders off the dribble. His midrange pull-up jumpers rimmed out, but any time he got to the rim, Anunoby finished.
Anunoby’s defense looked great when he wasn’t fouling. OG put clamps on Demar Derozan, even as the Bulls’ star scored on every other defender. But our defensive ace picked up some bad fouls by reaching unnecessarily or pushing in too close to the ball handler. The refs even bailed him out from a foul call in the second quarter, but moments later, he picked up a fourth foul and had to sit.
It’s tantalizing to think that OG is still rounding into shape. His impact is already outsized, and his shooting stroke hasn’t fully come around. I don’t like that he grabbed at the elbow after some tumbles to the ground, but his play put any concerns to rest. Anunoby gets a 3.5 out of 5 for making everything look easy.
Isaiah Hartenstein: 11 PTS (5/5 FG, 1/2 FT), 6 AST, 4 REB,1 STL, 3 BLK, 1 TO in 28 mins
Isaiah Hartenstein battled Nikola Vucevic throughout the action. Vucevic made I-Hart defend out to the three-point line and finished some post-ups. But Hartenstein made up for being outscored with dimes and defense. New York’s best-passing sequences all keyed from Hartenstein above the free-throw line, quarterbacking the action.
While I-Hart had trouble containing Vucevic, he made a positive impact by defending everyone else. Hartenstein blocked players at the rim and poked or deflected several loose balls. He did well whenever he could defend in drop coverage and pick up players around the paint.
Since Randle’s injury, Hartenstein has evolved into a key figure for the offense. Without Randle’s post-presence, it’s up to I-Hart to create gravity down the middle and find open shooters. This performance highlighted Hartenstein’s growth and impact in that role. The big man gets a 3.5 out of 5 for setting off my favorite ball movement moments.
New York’s second unit has an off-night
Miles McBride: 7 PTS (3/10 FG, 1/6 3PT), 2 AST, 2 REB in 22 mins
Miles McBride cooled off from deep, uncharacteristically missing multiple open looks. But he came up with big buckets to start the fourth quarter by driving the rim. The successful drives show a promising new wrinkle to McBride’s development.
Deuce’s defense lacked its typical bite. But there was a stretch of the late third quarter into the fourth where McBride shared the floor with OG Anunoby, and they slowed Chicago down. The Bulls made a lot of tough shots, so even a brief window of defensive stops proved important.
It’s not his best, but McBride made some positive plays. Despite the tough shooting night, Deuce scrapes a 2 out of 5 together.
Bojan Bogdanovic: 3 PTS (1/4 FG, 1/2 3PT), 1 AST, 1 REB, 1 TO in 9 mins
Bojan Bogdanovic made a nice jab step into a three-pointer for his lone field goal in the game. But he didn’t do anything else positive that stood out, and his minutes were cut below ten. His lone turnover led to some comedy as Torrey Craig and Andre Drummond tried to dunk in the ensuing fast break.
Mitchell Robinson: 0 PTS (0/0 FG), 1 REB, 2 STL in 20 mins
The Bulls’ second unit went small after Andre Drummond injured his ankle. That shift in playstyle put Mitchell Robinson’s lack of mobility on display. He’s not as agile as he was before injuring his foot, and that meant quick guards blew past him to finish at the rim. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen Mitch fail to protect the rim so often.
Even when Robinson shared the floor with Vucevic, the Bulls’ spacing kept Mitch away from the basket. He never had time to position himself for rebounds. We’ve seen the Block Ness Monster struggle against five-out schemes before, but this was his toughest game in a long time.
Mitch has time to regain mobility, but this performance worries me if New York plays well-spaced opponents in the postseason. Robinson gets a 1 out of 5 for a tough day in the office.
Tom Thibodeau previews a playoff rotation
Tom Thibodeau’s rotation tightened up again. He played an eight-man rotation, but that’s a generous descriptor when Bojan Bogdanovic only played nine minutes. I wish he could get a few more minutes of rest for Brunson, Hart, and OG, but these games are too important to risk. Plus, it ought to help that these guys are used to playing heavy minutes loads when the postseason starts.
Outside of the tighter rotation, I was glad to see Thibodeau use his challenges liberally. He won a challenge on an out-of-bounds call and then lost an additional challenge on a moving screen. Sometimes, it’s worth using these challenges symbolically to galvanize the refs or players. Thibs seems to have found that balance.
Closing Thoughts:
The Knicks have a great shot at winning their final three games of the regular season. Boston is resting its starters frequently in preparation for the postseason. Brooklyn’s season has been over for weeks. Then, New York plays the Bulls for its finale, and the Knicks just sent them a message.
Those wins will leave the Knicks no worse than third place and potentially in second. Who could have predicted this level of success when Mitchell Robinson, Julius Randle, and OG Anunoby missed months of the season? It’s a testament to this franchise and every player on the roster that they’ve only gotten stronger after injuries conspired to limit them.
Boston’s up next, and I suspect they’ll rest a starter or two because why show your hand to a potential playoff opponent down the line? That should leave the Knicks in a great position to win another game. I want these wins, I want the top-three spot, and I want a 50-burger! I’ll see you next time, Knicks fam!
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The Knicks took down the Bucks 122-109. They avoided another slow start thanks to Jalen Brunson, who turned in an MVP-caliber night.
The New York Knicks took down the Milwaukee Bucks 122-109. The Knicks broke their slow start curse…kind of. While the team struggled to catch a rhythm early, Jalen Brunson got going from the opening tip.
Most players took the first half to find their offense, but Brunson did enough to keep the game within reach. New York kicked into another gear in the second half. Their defense locked the Bucks down while the shooters came alive. Bobby Portis made enough shots to keep the game interesting, but the Knicks rolled to victory.
New York moved into a tie for third place with four games left to go. Let’s examine their victory through individual performances.
The Knicks’ starters pour on the offense
Jalen Brunson: 43 PTS (16/32 FG, 2/6 3PT, 9/11 FT), 8 AST, 6 REB, 1 TO in 39 mins
Jalen Brunson broke New York’s streak of slow starts by himself. He had 17 of the Knicks’ 25 first-quarter points. The Knicks’ MVP did everything we’ve seen from him during his recent scoring explosion, but he also got the benefit of some whistles. That gave Brunson an added boost en route to a 40-point night.
Brunson’s playmaking shines whenever teams blitz him. If a defense shows him the same look too often, he picks them apart. It looked like Brunson knew how to trigger the doubles, picking spaces on the floor to draw defenders and splitting them with bounce passes to his screeners.
Brunson provided another MVP-type performance to add to his collection. He’s heading toward the playoffs, playing the best basketball of his career, single-handedly carrying the offense at times. Brunson gets a 5 out of 5 for being the best player in a game that featured Giannis.
Donte DiVincenzo: 26 PG (8/14 FG, 8/11 3PT, 2/2 FT), 3 AST, 4 REB, 1 STL, 1 BLK, 1 TO in 37 mins
Donte DiVincenzo made timely three-pointers whenever the Knicks needed. While Brunson shouldered the offense in the first half, DiVincenzo found his moments to knock down threes to help. But I thought DiVo passed up some good looks early and settled into a more aggressive approach after halftime. DiVo was firing away by the fourth quarter and knocking down nail-in-the-coffin shots.
DiVincenzo’s defense is always good, but OG Anunoby’s presence boosts Donte’s impact. DiVo is at his best playing the passing lanes and helping off his man. With OG and Hart defending the opposing team’s best players, DiVincenzo focuses on those off-ball aspects of his defense.
Donte gets a 4.5 out of 5 for hitting big shots and giving Jalen Brunson a second option on offense.
Josh Hart: 7 PTS (2/9 FG, 1/2 3PT, 2/2 FT), 9 AST, 9 REB in 37 mins
Josh Hart grabbed at his sprained wrist a few times, which may explain why he missed so many bunnies. Hart got to the rim and found his spots for floaters and jumpers from close. But his offense never got going.
Luckily, the rest of Hart’s game was unaffected. He stole boards from Brook Lopez and Giannis. On offense, he consistently found teammates for open looks. Hart made a positive impact despite the injured wrist.
Hart played well, and it’s a compliment to his season that this isn’t one of his standout games. With a few lucky bounces, he could have been on triple-double watch. Hart gets a 3 out of 5 for a strong night.
OG Anunoby: 4 PTS (2/10 FG, 0/5 3PT), 2 AST, 3 REB, 4 STL, 2 BLK, 1 TO in 38 mins
OG Anunoby’s offense looked rusty. He missed a handful of open looks from three and even clanked a few looks inside. Given his elbow injury, I want to go back to his jump shots to check for his follow-through.
But OG still turned in a gem, thanks to his defense on Giannis. Anunoby couldn’t shut Giannis completely down, but he wore the Greek Freak down with pesky swipes at the ball and physicality. I lost count of the times OG jarred the ball loose before Giannis could get into a comfortable gather for a shot.
Once Anunoby locked in defensively, the team took on a different look. The Bucks seemed lost on offense, even with Dame and Gianinis leading the way. OG gets a 3.5 out of 5 for defending one of the best in the league so effectively.
Isaiah Hartenstein: 18 PTS (8/9 FG, 2/3 FT), 1 AST, 10 REB, 1 STL, 2 TO in 28 mins
Isaiah Hartenstein is right back in the form he showed before his Achilles issues kicked in. Thanks to his combination of passing skills and lethal floaters, he’s a one-man answer to teams blitzing Jalen Brunson. The Bucks didn’t let I-Hart find cutters in this game, so he settled for 18 points that came mostly off floaters near the top of the key.
But Hartenstein did more than score. He returned to rebounding everything in his orbit and defended with energy. Tom Thibodeau’s favorite moment of the night had to be when Hartenstein dove for a loose ball in the fourth quarter. You don’t see big men diving like that often.
Hartenstein’s scored double-digits in seven of the past eleven games. His offense is coming on strong, while his defense hasn’t faltered. Depending on who New York faces in the postseason, he could be an X-factor. The big man gets a 4 out of 5 for his double-double.
New York’s second unit rounds into defensive shape
Miles McBride: 8 PTS (3/6 FG, 2/4 3PT), 1 AST, 2 REB, 3 STL in 17 mins
Miles McBride’s role dipped to true backup territory, but he used his minutes well. McBride, Anunoby, and Mitchell Robinson joined forces to form a lockdown unit late in the third and early in the fourth quarter. Deuce’s presence as an on-ball pest made OG and Mitch look even more effective.
Deuce’s jumper looked strong as ever, even with less frequent attempts. When he didn’t have to rush his jumper, he knocked it down cleanly. McBride’s third field goal came on a nifty pull-up jumper from close range.
The second unit, with McBride at the head and Mitch as the anchor, has the potential to lock teams down. Their second-half performances gave us a taste of that potential. Deuce gets a 3 out of 5 for making good use of his time.
Bojan Bogdanovic: 15 PTS (6/9 FG, 1/1 3PT, 2/2 FT), 1 AST, 1 REB in 17 mins
Bojan Bogdanovic drew double-teams from the Bucks in the first half. That’s how comfortable he’s gotten in the offense. When everyone but Jalen Brunson could score, Bogey drew double-teams off the bench. The key is that he’s picking his spots more effectively, likely because he’s gelled with his teammates.
Bogey picked out mismatches and attacked inside. He’d catch the ball in motion against smaller defenders and bump them for space before knocking down bank shots or midrange jumpers. When the Bucks kept a big man on him, Bojan saw the opportunity to fire a quick three-pointer over him.
This is the Bogdanovic I expected to see after the trade. He can shoot in space or pick on smaller defenders, something we’ve seen even against a defender like Grimes in the past. Bogey gets a 3.5 out of 5 for providing the bench offense.
Precious Achiuwa: 0 PTS (0/1 FG) in 5 mins
Precious Achiuwa hasn’t had much luck against bigger opponents, and the Bucks play quality big men. So, Achiuwa found himself outside the rotation looking in. He played for five minutes, which wasn’t enough to show anything.
Mitchell Robinson: 1 PTS (0/2 FG, 1/2 FT), 6 REB, 3 BLK in 19 mins
Nothing says, “Mitchell Robinson is getting his legs back,” better than Robinson’s three blocks, including one that sent a Giannis layup into the third row. Robinson showed impeccable timing and improved mobility while blocking shots. He flew across the lane to send a Pat Connaughton fast break back the other way, which is the best he’s moved since returning.
The Blockness Monster also powered his way to some rebounds, but he hasn’t dominated the paint yet. His hands looked shaky, and he fumbled some passes and missed opportunities in the middle. A quick second leap is one of his best qualities, but we haven’t seen that trait since the injury.
Overall, Mitch’s performance was promising. He shut Giannis down a few times and patrolled the paint effectively. He’s trending up, even with the modest numbers. Robinson gets a 3 out of 5 for a great defensive showing.
Tom Thibodeau has reversed the third-quarter curse
Remember the third quarter of death? It’s felt like years of watching the Knicks play well for a half and then fold after halftime. We’d blame adjustments or fatigue or whatever else might explain the collapse. Not anymore!
Tom Thibodeau has the Knicks improving as the game wears on. He tweaks the players’ approach, and their style wears down opponents. It’s a complete reversal of everything we’ve grown accustomed to, and I mean that in the best way.
Closing Thoughts:
The Knicks have restored the feeling with this win. We’re seeing signs that OG and Mitch are rounding into form, and the rest of the team has looked prepared for months now. There isn’t a hint of greed or laziness on any player that takes the floor.
It’s a perfect place to be as the playoffs approach. The Knicks are getting healthier, and the only question is, “Who do we play in the first round?”
The second and sixth seeds are separated by 2.5 games, with New York smack in the middle. I’d prefer to play one of the inexperienced squads, Orlando or Indiana, but I’m curious to hear what everyone thinks. Who’s our most favorable first-round opponent?
The Bulls are next, and I’d like a dose of revenge. The Knicks were tired and lost a key player ten minutes into their loss in Chicago last time. It’s time to send them a message. I’ll see you next time, Knicks fam!
Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below! Stay tuned to KnicksFanTV.com for the latest Knicks news, rumors, and recaps throughout the NBA season. Subscribe to the newsletter for KFTV content and events, shop discounts, and more at bit.ly/kftvmail. And in case you missed it, check out today’s episode of KFTV Knicks Weekly.
The Knicks split back-to-back games with the Kings and Bulls. They dug holes against both teams but competed hard to earn the split.
The New York Knicks split a doubleheader, defeating the Sacramento Kings 120-109 before losing to the Chicago Bulls 108-100. The Knicks trailed by large margins to start both games but only had enough energy to make a comeback in the first.
Both games were marked by slow starts and overachieving role players for the opposition. The Knicks let Keon Ellis go off to open the Kings game, leading to a 21-point deficit they had to fight back from. But New York locked in, chipping away at the lead in the second quarter, tying the game after three quarters, and dominating the fourth.
Chicago started similarly, with Ayo Dosunmu and Javonte Green doing the damage. But this time, New York ran out of steam before completing the comeback. They were down by 20 points in the first quarter, got the lead down to five by the third, but never got over the hump. Fatigued from the back-to-back and missing Josh Hart after a flagrant 2 foul, the Knicks didn’t have the energy to close.
Let’s look at the individual performances that made up this back-to-back split.
The Knicks’ starters get OG back, but still start slow
Jalen Brunson:
Game One: 35 PTS (12/20 FG, 2/5 3PT, 9/10 FT), 11 AST, 2 REB, 3 STL, 3 TO in 38 mins
Game Two: 35 PTS (13/28 FG, 1/5 3PT, 8/10 FT), 11 AST, 6 REB, 2 STL, 5 TO in 42 mins
Jalen Brunson proved himself a star with magnificent performances in both games. The Kings sent double-teams all the way out to the logo just to get the ball out of Brunson’s hands. The Bulls weren’t as aggressive but still consistently sent multiple defenders. Brunson often fed the ball to a teammate at the top of the key, then worked through screens to come back to get it. But if Brunson got anything resembling one-on-one coverage, he scored on defenders.
Brunson’s playmaking is clear from the eleven assists in each game. But it looked even better than the numbers suggest. He picked apart teams, sending no-look passes to cutters and kickouts to shooters. He drew a huge amount of attention and chewed up the defense as a result.
But it wasn’t a perfect pair of performances. The added attention led to more turnovers than we’re used to, and Brunson was guarding Ellis in Sacramento and Dosunmu to start in Chicago. The defensive woes and turnovers dip him to a 4.5 out of 5, despite two incredible performances.
Donte DiVincenzo:
Game One: 21 PTD (6/13 FG, 5/9 3PT, 4/5 FT), 1 AST, 5 REB, 1 BLK, 1 TO in 39 mins
Game Two: 10 PTS (4/12 FG, 2/7 3PT), 3 AST, 4 REB, 1 BLK, 2 TO in 33 mins
Donte DiVincenzo played a huge role in New York’s comeback against the Kings. He started the game shooting poorly but heated up in the second quarter and exploded in the third. He often managed to take swing passes and drive to the rim for some acrobatic finishes. In addition to scoring, his defense looked great, with a trailing block on Ellis and a number of deflections.
But DiVo didn’t have the same legs for Chicago. His shot never warmed up, and he gave up blow-by drives on multiple defensive sets. His game had flashes of everything he did well in Sacramento but lacked consistent efficacy.
The Knicks needed more from DiVo in Chicago, but understandably, he ran out of steam after a great effort in Sacramento. The Big Ragu gets a 3 out of 5 for the games combined.
Josh Hart:
Game One: 31 PTS (14/19 FG, 3/4 FT), 8 AST, 9 REB, 2 STL, 4 TO in 43 mins
Game Two: 0 PTS (0/2 FG), 1 AST, 1 REB in 11 mins
Josh Hart played one of his best games as a Knick in Sacramento. He played with a sprained wrist, which meant shooting was never an option. But that also meant he flew into action whenever he caught a weak side pass. Hart acted without hesitation, attacking the rim with reckless abandon and finishing his array turn-around jumpers and layups.
Hart became a one-man transition attack in Sacramento, grabbing boards and getting New York easy buckets and momentum. His rebounding and energy were sorely missed for most of the Chicago game. Hart tried to drive and got stripped in mid-air, the contact spun him around and he managed to kick Javonte Green in the head. That landed him an ejection.
It’s unfortunate that Hart’s great effort in Sacramento was followed by a dubious ejection in Chicago. I doubt Green goes off so easily if Hart is around to match his energy with physicality. Hart gets a 2.5 for one perfect game and one disappointing conclusion.
OG Anunoby:
Game One: DNP
Game Two: 12 PTS (5/8 FG, 2/4 3PT), 1 REB, 2 STL, 2 TO in 29 mins
OG Anunoby returned for the Bulls game only. He looked rusty early, missing a few open looks. But by the second half, Anunoby settled in and looked like himself again. He hit his threes, finished inside, and made a fast move inside for a dunk.
Anunoby’s defensive impact didn’t hit its final form, but there were flashes. He and Hartenstein switched back and forth in a few defensive sequences that kept the Bulls’ jumbo lineups from getting anything easy. Those lineups sometimes included Nikola Vucevic and Andre Drummond simultaneously, which shows how impactful OG’s length can be.
Anunoby gets a 2.5 out of 5 for his return game, as he’s only just starting.
Isaiah Hartenstein:
Game One: 7 PTS (3/4 FG, 1/2 FT), 9 AST, 7 REB, 2 STL in 29 mins
Game Two: 10 PTS (3/5 FG, 4/6 FT), 2 AST, 7 REB, 3 STL, 1 BLK, 4 TO in 30 mins
Isaiah Hartenstein’s minutes are starting to tick up, and his performances were strong. I-Hart’s passing stole the show in Sacramento. Hartenstein cooked the Kings from the top of the key, flying up to help when the teams doubled Brunson and sending some beautiful lead passes. He threw passes that would make Nikola Jokic proud, from no-looks to 20-foot bounce passes to players in motion.
Hartenstein didn’t have as much space to create in Chicago but battled well against the giant-bodies in Chicago. He struggled to keep Andre Drummond off the boards like everyone else, but he made Drummond miss from inside on multiple occasions. The Chicago game was hampered by turnovers, with I-Hart forcing some passes in traffic.
I-Hart gets a 3 out of 5 for one great performance and one that was mid.
New York’s second unit finally gets Bogey going
Miles McBride:
Game One: 12 PTS (4/13 FG, 3/10 3PT, 1/2 FT), 3 AST, 4 REB, 1 TO in 43 mins
Game Two: 19 PTS (6/11 FG, 4/7 3PT, 3/3 FT), 2 AST, 7 REB, 1 TO in 38 mins
Deuce McBride started Sacramento ice cold. He had to force shots late in the shot clock, which threw his rhythm off, and he missed open looks after. But he got hot in the third quarter and gave the Knicks a boost. His defense never faltered, either, with him forcing De’Aaron Fox to make tough shots and threes for his offense.
McBride looked even better in Chicago. He knocked down his jumpers consistently and scored more efficiently. Deuce flashed finishing touch on several trips to the paint, including a left-handed finish for an and-one in the third that looked beautiful. His game keeps expanding.
McBride gets a 3.5 out of 5 for elite defense with an additional scoring punch. He looks like a future sixth man of the year candidate.
Alec Burks:
Game One: 0 PTS (0/1 FG), 2 STL in 9 mins
Game Two: 0 PTS (0/2 FG, 0/1 3PT), 2 REB, 1 TO in 8 mins
Alec Burks didn’t get much time to impact either game. But I’ll give him credit for some good and timely hedging in Sacramento that helped lead to some steals. He didn’t get much off in Chicago, but there wasn’t much time to work. Burks didn’t force shots or offense in either game, and that’s a nice first step toward getting on track.
Bojan Bogdanovic:
Game One: 12 PTS (5/7 FG, 2/3 3PT), 1 REB, 1 TO in 12 mins
Game Two: 9 PTS (3/9 FG, 1/4 3PT, 2/2 FT), 1 AST, 1 REB, 2 TO in 20 mins
Bojan Bogdanovic is finally looking like himself, at least in spells. Bogey got to his spots and scored consistently against Sacramento. He received the ball in motion for most of his action, which got him downhill momentum. His best moves came from driving hard and bumping defenders off balance to create space on pull-up jumpers.
Bogey continued to attack downhill in Chicago but showed signs of fatigue. He didn’t have the same success shooting from a distance and sometimes looked a step slow. There was one particular moment in transition defense when Bogdanovic had plenty of time to help close the lane but watched Green drive and dunk instead.
Bogdanovic looked his best in Sacramento but lost a step in Chicago. He gets a 2.5 out of 5, but he’s finally finding his place in the offense.
Precious Achiuwa:
Game One: 0 PTS (0/2 FG, 0/1 3PT), 3 REB, 1 TO in 9 mins
Game Two: 0 PTS (0/2 FG, 0/1 3PT), 1 AST, 4 REB, 1 STL, 1 TO in 19 mins
Precious Achiuwa looked out of sorts in the matchup with Sacramento. He seems less comfortable dealing with true centers than against power forwards and hybrid bigs. Sabonis is too big and tactful for Precious’ hard work to make up the gap in size.
Achiuwa had similar issues with Andre Drummond, and who could blame him? Drummond is much bigger, and Precious still made a commendable effort against the stronger opponent. Precious dove for a loose ball in the third quarter, showing that he was willing to fight despite his struggles.
I won’t kill Achiuwa for struggling with bigger guys. But this wasn’t his best set of games. Achiuwa gets a 1.5 out of 5.
Mitchell Robinson:
Game One: 2 PTS (0/1 FG, 2/6 FT), 2 AST, 7 REB, 1 BLK in 15 mins
Game Two: 5 PTS (2/4 FG, 1/3 FT), 1 AST, 5 REB, 1 STL in 11 mins
Mitchell Robinson is still getting his feet under him. He looked a bit slow and lumbering in both games compared to his pre-injury form. But he imposed his size on the action in both games. He grabbed rebounds at an impressive rate, and the slashers looked scared to challenge him.
Mitch especially impressed me with his matching up against Andre Drummond. Drummond looked overpowering even against Hartenstein at times. But Robinson wouldn’t budge and often left Drummond flailing in hopes of fouls.
Mitch only played 26 minutes combined; he’s getting his legs under him. But there are promising signs from the back-to-back, worth a 2.5 out of 5. His free throws are still bad, though.
Tom Thibodeau has to get the team started faster
I don’t know that we can blame Tom Thibodeau for it, but the Knicks have turned starting slow into a habit. They trailed by 20 points or more in the first quarter of both games, and double-digit deficits have become commonplace before they get going.
The thing is, the Knicks got plenty of good looks but bricked the shots. They gave up shots to the players they’d typically want shooting the ball, but those guys made their shots. So maybe it’s bad luck, but Thibodeau needs to go to the tape and see how he can turn the trend around.
Closing Thoughts
Before Sacramento tipped off, we got the news that Julius Randle will have season-ending surgery. It’s a gut punch because we’ve been looking forward to his return, and the Knicks never let on how bad the shoulder injury was. It’s bittersweet, but how nice is it that Randle’s gone from someone who faced boos from his home crowd a couple of years ago to a player the fanbase panics over losing for a few months.
I wish Randle the best, and New York’s “next man up” mentality is necessary now. But OG and Mitch are back, so reinforcements have arrived with just enough time to get their legs back. The Knicks can still make noise in the playoffs if those two players round into form. They simply have to stop spotting the opposition 20 points to start games.
The Bucks are next, and they’re reeling. They’ve lost three in a row, and New York is only two games back from them in the standings. Let’s see if the Knicks can get the win and make the last few games an exciting race for playoff position.
Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below! Stay tuned to KnicksFanTV.com for the latest Knicks news, rumors, and recaps throughout the NBA season. Subscribe to the newsletter for KFTV content and events, shop discounts, and more at bit.ly/kftvmail. And in case you missed it, check out Alex Trataros and Dalton Sell’s preview of the matchup between the Knicks and Bucks!
The New York Knicks fall to the Miami Heat 109-99. An off-night by Jalen Brunson and hot shooting by Terry Rozier is the recipe for a third straight crunch-time loss.
The New York Knicks lost their third game in a row, falling against the Miami Heat 109-99. The Knicks started woefully slow and couldn’t overcome the hole they dug themselves into. They ran into a red-hot shooting night from Terry Rozier and a rare off night from Jalen Brunson, which made the uphill battle impossible to overcome.
The Knicks started the game with a comedy of errors, turning the ball over and missing everything from open three-pointers to layups. The Heat played with playoff intensity from the opening tip, and New York didn’t find their footing for the entire first half. New York finally kicked into gear in the third quarter, but they already trailed by fifteen points. They fought all the way back to tie the game in the fourth quarter, but they ran out of steam as the Heat made one last run to close the game.
This game sometimes bordered on unwatchable, adding an exclamation point to their three-game slide. Now, New York sits precariously close to play-in territory. Let’s examine the tough loss.
The Knicks’ starters have a few letdown performances
Jalen Brunson: 20 PTS (5/18 FG, 1/6 3PT, 9/10 FT), 10 AST, 2 REB, 5 TO in 36 mins
The Heat didn’t blitz Jalen Brunson like most teams have recently. They held double-teams back and crowded him only after he’d started moving to the basket. The strategy helped Brunson draw more fouls than usual but also pushed him into questionable shot selection and some bad turnovers.
Brunson still drew the lion’s share of the defense’s attention. He fought through contact for almost every attempt and made a few beautiful passes to free up teammates. It’s frustrating to watch New York’s star beaten up nightly, especially after seeing players like the rookie Victor Wembanyama get superstar protection from the refs. But don’t take my word for it; let’s see what Tom Thibodeau says about Brunson’s tough streak in recent games.
Brunson gets a 1.5 out of 5 for poor shooting and too many turnovers. But to be fair, “he’s getting fouled” constantly without the same protection that star players are afforded.
Miles McBride: 24 PTS (9/16 FG, 4/8 3PT, 2/2 FT), 2 AST, 2 REB, 1 BLK, 2 TO in 45 mins
The bright spot of New York’s recent slump is Miles McBride. Deuce played another gem, this time in playoff intensity against a tough defense and elite coach. McBride’s shooting continued to buoy his performance as he knocked down looks whenever he had space. He added a few finishes at the basket, including a baseline drive and dunk that was highlight reel worthy.
McBride’s defense stood out on multiple occasions. He defended Terry Rozier well, often forcing Rozier to make circus shots from 30 feet out, but it was that kind of night for Scary Terry. Deuce shined more as a help defender, sprinting to challenge otherwise-open shooters and sneaking up on ball-handlers.
McBride’s run has all the makings of a leap. If the team is finally healthy, he looks ready to enter the 6MoY conversation next season. Deuce gets a 4 out of 5 for his two-way performance.
Donte DiVincenzo: 31 PTS (11/21 FG, 6/15 3PT, 3/3 FT), 4 AST, 4 REB, 4 STL, 4 TO in 35 mins
Donte DiVincenzo’s performance felt a little uneven, but he was still one of New York’s best players. With the Heat focused heavily on Brunson, DiVo saw more opportunities to attack off the dribble, finish inside, or swing the ball to shooters. He ran into turnover problems, but that’s the story of the night for everyone else as well.
DiVincenzo’s quick trigger shooting came up big in the second half. He swung from hot to cold in the first half but found his footing by the third quarter. Donte’s ability to catch an off-target pass and reset his hands to get the shot off quickly is incomparable. Once his shooting is established, he can surprise opponents with sneaky athleticism.
DiVo’s defense also helped throughout the night. He picked off passes and pressured ball-handlers throughout the action. His performance earns 4 out of 5 for picking up the scoring slack.
Josh Hart: 2 PTS (1/3 FG), 7 AST, 6 REB, 2 STL, 2 TO in 46 mins
When I say DiVincenzo picked up the scoring slack, I mean for Josh Hart. The Heat all but erased Josh Hart’s scoring presence from this game. Hart couldn’t get transition opportunities, and his weak drives across the lane were met with crowds. When teams drift off Hart to seal off lanes for the other ball-handlers, his hesitance to shoot becomes hard to ignore.
In fairness, Hart still managed seven assists. He got after the boards, though Miami kept him at bay. The former Blazer’s best trait was defense. He embraced a tough matchup with Jimmy Butler and did well guarding the Heat’s best player.
Despite his quality defense, I can’t call this a good game for Hart. Spoelstra’s game plan seemed to capitalize on Hart’s weaknesses, which worked. Hart gets a 2 out of 5 for a tough but not terrible night.
Isaiah Hartenstein: 4 PTS (2/2 FG), 2 AST, 1 REB, 3 STL, 1 BLK in 18 mins
Isaiah Hartenstein couldn’t get any rebounds. The Heat crowded the paint and kept I-Hart boxed out throughout the game. The big man never found a firm footing to create like he normally does or to crash the middle to manufacture chaos.
Hartenstein shined defensively, continually disrupting plays and challenging interior scorers. Bam Adebayo didn’t look as comfortable as we’ve seen him against other Knick big men. Unfortunately, Hartenstein couldn’t do anything about the Heat’s perimeter shooting.
Despite Hartenstein’s quality defense, Thibodeau went a different direction for most of the second half. Precious Achiuwa soaked up many of the minutes that I-Hart typically gets. I hope that’s a coaching decision rather than a sign that Hartenstein’s wrist hurts. I-Hart gets a 2 out of 5 for good defense without much offense.
Bogey comes alive for New York’s second unit
Alec Burks: 0 PTS (0/1 FG, 0/1 3PT), 2 REB in 3 mins
Alec Burks played only 3 minutes in the second quarter. That may be a sign that Burks is losing his role in the rotation, or maybe his sore shoulder is still an issue. Either way, I’d like to see Shake Milton get a chance with the second unit.
Bojan Bogdanovic: 16 PTS (6/10 FG, 1/4 3PT, 3/4 FT), 6 REB, 1 TO in 19 mins
Bojan Bogdanovic finally found his offense, which came from attacking the basket. The Heat didn’t have a rim protector with their second unit, but few Knicks capitalized. Bogey established himself as the exception, driving to finish and earn free throws. His jumper didn’t heat up until the second half, but once he got going, he made some of his best shots since joining the Knicks.
Bogdanovic played well enough in the fourth quarter to earn Donte DiVincenzo extra rest. Bojan played a key role in the comeback run, though I may have gone to DiVo sooner for defensive purposes. Regardless, Bogey made a positive impact, and I’ll point out that he did so when he finally split up from his struggling colleague, Alec Burks.
Bogdanovic gets a 3.5 out of 5, though his defense could still use work.
Precious Achiuwa: 2 PTS (1/4 FG), 6 REB, 1 STL in 27 mins
Precious Achiuwa’s unique combination of mobility and size made him an interesting option against Bam Adebayo. Precious had the agility to win position battles that Hartenstein and Robinson couldn’t. That meant Achiuwa found his way to some putback opportunities, though he only cashed one in.
Achiuwa defended Adebayo well, keeping him from taking over on the glass. The effort earned Precious extra minutes as he battled during New York’s comeback attempt. But we haven’t seen Achiuwa play to the level he provided during his hot streak a few weeks back.
Precious gets a 2.5 out of 5 for a respectable effort.
Mitchell Robinson: 0 PTS (0/1 FG, 0/2 FT), 1 REB, 1 STL in 10 mins
Mitchell Robinson looked out of rhythm and off balance at times. He missed a “gimme” layup and clanked free throws. He mistimed some jumps and never got much going in a limited time.
Tom Thibodeau is running out of ideas
I’ve excused Tom Thibodeau’s lack of rotation changes because he has few options. He’s tried everything that makes any semblance of sense, even settling into a small-ball line-up and playing some players 40+ minutes a night. But the entire team looks tired by the end of games now, and a coach as savvy as Eric Spoelstra will take advantage of small-ball if he knows that’s all his opponent has.
I don’t bring that up to blame Thibodeau for the Knicks’ recent struggles. No coach could solve New York’s issues while three starters miss half the season. Thibodeau’s a miracle worker for getting the team this far. But it feels like we’re winding down the season, and unless OG, Randle, and Mitch get into shape rapidly, this will be a lost season.
Closing Thoughts:
It was all good just a week ago. But things fall apart quickly, and the NBA schedule doesn’t let up, at least not for the Knicks this year. We’ve quickly shifted from chasing second place to worrying about seventh. But as the news about OG and Randle has gone from “back after the All-Star Break” to “still can’t take contact in April,” I think our strategy might also need to adjust.
The only players New York can count on are the ones suiting up right now. But those players look increasingly fatigued. The team would be wise to work toward avoiding the play-in but immediately shift to getting guys some rest once they’re there.
Unfortunately, that could come down to the wire. But players look burnt out, and I don’t think anyone could blame them.
The Kings are next, and they’re desperately fighting to avoid a play-in game themselves. It won’t be easy to beat them again, but New York needs to get back on track. I’ll see you next time, Knicks fam!
Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below! Stay tuned to KnicksFanTV.com for the latest Knicks news, rumors, and recaps throughout the NBA season. Subscribe to the newsletter for KFTV content and events, shop discounts, and more at bit.ly/kftvmail. And in case you missed it, check out CP The Fanchise’s interview with former Knicks general manager Scott Perry!
The New York Knicks lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder on a game-winner from SGA. Their execution in the clutch lately has shown concerning signs of fatigue.
The New York Knicks lost to a buzzer-beater from Shai Gilgeous Alexander and the Oklahoma City Thunder, 113-112. The Knicks took a 10-point lead into the fourth quarter but couldn’t hang on in the few minutes Jalen Brunson sat.
The Knicks and Thunder traded blows throughout the action. New York led by five after the first quarter, trailed by four at halftime, then came their big lead and collapse in the second half. The Knicks haven’t been able to survive minutes without Brunson, which hurts even more after they stopped SGA for most of the action, but his teammates picked him up.
It was a game of runs, but Jalen Williams seemed to explode whenever the wings featured Alec Burks and Bojan Bogdanovic. Cracks are forming in New York’s defense, especially during the second unit’s minutes. Meanwhile, some starters show signs of fatigue as the games wear on.
Let’s take a closer look at the performances and see how New York has fallen into a 2-game losing streak.
The Knicks’ starters blow it at the free-throw lines
Jalen Brunson: 30 PTS (11/25 FG, 4/11 3PT, 4/8 FT), 7 AST, 2 REB, 3 TO in 35 mins
Jalen Brunson’s Herculean efforts are coming to Sisyphean conclusions. Brunson played the offensive engine once again, with the Thunder throwing all-NBA caliber defenders like Lu Dort on him and shifting to frequent zone looks specifically to stop Brunson. The Knicks’ star still managed 30 and 7 on the strength of crafty scoring and long-range shooting.
Adding injury to insult, the refs called multiple blocking fouls on Brunson for what looked like charges. We’re talking about Madden Truck Stick drives through Brunson’s chest. Brunson landed on defenders’ feet twice and spent a scary amount of time on the floor with nothing to show for it but bruises.
The refs’ final blow came when Brunson hit a go-ahead bucket with seconds remaining in the game. He was clearly fouled by Lu Dort, but the refs swallowed their whistles. That set the stage for SGA’s game-winner. Brunson gets a 4 out of 5 and can’t seem to get respect from NBA refs.
Miles McBride: 19 PTS (6/14 FG, 4/10 3PT, 3/3 FT), 3 AST, 4 REB, 3 STL, 1 TO in 46 mins
Miles McBride gave the Knicks an offensive boost as the second-leading scorer and became their best three-point option. He fired shots at the Thunder’s zone defense and knocked down enough to command attention. Deuce also knocked down a nice midrange jumper and whipped some nice passes to open teammates.
McBride’s defense on SGA kept the MVP candidate at bay. Deuce consistently stuck with SGA, forcing him to take contested shots or hunt for whistles. McBride had less success with the bigger, stronger Jalen Williams, but refs ignored a couple of offensive fouls in a similar fashion to the Jalen Brunson blocking calls.
McBride offered consistency, which is a rarity on this Knicks’ roster. He made a clear positive impact on the team, all while guarding one of the best players in the league. Deuce gets a 3.5 out of 5 for his two-way success.
Donte DiVincenzo: 15 PTS (4/18 FG, 4/16 3PT, 3/4 FT), 2 AST, 1 REB, 2 STL, 1BLK, 1 TO in 40 mins
Donte DiVincenzo is supposed to be the answer to zone defenses. His quick release and off-ball movement make him the perfect weapon to break a zone to pieces. But that only works when his shot is falling. DiVincenzo’s jumper looked rushed and out of rhythm for most of this action.
DiVo clocked a few Stocks along the way, but the steals and blocks don’t make up for his struggles guarding wings. Jalen Williams and Josh Giddey looked too big for DiVo, who couldn’t keep them out of the lanes. I found Giddey’s spin moves on DiVincenzo especially galling to watch.
This is by far DiVo’s worst performance in a long time. He usually makes up for bad shooting with hustle and defense. But DiVincenzo couldn’t get anything going and gave up frequent buckets from his opponents. DiVincenzo gets a 1 out of 5 for the inefficient night.
Josh Hart: 13 PTS (4/9 FG, 0/1 3PT, 5/6 FT), 6 AST, 15 REB, 1 STL, 3 TO in 45 mins
Josh Hart filled out the stat sheet and grabbed some impressive rebounds to keep plays alive. But his overall impact was hampered by bad turnovers and passed-up shots.
The Thunder’s zone frequently left Hart open on the weak side, but he rarely capitalized in meaningful ways. Hart became pass-happy, leading to a few nice assists but just as many poor decisions with the ball. He passed up wide-open shots to drive into worse looks, threw an alley-oop to DiVincenzo that was completely off target, and failed to get the offense moving like he normally does.
It’s hard to be too mad at a player’s 13-15-6 performance, but Hart spent clutch time making sloppy plays. I suspect both DiVincenzo and Hart’s struggles are signs of fatigue finally kicking in. Hart gets a 2 out of 5 despite his impressive numbers.
Isaiah Hartenstein: 17 PTS (6/8 FG, 5/7 FT), 5 AST, 12 REB, 1 STL, 1 TO in 29 mins
Isaiah Hartenstein relished an opportunity to face another “unicorn” rookie in Chet Holmgren. He struggled with foul trouble against Victor Wembanyama, but not this time. I-Hart locked Holmgren down, outscoring and rebounding the opposing big while dunking a putback on his head.
I-Hart’s scoring and rebounding might not have been the best part. The big man’s passing helped pick apart the Thunder’s zone even without much shooting surrounding him. Hartenstein is great at hitting cutters en route to the basket.
Hartenstein put together a fantastic performance, locking down a tough assignment while pouring in points and assists. He gave New York a much-needed weapon against the zone and provided nothing but positive minutes. I-Hart gets a 3.5 out of 5 for his strong night.
New York’s second unit flops when Bogey and Burks play together
Alec Burks: 5 PTS (2/8 FG, 1/3 3PT), 1 AST, 2 REB in 12 mins
I’m ready for Shake Milton to get all Alec Burks’ minutes. Burks continued a trend in which he flashes potential on a nice offensive play or two but surrounds those bright spots with forced shots and bricks.
To make matters worse, Burks’ defense was atrocious. He couldn’t stick to Jalen Williams when he tried and never offered proper help in the gaps when he was off-ball. He gets a 1 out of 5 for brutal shooting and awful defense.
Bojan Bogdanovic: 5 PTS (2/4 FG, 0/1 3PT, 1/2 FT), 1 REB in 11 mins
I ditto everything I mentioned about Burks for Bojan Bogdanovic. It felt like Jalen Williams really found his rhythm when Bogey guarded him. Meanwhile, Bogdanovic shot more efficiently but didn’t provide nearly enough offense to make up for his defense or lack of production elsewhere.
It’s becoming tiresome watching Burks and Bogey provide the worst minutes of the Knicks’ night. I wonder if a poorly spaced combination focused more on defense would be more meaningful because Burks and Bogdanovic aren’t providing much offense anyway. Bogey gets a 1 out of 5 for the terrible defense.
Precious Achiuwa: 8 PTS (3/5 FG, 0/1 3PT, 2/4 FT), 9 REB, 2 BLK in 22 mins
Precious Achiuwa finished with the worst plus/minus on the squad, but I’d blame that more on him getting extra minutes compared to the Detroit acquisitions. In reality, he did a great job on the glass and had a nice block in the paint. Achiuwa’s night wasn’t great, but he wasn’t bad.
Precious’ offense consisted of tip-ins and layups. He fired an ill-advised three-pointer above the break but worked from the middle. Achiuwa’s bigger issue came in missing free throws, but that seemed a problem for the whole team. Precious gets a 2 out of 5 for an okay night.
Tom Thibodeau needs to break up the Pistons players
I suppose Tom Thibodeau keeps forcing the Burks/Bogdanovic tandem minutes on us because the team needs offense from the bench. If the starting frontcourt never returns, Brunson will need players who can hit tough shots. But Burks and Bogey aren’t hitting tough shots or easy shots, and they actively break New York’s vaunted defense when paired together.
I’ve praised Thibodeau for being faster at adjusting and introducing wrinkles of off-ball movement, which have had great results for role players. But his refusal to split up the Detroit guys is a reminder of the coach’s flaws from past seasons.
Closing Thoughts:
These last two losses hurt. The Knicks have come up short in the clutch, and the refs have made brutal decisions late in the action. We had a phantom jump ball violation against Mitch in San Antonio, followed by the no-call on Brunson’s layup against Oklahoma City. But it’s not just the refs.
The Knicks’ defense has taken a major step back in the past three games. Their free-throw shooting has failed in key moments. Reliable shooters aren’t hitting shots consistently, and Jalen Brunson looks like he’s out of legs by the end of these games.
We’ve seen OG come back and head back to the injury list. Mitchell Robinson just did the same thing. We’re getting cryptic updates about Julius Randle, and suddenly, I’m worried about this season becoming a “what if” thanks to all of the injuries.
But there’s still time for the frontcourt to heal up and return for the postseason. The Knicks have bounced back from adversity, and losing in overtime and at the buzzer doesn’t exactly scream “we’re doomed.” This team has earned our patience, even if the past few games have been frustrating.
The Heat are next, and they’ve got momentum on their side. This is a good chance for New York to feel a playoff environment. I’ll see you next time, Knicks fam!
Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below! Stay tuned to KnicksFanTV.com for the latest Knicks news, rumors, and recaps throughout the NBA season. Subscribe to the newsletter for KFTV content and events, shop discounts, and more at bit.ly/kftvmail. And in case you missed it, check out CP The Fanchise’s interview with former Knicks general manager Scott Perry!
The New York Knicks crushed the Toronto Raptors 145-101. Mitchell Robinson made his return, but Deuce McBride stole the show with nine three-pointers.
The New York Knicks exploded for more points than they’ve had in more than 40 years, beating the Toronto Raptors 145-101. They led from start to finish in a victory that was never in doubt.
Deuce McBride tied the Knicks record for three-pointers in a quarter to get things started, but every starter helped along the way. The bench got a boost from the return of Mitchell Robinson, which seemed to energize everyone. The Knicks were so busy scoring that their first-half defense let up for a change. But Toronto could never keep up with the shooting barrage from New York.
The Knicks dominated again, scoring more points than they’ve tallied in over 40 years. Let’s take a victory lap, looking at each performance.
The Knicks’ starters can’t miss
Jalen Brunson: 26 PTS (11/19 FG, 2/6 3PT, 2/2 FT), 7 AST, 4 REB in 29 mins
Jalen Brunson made everything look easy. Toronto could blitz him with doubles, attack him with length, or try to contain him in isolation, but nothing worked. He picked apart double-teams with passes and looked unguardable in one-on-one situations. It’s the second game in a row that he seemed like he could score at will when necessary.
Brunson’s efficiency went beyond scoring. He picked up seven dimes without a turnover. The Knicks’ leader also chipped in four boards and drew a charge. He played a complete game without having to enter after the third quarter.
Brunson gets a 4 out of 5 in under 30 minutes.
Miles McBride: 29 PTS (10/17 FG, 9/14 3PT), 7 AST, 3 REB, 1 STL, 1 TO in 40 mins
Miles McBride set the tone for the night, knocking down a three to start the action. Then he hit another three, and another, and another. Deuce made six three-pointers in the first quarter, and even after cooling off, he found ways to score or contribute for the rest of the game.
McBride’s passing warrants attention. Deuce picked up dimes in a multitude of ways. He made swing passes from the weak side, lead passes in transition, and drive and kick dimes to Bogdanovic while leading the second unit. McBride’s shooting is the story, but his passing also looked impressive.
Deuce finished the night just like he started, with a three-pointer. He closed out a spectacular performance with 29 points on 17 attempts and seven assists to only one turnover. His only issue was struggling to defend Gary Trent’s strength on drives. McBride gets a 4.5 out of 5 for a fantastic game.
Donte DiVincenzo followed his record-setting shooting night with another five three-pointers. With the Knicks’ offense rolling, DiVo didn’t have to create much for himself. He settled into a spacing and passing role, which meant he only took threes for field goal attempts.
I’m most impressed by DiVincenzo’s defense. The Knicks played their weakest defense in weeks, but DiVincenzo came out of halftime and defended like a playoff game. He blocked players from behind, picked pockets in one-on-one situations, and gave full effort despite the Knicks lead ballooning past 40 points.
The Big Ragu’s stats look pedestrian next to some of his teammates’ ridiculous output. But rest assured that he played well on both ends of the court. He let the game come to him and led by example on defense. DiVo gets a 4 out of 5 for the night.
Josh Hart: 7 PTS (3/5 FG, 1/3 3PT), 10 AST, 6 REB, 1 STL, 2 TO in 34 mins
Josh Hart “only” played 34 minutes, which looks like good rest for the Knicks’ undersized power forward. He still showed off the hallmarks of his successful run at PF. Hart chased rebounds, whipped dimes around, and drove for points when the defense forgot he could score.
Hart threw my favorite pass of the night. He grabbed a defensive rebound out of a crowd of bigger guys and immediately turned to whip an outlet pass to Jalen Brunson on the break. Hart’s awareness doesn’t get talked about enough. He always seems to know where his teammates are going.
Hart gets a 3.5 out of 5 for contributing a little of everything to the win.
Isaiah Hartenstein: 15 PTS (5/6 FG, 5/5 FT), 1 AST, 4 REB, 1 STL, 1 BLK, 1 TO in 19 mins
Isaiah Hartenstein looked untouchable in the paint. Toronto didn’t have enough size to keep him from scoring on nearly every touch around the rim. I-Hart showed off his floater again, but most buckets came on good old-fashioned dunks.
I-Hart’s rebounding didn’t stand out for a change, but his presence did. The Raptors consistently needed two bodies to keep him off the glass. One player would box Hartenstein out while a second Raptor chased the board. It worked, but it must have been exhausting.
Hartenstein’s defense lived up to his reputation. He controlled the inside at both ends of the floor. I-Hart gets a 3 out of 5 and could have had more, but he earned extra rest in the blowout.
New York’s second unit dominates with Mitch
Bojan Bogdanovic: 18 PTS (7/11 FG, 4/5 3PT), 2 AST, 1 REB in 16 mins
Bojan Bogdanovic got his jumper going. He knocked down four threes, and even his field goals inside the arc came from pull-up jumpers and post-up fadeaways. He showed off the whole bag in terms of scoring.
Bogey turned nearly every touch into efficient production. He added two assists without a turnover, which is nice to see after I complained about him driving into traffic last time. He didn’t have to do too much in just 16 minutes, but 18 points and 2 assists is impressive in a short time.
Bogdanovic gets a 4 out of 5 for producing so many points in so few minutes.
Precious Achiuwa: 19 PTS (8/14 FG, 0/1 3PT, 3/3 FT), 3 AST, 13 REB, 1 STL, 2 BLK, 3 TO in 27 mins
If not for McBride’s hot shooting, Precious Achiuwa could have taken home the game ball. Achiuwa put together a revenge game, dominating the glass, finishing inside, and ending his performance with a dunk that had to wind up on Sportscenter’s top 10.
Precious controlled the paint just as well as his bigger teammates. The Raptors couldn’t keep him off the boards, as he compiled seven rebounds with plenty of putbacks. He patrolled the paint effectively on defense, blocking, and challenging shots all game.
Precious stayed on the floor when garbage time rolled around and paired with Shake Milton to continue New York’s dominance. He never let up and finished with a monstrous double-double. Achiuwa gets a 4.5 out of 5 for showing the Raptors he’s more than a throw-in on a trade.
Mitchell Robinson: 8 PTS (3/3 FG, 2/4 FT), 2 REB, 2 BLK, 3 TO in 12 mins
Mitchell Robinson returned to the Knicks and gave fans a few highlights. With his left hand, he drove from the top of the key to the rim, finishing a layup. Then he blocked a shot off the backboard and came down with it like an NBA Street character.
Mitch played limited minutes after returning from his foot injury, and the rust showed in some ways. His lateral movement looked awkward at times, but he was always effective. He didn’t dominate the boards, but he got good position often and simply mistimed some jumps. His timing will come, but the eight points and two blocks are plenty to be excited about.
Mitch gets a 3 out of 5, and I have to mention that Darko Rajakovic literally called him a “giant” in his post-game press conference.
Tom Thibodeau’s results are undeniable
The Knicks dominated from start to finish, so I only have two notes from Tom Thibodeau’s performance.
He let the Knicks know that he was taking Toronto seriously by challenging a foul call that would have given the Raptors a chance to make it a single-digit lead in the second quarter. It was a nice reminder to his team not to let up.
The second note is that Thibodeau went with a true “Allen Iverson” unit for part of the second quarter. He surrounded Jalen Brunson with the Knicks’ best defenders: Deuce McBride, Josh Hart, Precious Achiuwa, and Mitchell Robinson. The spacing was atrocious, but it worked, thanks to their shut-down defense and transition offense.
Closing Thoughts:
This Knicks’ victory felt fun despite never being in question. New York scored easily, Mitchell Robinson returned, and the rest of the league helped the Knicks out in the standings. The Cavs, Magic, Pacers, and Sixers all lost. That gave New York sole possession of third place and more cushion from the fourth, fifth, sixth, and eighth seeds.
The Knicks have put the league on notice, and Robinson’s return brings us closer to New York’s final form. I doubt a team in the league wants to see a healthy New York Knicks in a seven-game series. I can’t wait for the playoffs!
The Spurs are next in San Antonio, and that feels like a trap game since they’ve won two in a row. But considering the way the Knicks have played recently, I’m not concerned. I’ll see you next time, Knicks fam!
Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below! Stay tuned to KnicksFanTV.com for the latest Knicks news, rumors, and recaps throughout the NBA season. Subscribe to the newsletter for KFTV content and events, shop discounts, and more at bit.ly/kftvmail. And in case you missed it, check out CP The Fanchise discussing the state of the Knicks and more with The Athletic’s Mike Vorkunov.
The New York Knicks are mixing and matching the right pieces together as they gain health before the playoffs. Let’s take a look at their best and worst lineups since the OG Anunoby trade.
A lot has happened since we visited the numbers for New York Knicks lineups three months ago: two major trades, multiple ominous injury reports, and career-best stretches by several players.
Donte DiVincenzo’s scoring uptick has made him the best value (non-rookie) contract in the league. Deuce McBride entered that race with his offensive growth after signing a three-year, $13 million extension. Precious Achiuwa’s homecoming might have saved his career. And Josh Hart is breaking teams with rebounds again.
It’s been a bumpy ride. Since the OG Anunoby trade, the Knicks went 14-2 in January, then 2-5, and then 4-5 before winning seven of their last eight games. Newcomers Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks are still finding rhythm in their roles. But, the Knicks continue to fight and claw for every victory as they await crucial reinforcements before the real games begin.
I returned to NBA.com’s minutes and lineup data to check out which player combinations deserve more time together, which should stay apart, and which lineups could find their way into Coach Tom Thibodeau’s playoff gameplan if/when the Knicks reach full strength:
Knicks Minutes Distribution in 2024
Name
Games Played
Minutes per Game
Josh Hart
39
36.3
OG Anunoby
17
35.2
Julius Randle
14
35.0
Jalen Brunson
35
34.2
Donte DiVincenzo
39
32.7
Isaiah Hartenstein
34
27.2
Precious Achiuwa
40
26.2
Miles McBride
40
23.4
Bojan Bogdanovic
39
20.6
Jericho Sims
29
15.8
Alec Burks
18
14.8
Net Rating
Again, a quick reminder of what the following statistics quantify. Offensive rating: The number of points a team scores per 100 possessions. Defensive rating: The number of points a team gives up per 100 possessions. Net rating: The difference between the offensive and defensive rating (the more positive, the better).
OG, the Plus/Minus Merchant
Immanuel Quickley was the golden ticket to success in the last lineup-related article. It was only right for him to be in a trade for the Final Boss of net ratings.
OG Anunoby has played minutes alongside ten other current Knicks. Every single one of those duos have a net rating of at least 12.6 (with Alec Burks). His lowest net rating with another certified Knicks starter is 19.6 with Donte DiVincenzo. The Knicks have faced top-tier, mid-tier, and bottom-tier teams since the New Year, and OG’s play has been effective in every matchup.
I don’t mind him resting until he’s close to 100%. He’s worth the wait. And the Knicks, 12-11 without Anunoby in 2024, are good enough to tread water. No need to rush until that elbow heals up.
Jalen Brunson, Donte DiVincenzo, and Isaiah Hartenstein have held down the fort since the New Year, even while battling their own injuries. The Knicks’ first five are always competitive and willing to go all 48 if needed.
The unofficial “Next Man Up” award goes to Precious Achiuwa, who averaged 12.5 points, 9.5 rebounds (3.9 offensive), and 1.8 blocks as a starter with the Knicks. With that said, teams started to expose the Hart-Achiuwa-Hartenstein frontcourt’s lack of spacing over time, leading to an anemic 73-point night against the 76ers on March 10. I don’t think that group should play together again, regardless of whether Anunoby and Randle are back.
When OG Anunoby went down mid-West road trip, Tom Thibodeau reminded us all that he’s a Coach of the Year candidate who’s more than capable of making adjustments when necessary. The Precious iteration of the starting five was no more. Thibs instead started Deuce McBride with Jalen Brunson, going small to catch the Warriors by surprise. By the way, it worked.
[Note: Jalen Brunson and Immanuel Quickley played 377 minutes together in 2023-24, finishing with an 11.6 net rating. They never started a single game together in their two seasons on the same team.]
The Warriors were the perfect team to trial that lineup against. Denver’s lineup had simply too much height to contain, but the Knicks still compete well even on rougher nights. Considering the Knicks just stomped on a G-League-level Toronto Raptors team, take this unit’s net rating with a grain of salt in nonsubstantial sample size. I’m moreso focusing on the fact that Deuce and Brunson coexist well, and Thibs is buying into their Ying-Yang qualities. They are +17.0 together in 261 minutes this season.
McBride’s point of attack defense gives Brunson the ability to rest off-ball, and Deuce is one of the best players in the league at navigating screens and pestering opposing guards. On offense, he looks much more confident shooting and attacking off of catches. The Knicks will need him to develop into an effective lead guard in the future, but as of now, he gives the team even more positional flexibility.
While this feels a little like a free trial for a Jalen Brunson/Donovan Mitchell backcourt, I can’t imagine Donovan sticking to Steph Curry—or any guard—as well as McBride can. And that’s an important part of the tandem’s success.
The Bench Still Needs Help
After the OG Anunoby trade, Knicks fans had their eyes on another deal that would bring in a scorer off the bench to relieve Jalen Brunson of his hefty duties for at least 12 minutes a game; Malcolm Brogdon and Jordan Clarkson were two names often mentioned. Instead, the Knicks traded Quentin Grimes, filler, and a second-round pick to acquire Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks, adopting a more “by committee” approach to the bench unit’s offense with Randle and Anunoby sidelined.
In the last lineup deep dive, the IQ/DDV/RJ/Hart/I-Hart bench unit was firing on all cylinders, often propelling the Knicks to wins when the starters had no juice. Since then, two of those players were shipped out of town, and the others got promotions to fill in as starters, with Donte and Hartenstein there as permanent promotions.
Compare the old bench units’ 8.2 net rating to the current one: McBride and Hart (who play so much they’re both starter and bench), Burks, and Bogdanovic are a -15.4 together in 98 minutes—Thibs has gone to that group in 17 games, which is fourth most since the New Year. Deuce, Burks, Bogdanovic, and Achiuwa are a -25.0 together in 73 minutes when they’ve shared the court with any fifth player. Burks and Bogdanovic together in any context have been a -9.4 in 211 minutes.
All five players from the original bench mob contributed to dribble penetration, ball movement, and transition offense. Several variations of lineups with 2024 Deuce McBride on the floor without Jalen Brunson, even with his hot shooting, have sub -90.0 offensive ratings. A Deuce and Burks backcourt is -18.9 in 168 minutes with a poor 1.11 assist/turnover ratio (notable, considering McBride has a remarkable 3.75 AST/TO ratio on the season). Even with Deuce hot shooting, neither guard creates consistent easy looks for others via dribble penetration or pick-and-roll execution.
Alec Burks (.320/.303/.710) and Bojan Bogdanovic (.409/.366./.806) were brought in from Detroit to be short-term scoring options and long short-term depth pieces for Thibs to mix and match. Their defense has been just as bad as their shooting, if not worse. If they don’t find a rhythm soon, then team health becomes the only solution. And that’s no guarantee.
The bench still desperately needs one of Jalen Brunson or Julius Randle on the floor with OG Anunoby next to them.
Quick Hits:
Best Duo: OG Anunoby and Josh Hart (30.6 net rating in 294 minutes).
Worst Duo: Deuce and Burks (aforementioned).
Detroit Syndrome: With only rotation players, the worst eight Knicks duos in 2024 involve either Burks or Bojan.
Best Trio (min. 15 minutes): OG, Hart, and Julius (53.0 in 72 minutes).
Worst Trio: Bojan, Donte, and I-Hart (32.5 net rating in 37 minutes. Yikes.
The Closers: Brunson/Hart/OG/Randle/I-Hart has a 60.2 net rating in 41 minutes. They closed out several games in January before the injuries hit. I expect this to be the closing lineup in the playoffs, too. Donte DiVincenzo has done nothing but play the best basketball of his career, but I think Thibs values Hart’s offensive rebounding too much to make a change unless on-court disaster hits.
The Nova Boys are +6.6 in 806 minutes this season as the Knicks’ most common trio. Just wait until Mikal gets here.
Bojan and OG are +27.9 in 17 minutes this season. Very small sample size, but that might be a combination that leads New York’s second units at full strength. The best way to protect your worst defender is to play your best one.
Alec Burks and Isaiah Hartenstein are 11.6 in 38 minutes together. We’ve found another match!
Slowpoke: In terms of Pace, six of the eight slowest Knicks duos in 2024 include Jericho Sims. But if there was a stat called ‘Vert’ I’m sure he’d be at the top.
Lineups Combos to Consider:
Brunson/DDV/Hart/OG/Randle: It’s simple—play your five best players when you need an offensive punch. Let Josh Hart crash the glass. Switch OG onto the center if needed. Ball game.
Deuce/OG/Bojan/Randle/I-Hart: The best non-Brunson bench bunch? This group surrounds Julius Randle with shooters and willing off-ball movers. But beware of the defensive woes.
I’ve heard people say Julius Randle’s return should make Bojan’s role a lot easier. On offense, I completely agree. I know it’s been a while since we’ve seen Julius, but his defense post-2021 season has been lackadaisical (at his peak level of engagement, though, he’s solid. That’s why it’s frustrating). The Knicks managed to collect the two most slow-footed power forwards in the league with the least effective closeouts.
Hence the need for McBride, Anunoby, and Hartenstein’s presence to sure up the defense and provide even more kickout options when teams send two at Randle. DiVincenzo can replace OG if there’s a need for a bit more ball-handling. Hartenstein provides an outlet for ball movement and two-man actions as well.
This five doesn’t need to be brilliant. But when Jalen Brunson sits for ~5 mins each playoff half, the Knicks need to hit shots regardless of how well they can defend and slow the game down.
Deuce/OG/Hart/Precious/Robinson: a.k.a., the “one-stop squad.
Question: how many teams would sub out their two best players if they needed one stop at the end of the game?
Maybe Thibs would keep Randle in for Achiuwa. But I’d like to replay that Devin Booker game-winner in the Garden with Precious and OG in for Julius and RJ.
Brunson/DDV/OG/Bojan/Mitch + Deuce/Burks/Hart/Randle/I-Hart: If the Knicks want to put the Detroit guys in positions to be successful, here’s an option. At this moment, I’d rather they share the floor as little as possible.
At Knicks’ Full Strength, Who Gets the Boot?
Assuming Anunoby and Randle are back for the playoffs, there will be some tough cuts to the rotation. Brunson, DiVincenzo, Anunoby, Randle, and Hartenstein are pretty much locks to start. Hart and Robinson will play good minutes off the bench. I think Deuce has officially earned Thibs’ trust to play all non-Brunson minutes at least, with potential for overlap in certain matchups.
So, that leaves Precious Achiuwa, Bojan Bogdanovic, and Alec Burks to make their case. Thibs could shorten the rotation to eight players considering their collective positional versatility and endurance. If spacing becomes an issue like it did against Miami last year, I would lean Bojan, but only when he’s surrounded by OG and either center.
Could the Knicks survive if Julius Randle’s shoulder isn’t ready to go in the postseason? His 24.0 points and 9.2 rebounds would be difficult to replace, not to mention the innate attention he draws from opposing defenses. With that said, the run that Bojan and Precious get now is important in preparing them for the Knicks’ worst-case scenario just in case. Although Achiuwa is not a modern power forward, Thibs is sympathetic to the Taj Gibson-type of hardnosed small bigs. Expect him to have at least one playoff moment off sheer hustle.
Lock in, Knicks fans. It’s the final stretch of the season, and there’s a lot more to find out about before April, May, and June.
Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below! Stay tuned to KnicksFanTV.com for the latest Knicks news, rumors, and recaps throughout the NBA season. Subscribe to the newsletter for KFTV content and events, shop discounts, and more at bit.ly/kftvmail. And in case you missed it, check out CP The Fanchise discussing the state of the Knicks and more with The Athletic’s Mike Vorkunov.
