The New York Knicks got back-to-back wins by defeating the Detroit Pistons and Toronto Raptors. Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle led the way!
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The New York Knicks won back-to-back games over the Detroit Pistons and Toronto Raptors but looked like two different teams in the performances. New York looked lackadaisical against Detroit, with shaky defense and sloppy offense. Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle carried the team to victory but had to work much harder than we would have expected against the league’s worst team.
The stage seemed set for a letdown against a Raptors team that isn’t bad and had a nice home-winning streak going. But the Knicks showed up to Toronto with renewed ball movement that sparked a comfortable victory. The orange and blue still hit a lull in the second quarter that saw Toronto erase an 8-point lead, but they took care of business in the second half.
The boys from Villanova stood out, along with Julius Randle. That group made significant contributions to both wins, while some others struggled. But let’s look closely at everyone’s performance and see what we can learn.
The Knicks stars shine in the double-header
Jalen Brunson:
Vs. Detroit – 42 PTS (13/24 FG, 7/12 3PT, 9/10 FT), 8 AST, 6 REB, 1 STL, 1 TO in 40 mins
Vs. Toronto – 22 PTS (9/21 FG, 3/8 3PT, 1/1 FT), 8 AST, 5 REB, 1 STL, 2 TO in 36 mins
Jalen Brunson is a star who shined brightest when the Knicks needed it. New York’s offense struggled in Detroit, but Brunson kept it alive with a three-point barrage. He picked on Detroit’s defenders and seemed to score anywhere and any way he wanted. His scoring wasn’t as efficient in Toronto, but he still led the team in points with his smart shot selection, good footwork, and timely scoring.
Brunson’s playmaking hit another level recently, and that continued with 8 assists in each game of the back-to-back. He’s notched 8 dimes in three of the last four games, whereas he’d only reached that mark once in the first 15 games. As teammates have settled into their roles and found a rhythm, Brunson’s passing has shined.
If scoring and playmaking weren’t enough, Brunson also contributed 11 rebounds across the two games. The phrase “firing on all cylinders” was invented for performances like this. This is how a leader handles business. Brunson gets a perfect 5 out of 5 for two gems.
Quentin Grimes:
Vs. Detroit – 0 PTS (0/5 FG, 0/3 3PT), 1 REB, 2 STL in 16 mins
Vs. Toronto – 4 PTS (1/3 FG, 0/2 3PT, 2/2 FT), 2 AST, 1 REB in 21 mins
Quentin Grimes’s season may have hit rock bottom in Detroit. He looked as hesitant as ever and failed to convert a single field goal. His defense typically makes up for some offensive struggles, but Cade Cunningham took him to school. Grimes played his fewest minutes of the season, and rightfully so.
The Raptors game started similarly. Grimes missed his jumpers and failed to contribute anything meaningful in the first half. But we got hopeful signs in the third quarter. RJ Barrett found Grimes ahead of the pack for a transition lay-up, and then Grimes successfully attacked off the dribble on multiple plays. Grimes drew a foul to convert his first free throws of the season and hit Mitch for a nice alley-oop.
As soon as Grimes saw the ball go through the hoop, he loosened up. It felt like he was starting to try more in recent games, but that vanished in Detroit. Until the lay-up against Toronto, it felt like QG shelled up. I’m hoping that the good third quarter is something he can build on. For now, Grimes gets a 1 out of 5 for the games, but I’m still hopeful!
RJ Barrett:
Vs. Detroit – 15 PTS (5/12 FG, 1/6 3PT, 4/6 FT), 2 AST, 1 REB, 2 TO in 24 mins
Vs. Toronto – 15 PTS (6/18 FG, 1/6 3PT, 2/3 FT), 6 AST, 4 REB, 2 TO in 27 mins
RJ Barrett came back to Earth after his migraines and continued his descent with this series. The big difference compared to his hot start is that his three-point shooting has fallen off a cliff. Despite plenty of open looks, RJ shot 2/12 from three over the two games. Barrett’s half-court offense slipped without his jumper, but his transition play kept him from hurting the team.
Barrett pressed for offense in Toronto, which led to poor finishing on top of the bad shooting. But his frequent touches also led him to 6 assists, tying his season high. RJ began telegraphing his kick out to the corner but looked like a more dynamic passer than usual. Seeing him find ways to contribute when scoring slips is pleasant.
But it increasingly appears that the jumper will be the tie-breaker for Barrett’s performance. When his three-pointers fall, everything else clicks. Without the jumper, he can still help the team, but his efficiency from the field collapses. He has to keep taking open looks but can’t afford to miss so many of them. Barrett gets a 2 out of 5 for his shooting regression.
Julius Randle:
Vs. Detroit – 29 PTS (12/21 FG, 2/5 3PT, 3/6 FT), 8 AST, 10 REB, 1 BLK, 3 TO in 38 mins
Vs. Toronto – 20 PTS (8/15 FG, 1/4 3PT, 3/3 FT), 9 AST, 10 REB, 2 TO in 35 mins
Julius Randle continued a strong run as he flirted with triple-doubles in both games. Bully ball is back in full effect, as Randle did most of his damage from the post. The big man isn’t settling for threes in space, instead mixing in face-up drives that overpower defenders to create space for short jumpers inside. That led to his best efficiency of the season in Detroit.
The success similarly continued against Toronto. Randle’s scoring dipped, but I’ll blame that on a sore knee reported earlier in the day. Julius was listed as questionable but turned in a strong effort regardless. He’s on a tear right now, averaging 26 points on 53 percent from the field over the past four games.
We can put fears of an every-other-year curse to rest. It took Randle seven games to score 20 points or more, but he’s hit that mark in 11 of 12 games since. Take away his historically lousy start to the season, and he’s putting up 24, 10, and 6 on 47 percent from the field over the past 13 games. Randle’s cooking and his combo with Jalen Brunson make the Knicks formidable against any opponent. He gets a 4.5 out of 5 for the back-to-back because his closeouts still need work, and I already gave Brunson a perfect score.
Mitchell Robinson:
Vs. Detroit – 6 PTS (2/4 FG, 2/2 FT), 1 AST, 9 REB, 1 STL, 1 BLK, 1 TO in 31 mins
Vs. Toronto – 6 PTS (3/3 FG), 1 AST, 5 REB, 4 STL, 1 BLK, 1 TO in 32 mins
Mitchell Robinson’s rebounding came down to Earth some, but his defense hasn’t missed a beat. His methodic work on the board in Detroit led to a solid 9 rebounds despite Detroit deploying a big line-up. He followed that up with just 5 boards against Toronto, which I’ll attribute to tired legs. The scary thing is that without Mitch dominating the glass, New York lost the team rebounding battle in both match-ups.
Mitch may not have rebounded as usual, but his defense was a treat. Against Detroit, he continually showed to the ball-handler when Duren set screens, and that led him to poke the ball loose and buy defenders time to recover. Robinson’s quick hands in Toronto left Jakob Poeltl screaming at refs repeatedly as Mitch forced turnovers.
Robinson is in the top 20 for blocks AND steals per game. Even that feat doesn’t do his defensive impact justice. Watch Robinson hedge on screens or split the distance from his man to a driving ball-handler. He’s making everything difficult for opposing offenses inside the arc. For that, he clocks a 3 out of 5 despite scoring less and rebounding less than average.
The Nova boys go nuclear for New York’s second unit
Immanuel Quickley:
Vs. Detroit – 5 PTS (2/10 FG, 1/5 3PT), 2 AST, 1 REB, 1 TO in 19 mins
Vs. Toronto – 10 PTS (3/6 FG, 1/3 3PT, 3/4 FT), 1 AST, 1 REB, 1 STL, 1 TO in 19 mins
Immanuel Quickley went through a slight regression of his own. He shot miserably against Detroit and didn’t take many shots against Toronto. His playmaking felt muted, but that’s partially because others stepped up. IQ finished the two games shooting just 5/16 with 3 assists to 2 turnovers. It’s not the worst production, but it’s a significant drop-off compared to Quickley’s typical contributions.
Quick helps himself with quality defense, even on off nights. His off-ball defense is some of the best I’ve seen this season, and it goes a long way to explaining his positive +/- in both games. IQ might not have produced big counting stats, but he still found a positive impact.
I won’t belabor the point. Quickley wasn’t as bad as his light production suggests, but he wasn’t as good as we’ve come to expect. He gets a 2 out of 5 for a relatively quiet back-to-back.
Donte DiVincenzo:
Vs. Detroit – 12 PTS (4/8 FG, 4/8 3PT), 2 AST, 3 REB, 1 BLK in 23 mins
Vs. Toronto – 21 PTS (7/10 FG, 7/9 3PT), 1 AST, 1 REB in 21 mins
Donte DiVincenzo’s shooting came through in a big way. He put the Detroit game away with a series of fourth-quarter threes and followed up with a career-high 7 three-pointers against Toronto. Over the two games, DiVincenzo shot 11/17 from deep and only attempted one shot inside the arc.
DiVo worked seamlessly within the flow of the offense. If he dribbled, it was to get into the lane and find an open teammate. Otherwise, he ran to open space on the perimeter and fired away. The newcomer looked like he’s played with these guys for years, which is technically accurate for a few teammates.
DiVincenzo’s defense hit its usual benchmarks of aggressive on-ball defense without many mistakes away from the ball. He gets a 3.5 out of 5 for his success.
Josh Hart:
Vs. Detroit – 7 PTS (2/3 FG, 1/2 3PT, 2/4 FT), 2 AST, 7 REB, 1 STL, 1 TO in 32 mins
Vs. Toronto – 17 PTS (7/11 FG, 3/4 3PT), 2 AST, 8 REB, 1 BLK, 3 TO in 30 mins
All it took was some venting to Fred Katz for Josh Hart to snap out of his lull. Hart turned in a solid effort in Detroit before exploding against Toronto. He scored a majority of his points in a third-quarter barrage against the Raptors and put the Knicks in the driver’s seat.
Beyond his scoring, Hart provided great rebounding and defense. He moved the ball within the flow of offense, which helped everyone get into rhythm. This looks like last season’s Josh Hart, including more efficient shooting from three.
Hart’s strong play earns a 3.5 out of 5, as he and DiVincenzo fed off each other. The Villanova boys hit their stride in this back-to-back, and the bench looks scary.
Isaiah Hartenstein:
Vs. Detroit – 2 PTS (1/1 FG), 3 REB, 3 STL, 2 TO in 17 mins
Vs. Toronto – 4 PTS (1/3 FG, 2/3 FT), 8 REB, 1 BLK in 16 mins
Isaiah Hartenstein always finds ways to stand out in his limited minutes. Against Detroit, he logged 3 steals in just 17 minutes. He followed that with 8 boards against Toronto in 16 minutes. He’s producing whenever he’s on the floor.
That said, I’m increasingly frustrated that I-Hart unnecessarily gives up offensive boards and loose ball fouls. He sometimes concedes his position under the rim, and it costs him. So, as good as he’s been, he can be better.
That’s a nitpicking complaint. Hartenstein has been consistent all year, with solid production for an outstanding bench unit. He gets a 2.5 out of 5 for continued solid play.
Tom Thibodeau’s team is rolling
Tom Thibodeau’s read-and-react system feels built for slow starts. Players must adjust to each other’s habits while settling into their own rhythms. That has led to different players struggling at various points. But the further we get into the season, the more everything gels.
We’re 19 games into the season, and the offense is rolling. New York is top-10 in three-point attempts and accuracy, with a top-10 net rating. The offense is clicking on all cylinders, yet there’s room to improve further. The pieces fit the system, and suddenly, Thibs’ offense looks good.
Closing Thoughts
I’ll keep this brief, but I’d like to preach patience again. Fans panicked when Brunson and Randle got off to a slow start, but they’re okay now. Quentin Grimes is getting RJ Barrett treatment from last season, but both young players have plenty of time to develop. DiVincenzo and Hart were overpaid until they weren’t.
We don’t need to turn on players or bench them during every slump. This team is tied for fourth place in the East and near the top of the league in offensive, defensive, and net rating. That’s despite the various slow starts, slumps, and scares that we’ve had. If you think they’re good after 20 games, wait until they’ve played together for 50.
The In-Season Tournament continues next week, and New York has meaningful games. The Milwaukee Bucks are the first opponent; a win would be a huge statement. So, let’s see how they do, and I’ll see you after, 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 In-Season Tournament on SNY TV.
