The New York Knicks defeated the Boston Celtics 109 to 94. The Knicks won with a complete team effort and got another statement win!
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The New York Knicks led by double-digits for most of the action as they beat the Boston Celtics 109 to 94. The game started as a defensive affair, but Julius Randle gave New York an offensive edge. The Celtics managed just 15 points in the opening stanza, their lowest first-quarter score of the season. The Knicks led by 12 after that quarter and would lead by a comfortable margin for the rest of the matchup.
Randle led the way, with a big boost from Jalen Brunson and IQ off the bench. But The Celtics made runs to keep the game from getting out of reach. However, it was never enough, as every run from Boston was answered with a big moment from a role player in orange and blue.
This win marks 6 in a row for the Knicks and their season’s most significant statement win. Let’s have a closer look at New York’s performance.
The Knicks’ starters get it done with defense
Jalen Brunson: 17 PTS (4/12 FG, 0/4 3PT, 9/12 FT), 3 AST, 4 REB, 1 STL, 1 TO in 38 mins
Jalen Brunson battled former Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart for most of the night. The Celtics also sent double-team help at Brunson and Randle throughout the action. New York’s point guard struggled from the field; he shot 33 percent and missed all his three-pointers. But the diminutive guard produced by drawing fouls and reaching the line.
Brunson’s 3 assists won’t leap off the page. But he split double-teams with passes throughout the action. Those passes sparked ball-movement sequences that led to everyone else’s success, even if they didn’t appear on the stat sheet.
The star guard performed well, considering his matchup. He also may have hurt himself early and seemed slow to get up a few times. But Brunson stepped up with big plays when New York needed them, which warrants a 3 out of 5 for his performance score.
Quentin Grimes: 5 PTS (2/5 FG, 1/3 3PT), 4 AST, 1 BLK in 21 mins
The Knicks looked off Quentin Grimes too often in the first half. It felt like he barely touched the ball, and the trend continued to start in the third. But the Knicks came out of a timeout and started to feed Grimes, who responded with a three-pointer and a nifty euro-step layup.
While Grimes’ scoring was light, his drive and kick game led to some sharp dimes. More importantly, his defensive contribution is undeniable. Locking down Jayson Tatum required a team effort, but Grimes was frequently the man-to-man matchup leading that effort; Tatum shot miserably and scored his second-lowest total of the season (14 points).
The sharpshooter hasn’t gotten the same minutes or touches lately. But his defense has been fantastic regardless of his role elsewhere, and his performance still earned a 3 out of 5 thanks to his work against Tatum.
RJ Barrett: 10 PTS (4/14 FG, 1/3 3PT, 1/1 FT), 2 AST, 7 REB, 5 TO in 26 mins
RJ Barrett had a nightmare of a game. He struggled against Boston’s active defense and mobile shot-blockers. Even when he worked with the second unit, Boston’s double teams shifted his way and forced him into a few ugly turnovers.
Despite his offensive struggles, Barrett made an impact in the second quarter. The Knicks went without a field goal for over 3 minutes and saw a 20-point lead slip to 9. Then, RJ checked in and threw an alley-oop to Mitchell Robinson, followed up with 8 points. That was most of his offense for the entire game, but it was a big run that kept New York in the driver’s seat.
Barrett also contributed 7 boards and some improved defense. Nevertheless, he can’t afford the sorts of turnovers that he picked up in this game. But his effort is improving off the ball, and his jumper is beginning to show signs of life. He’s stuck with a 1.5 out of 5 for this game, but his effort is promising.
Julius Randle: 23 PTS (7/16 FG, 3/9 3PT, 6/9 FT), 4 AST, 7 REB, 1 TO in 34 mins
Julius Randle made his only turnover on his first possession of the game, a surprising feat considering how much attention Boston paid him. He followed the bad possession with a three-pointer and continued his trend of hot starts. His hot shooting didn’t cool off, but he had to limit his attempts because of the aggressive double-teams that forced the ball out of his hands.
This game put Randle’s evolution on full display. He consistently looked to beat double-teams with quick passing. Sometimes he would wait too long and struggle to release the ball out of traffic, but he was always looking to make the right play. That helped him avoid lousy shot selection and turnovers while pumping his assist tally to 4.
Randle is the 1a or 1b of this offense, depending on whether Brunson has the hot hand instead of Julius that night. The two-time All-Star is playing a style that should translate to the postseason. His success against this stingy Boston defense made me even more excited to see how he’ll bounce back from the Atlanta series two years ago. The big man locks in a 4 out of 5 for his efficient play.
Mitchell Robinson: 10 PTS (5/5 FG, 0/4 FT), 13 REB, 2 STL, 2 BLK, 1 TO in 30 mins
Mitchell Robinson picked up his third double-double since returning from injury. He started the game with a nice block and a steal from Jayson Tatum that set the tone for the entire defense. The shot blocker would block a dunk attempt by Tatum later on and continued to provide incredible protection throughout the action.
Robinson dominated the paint. He controlled the defensive glass and created extra chances beyond 2 offensive rebounds by fighting for boards that Celtics’ players knocked out of bounds. Also, adding to his rebounding, Mitch caught lobs from RJ Barrett and Jalen Brunson.
As Boston geared up to make one final fourth-quarter run, Mitchell Robinson came in and made big plays on both ends of the floor. He blocked a shot and scored a putback in the ensuing rush. The sequence is a perfect example of his interior presence, worth a 3.5 out of 5 for impact.
Prospective sixth man of the year shows out for New York’s bench
Immanuel Quickley: 23 PTS (7/13 FG, 4/7 3PT, 5/6 FT), 2 AST, 3 REB, 1 STL in 30 mins
The showdown between potential NBA Sixth Man of the Year recipients was a joy. Immanuel Quickley dueled with Malcolm Brogdon, and both players showed out. But I’d edge this game to IQ, who was lethal from deep and elusive on trips into the middle.
Quick was a handful, even when he didn’t score. He grabbed a few rebounds, made some nice passes, and consistently challenged shooters. It feels like New York forces a shot-clock violation once per night, and IQ is always the player you see forcing a desperate shooter to delay his release.
Quickley’s my Sixth Man of the Year, and I don’t think I’m being biased. He has been crucial for New York through the ups and downs of the season. This game displayed all his contributions in one package to put an exclamation point on his campaign. IQ gets a 4 out of 5 for leading the scoring push.
Josh Hart: 12 PTS (5/8 FG, 2/3 3PT), 5 AST, 5 REB, 2 STL, 1 TO in 26 mins
Josh Hart made another significant contribution to New York’s winning streak. He was lethal with his feet in the paint and continued his hot shooting from three, including a baseline three that iced the game. I didn’t think Hart would provide as much spacing as he has, but his combination of shooting and smart slashing has been a boon.
Hart accentuates his scoring touch with intelligent play and hard work. He picked up 5 assists by grabbing rebounds and pushing the pace, including a no-look dime behind his head. He stole the ball from Jayson Tatum at a critical point in the fourth quarter and frustrated the Celtics’ leader throughout the game. I think Tatum’s ejection was a result of Hart being a pest.
The bench has been monstrous since Hart’s addition. He’s the perfect complement to IQ; both defend and attack in dynamic and impactful ways. So no need to wonder why they’re closing games consistently. Hart picks up a 3 out of 5 for his defense and productivity.
Obi Toppin: 9 PTS (3/4 FG, 1/2 3PT, 2/2 FT), 4 REB, 1 TO in 12 mins
Obi Toppin didn’t have much time to work but still got results. He grabbed extra rebounds to make up for Hartenstein’s rare off-night. Obi also made immense contributions in the fourth, knocking down a three and a fast break layup. He attacked Boston by dribbling into the paint, and it expanded his scoring threat beyond standings still on the perimeter.
Obi earns a 2.5 out of 5 for making significant contributions in his short time.
Isaiah Hartenstein: 0 PTS (0/1 FG), 1 REB, 1 TO in 16 mins
Isaiah Hartenstein had a tough night. He got blocked by Marcus Smart on his only attempt from the field and failed to contribute much else. I’m chalking it up to an off-night. This is his first subpar performance in a long time. He gets a 0.5 out of 5 for picking up a travel and getting blocked on his only two opportunities at the rim.
Tom Thibodeau has a complete team and an elite defense
In a few recaps, I’ve mentioned New York picking up Tom Thibodeau’s identity, but tonight really sold it. The Knicks frustrated Boston and held them to 9/42 from three. By the end of the action, Jayson Tatum was thrown out for expressing his frustration with the refs. By the night’s end, Tatum quoted tweeted clips of the game to say, “that should have been a foul.”
Thibodeau didn’t have to do much heavy lifting. The team led throughout the game and always found answers for Boston’s runs. But I will give Thibs his props for how New York handled double teams. I’ve been frustrated by a lack of creativity in the offense before. However, that wasn’t the case tonight because the Knicks’ made clever movements off the ball.
Thibodeau gets a 5 out of 5 for holding the best team in the East below 100 points.
Closing Thoughts
Nobody’s sleeping on the Knicks anymore. This team has found a path to success that reflects its coach and management. They force teams into grinding battles while firing from analytics’ favorite locations on the floor. On any given night, one of five players might lead New York’s scoring, meaning the Knicks can survive anybody’s off night from the field. The chemistry is immaculate.
With Mitchell Robinson back and Josh Hart arriving, the team feels complete. They’re prepared to face anyone, as evidenced by recent repeated success against elite competition. For all of our bluster about needing a star and fear of stagnation, the Knicks responded with patience. But the last step will be putting it together in the playoffs.
A first-round exit could bring back doubts because we’ve been there before. But this team feels better prepared to battle in the postseason, and I’ve never been more confident in a Knicks roster. The Brooklyn Nets are next, and I’m not worried about a trap game, I’m expecting a win. I’ll see you after the action to discuss the results here! See you then, Knicks fam!
Stay tuned to KnicksFanTV.com for the latest Knicks news, rumors, and recaps throughout the NBA season. And in case you missed it, check out Knicks Weekly, where CP and Alex discuss the good, the bad, and the ugly from the week that was!
