The New York Knicks dropped another heart breaker in crunch time, this time to the Philadelphia 76ers 96 to 99.
Just as the low score suggests, the game was a defensive grind. New York’s transition offense generated its best moments, a pleasant surprise. The half-court offense was difficult for both squads as this game was more physical than the refs would allow at times. The game was a duel from start to finish, but Philadelphia’s shot makers came through in the clutch. The Knicks came in on a back-to-back, and the tired legs showed in a 14 point fourth quarter. Fatigue and missed free throws might be the easiest excuses for the loss, but late-game execution is becoming a worrisome trend.
With the defensive duel on hand, hardly any players managed to be efficient. That didn’t prevent Julius Randle and RJ Barrett from putting together strong performances yet again. Immanuel Quickley slowed down after an injury, but a pair of wings stepped up for him. The Knicks showed fight against the Eastern Conference’s best team, but moral victories can only do so much in this tight playoff race. Let’s have a look at how it all unfolded.
Knicks starters play hard and show out
Immanuel Quickley: Immanuel Quickley knocked down two early floaters and looked poised to have a big game. Then he disappeared to the locker room for the entire second quarter. IQ had picked up an ankle injury, and although he continued to play, the rookie was visibly slowed down. He missed free throws and three-pointers that would normally fall in the second half while giving up a ton of free looks to Seth Curry. That’s not to get down on the youngster. He played a courageous game against a tough opponent. But Quickley had an uncharacteristic game overall, even missing a potential game-tying shot that he appeared to rush in the Knicks’ last possession.
IQ played for 26 minutes despite being slowed by injury, a result of Payton, Rose, and Rivers all being out for this game. He put up 13 points, 3 assists, 1 steal, and 1 turnover while shooting 6/11 from the field, 1/5 from three, and 0/1 from the free-throw line. The numbers aren’t bad considering the circumstances. Quickley’s defense was the real issue. He had trouble keeping up with Seth Curry through screens which led to a big third quarter. The rookie found himself on the bench for a large chunk of the fourth quarter. But it’s worth noting that he looked strong before heading to the locker room. His floater has been more effective the past couple of games, and while he’s just learning to quarterback, there were some nice passes sprinkled in both this game and the battle with Brooklyn.
The injury siphoned off a big chance for IQ to make a statement. He looked poised to have a really nice game and then vanished for an entire quarter. The rookie’s first two starts came against the best two teams in the East, and he held his own despite being hobbled. I doubt that’s enough to keep Tom Thibodeau from going back to a veteran playmaker as the starting point guard, but it did give us a glimpse of potential. Quickley’s presence meant better spacing without the starting unit losing much on either end (until he got hurt). For this game’s impact score, IQ gets a 2 out of 5, but I still think he should be the starter even when Rose returns. Rose could add much-needed ball-handling and scoring to the bench.
Reggie Bullock: Celebrating his birthday in style, Reggie Bullock was red hot out the gate. He shot the ball well and got a transition lay-up off a steal from Frank Ntilikina. The wing’s offensive play wasn’t particularly different, but he knocked down more shots in this back-to-back. Against the Sixers, Bullock also pulled down some additional rebounds. The refs were his biggest enemy. Reggie spent most of the night in foul trouble, a situation that cut into his effective play.
Bullock played for 29 minutes and put up 12 points, 5 rebounds, 2 steals, and 2 turnovers. He shot 4/7 from the field, 3/5 from three, and 1/1 from the free-throw line. Bullock’s second turnover was painful. Reggie received the ball with 8 seconds left and the Knicks down by three while he had a heel out of bounds. This has to be the third or fourth time that Bullock turns it over or makes an egregious mistake with a game on the line. He really has to improve in those late-game situations.
Even with some mistakes along the way, Reggie stepped up for an important opponent. He shot well, defended well, and even added some boards. Bullock earned every minute he got. I just wish he’d finish games as well as he starts them. Bullock gets a 2.5 out of 5.
RJ Barrett: During the Knicks’ first meeting with the Sixers, Ben Simmons absolutely shut RJ Barrett down. The sophomore showed up with something to prove and had himself a strong bounce back in this rematch. It wasn’t an opus, but Barrett put together a strong night despite facing tough defense all game. He was especially impressive in transition, turning into a consistent outlet option for Julius Randle on the break. RJ also chipped in some nice assists off the pick and roll, including a pair of lobs to Noel. The only thing limiting Barrett was his free throw shooting.
In 41 minutes of action, Barrett pumped in 17 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, and 2 turnovers. He shot 7/17 from the field, 0/1 from three, and 3/7 from the free-throw line. The free throw woes are a flashback to past struggles. But I’m not stressing a single bad shooting night. RJ’s ability to leak out and create transition buckets is more notable. He was unstoppable with a head of steam, and Julius Randle seemed to be seeking him out on the break. It’s the reason Barrett kept his efficiency reasonable despite his jump shots and free throws not falling. The Knicks could use more fast break points; this is a chance to unlock that.
The numbers might not blow you away, but they’re impressive once you consider his match-up. RJ found himself dealing with high-level defenders for most of the night. He didn’t just have to be good to score. He had to be great. The maple mamba played his power game and fed his teammates. That was enough to keep the Philly defense on its heels. He gets a 3 out of 5 for a strong all-around performance.
Julius Randle: The Sixers weren’t letting Julius Randle have anything easy. For most of the night, especially late, Randle faced double and even triple-teams. This sunk some of his shooting efficiency but didn’t prevent him from having another fantastic performance. The big man didn’t have his best half-court game, but his ability to turn rebounds into transition offense took a nice step. Randle will typically grab a defensive board and push the pace on his own, taking the ball from end-to-end for scores and free throws. In this one, he picked up some brilliant assists by grabbing the board and finding players at half-court, especially RJ.
The Knicks’ star player put up 19 points, 15 rebounds, 8 assists, and 2 turnovers in 41 minutes of action. He shot 7/19 from the field, 1/3 from three, and 4/6 from the line. He played as big as his numbers suggest, overpowering defenders in the post and on the boards. Whether he was driving past Tobias Harris or hitting a spin move on Ben Simmons, Randle would not be stopped in isolation.
Randle was a force for most of the night but struggled down the stretch. This could be attributed to a hard fall he took after being blocked by Dwight Howard. It also could have been tired legs or the Sixers’ constant double-teaming. Regardless, he was on the verge of an even higher score. The late struggles aside, he played really well and almost made a big play at the closing moment. He found Bullock open for a potential game-tying shot with around 10 seconds left in the game, but Reggie had a foot out of bounds. Randle gets a 3.5 out of 5.
Nerlens Noel: Even with his many highlight-reel blocks at the rim, Nerlens Noel managed to pick-up my favorite rejection of the season last night. He got back against a fast break, chased a ball-handler, and then still managed to recover back to the middle and stuff Mike Scott at the rim. That explains Noel’s night. The Sixers made him run all over the place. He held up to be a great rim protector but did find himself out of position for some rebounds.
Noel ended his night with 6 points, 8 rebounds, 4 blocks, 1 steal, and 1 turnover in 26 minutes. He went 3/3 from the field and did all of his damage inside. It was just another day in the office for the shot blocker. He denied shots at the rim, battled bigs underneath, and finished a few lobs inside. I should add that Noel’s good comes with his usual bad too. He dropped a few balls that were right in his hands and had trouble with the bigger Dwight Howard.
Everything I just described is easier said than done. I don’t want to make it sound like Noel had a pedestrian game overall. We’re just used to these qualities. The big man is a consistent presence for the Knicks. We know what to expect at this point. He gets a 2.5 out of 5.
Knicks bench gets limited results
Frank Ntilikina: It’s a tale of two halves for Frank Ntilikina…halves of the court. On defense, Ntilikina was aggressive and tough. On offense, Ntilikina has just about completed his reversion to the timid player of past years. The second unit needed scoring, and Frank put up a goose egg. His defense these past two games has been borderline elite, but it still might not be enough to make up for a complete lack of offensive production.
Frank got 15 minutes and finished with no points, 1 assist, 1 rebound, 2 steals, and 1 turnover. He went 0/4 and produced nothing in the half-court offense. That one assist came from a steal and transition. He poked a ball loose, took it up the floor, and found Bullock for a lay-up. But when things slowed down, Frank looked timid. He didn’t seem to trust his jumper and even air-balled one of his attempts.
I think Wally and the post-game crew laid it on a little thick with Frank. His defense is legitimately tone setting. His offense comes and goes, which wouldn’t be so problematic if the Knicks were healthy. Until that shot is right, he’d be at his best as a situational defender. Thibs can utilize Frank to pester scorers and break their momentum and only shoot when left wide open. That’s similar to the Reggie Bullock role. With Payton, Rose, and Rivers out, the Knicks needed more from Frank, and he failed to provide that. He gets a 1.5 out of 5.
Alec Burks: The strange thing about Alec Burks is that he jockeys between frustrating decisions and great plays on a play-by-play basis. Burks’ possessions feel like a complete crapshoot. There are times where he looks better in traffic than with space. He’ll pick up a beauty of an assist to Taj Gibson and then not throw another nice pass all quarter long. It’s strange, but these are the ups and downs of New York’s sixth man. He did more good than bad last night.
Burks managed 19 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block, and 2 turnovers after 36 minutes of action. He shot 6/15 from the field, 3/8 from three, and 4/5 from the free-throw line. There was plenty to like about his performance. He’s been crucial as a bench scorer because no one else in the second unit can add points. With Frank vanishing on offense, Burks went from typical scorer to having to run more as a lead guard than normal. I think that magnified the ebbs and flows of the former Sixer’s offense. It might also be that he has missed several good looks in crunch time across the last two games, both close losses.
Burks deserves a lot of credit for stepping up while injuries plague the roster. I love his chances as a microwave scorer, but I don’t like him as the lead guard. There simply aren’t any other options at the moment. Every once in a while, he’ll flash some playmaking potential, but he’s much more comfortable as a shooter than a point guard. He still managed to be a net positive against the Sixers. He gets a 2.5 out of 5.
Obi Toppin: It’s starting to feel like Obi Toppin is unplayable. His defense is shoddy, his shooting is a work in progress, and he managed to miss an easy attempt in the lane because he got caught between a dunk and a lay-up. I refuse to give up on his prospects, but he was back down to 7 minutes played for a reason in this game.
Obi doesn’t get an impact score for playing so few minutes. He had 2 rebounds and a turnover in his time. I think the G-league would be a good place to build back some confidence and better comport himself to his role. Toppin’s role is much better suited to Kevin Knox’s skillset.
Taj Gibson: The Knicks’ bench needed offense. Taj Gibson managed to add some. I don’t love that he took a couple of three-pointers early, but his work inside was quality. Gibson managed to score on a nice post move and made himself a solid target for ball handlers. The big man’s struggles came in his match-up with Dwight Howard. Howard was too big and athletic, creating second chances and drawing fouls all night. This wasn’t just a Taj Gibson problem, but Gibson matched with Howard more than anybody.
In his 20 minutes of work, Gibson managed 10 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 assist on 3/7 shooting, 0/2 from three, and 2/2 from the line. His solid but unspectacular numbers came together while he faced a tough match-up in Howard. Had he managed to keep Dwight off the boards, I’d probably be singing his praises heavily. Gibson’s effort was commendable. The results were mixed.
I’m not mad at Taj Gibson for this one. He joined Burks as one of the only two bench players to score. I do think we see some of his limitations against bigger opponents here. That takes a really nice effort and dips it back into “solid from the bench” territory. Taj gets a 2 out of 5.
Coaching with half the team sidelined
Tom Thibodeau: Tom Thibodeau is working with a limited hand right now. His veteran ball handlers are all injured, and the closest thing to a lead guard he’s got left is a rookie scorer on a hobbled ankle. He has been making do without his starting Center for a month. Even with these tough circumstances, he’s managed to keep the Knicks in competitive games against the best two teams in Eastern Conference on back-to-back nights.
Whether we blame injuries or give him full-credit, Thibs finally started staggering Randle and Barrett’s minutes so that one of them is on the floor virtually all game long. That was helpful for a bench that had no point-guards and very little scoring punch. It meant a lot of minutes in a back-to-back for the Knicks’ best two players, but that was a necessary evil.
I’ve mentioned the one shift that I would like to see above. I think Kevin Knox should get Obi Toppin’s minutes. Toppin’s asked to work from the perimeter and shoot too often. He’s a college big man that needs reps to figure out his new role. Would Knox have made a difference in the few minutes that Obi got? I don’t know. But it’s a shift that emphasizes a better skill set for the role. Either way, this switch isn’t big enough to get mad at Thibodeau yet. Knox was struggling in his own right before the benching. I give Thibs a 3 out of 5 for making things interesting against two overwhelming opponents.
Closing Thoughts: It’s been a frustrating couple of days for Knicks fans. We got to watch some superstar calls, some unforced errors, and a pair of statement wins slip away. But there’s a silver lining here. The Knicks are the rebuilding team; their opponents are contenders. Those two teams just barely escaped the Knicks with wins. They can point to missing key players, but the Knicks were missing two starters and a key rotation guard.
This all comes back to character. This team’s character is all about grit. They can go down by twenty and claw their way back. The players never seem to let up, and that relentless effort has led to a top-tier defense and recognition league-wide. The Knicks might be a piece or two away from truly competing with the top teams…but they’re closer than any of us could have imagined.
The next game will pit the Knicks against Orlando. It feels like a perfect opportunity to get back on track. The Magic are a weaker opponent but blew New York out last time. Revenge is in order, and the Knicks need that win to get their record back to even. I’m looking forward to it and hope you’ll join me for the recap after.
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