Final Score: Knicks 95, Cavaliers 86
Okay so this is a day late. No matter, it was not a dream, the Knicks are still 2-2.
Unstoppable Force v Immovable Object
I kid. But the Cavs were a surprising 3-0, while the Knicks (1-2) were coming off what could end up being the biggest upset of the entire season, beating the two time defending regular season champ Milwaukee Bucks by 20.
The game itself was, largely, a sloppy mess, featuring lots of turnover from one team, and lots of bricks from the other. But in past years when the Knicks played a game like this they typically lost. Not this game though. This was a game that may be remembered as the one Knick fans first became acclimated with a Tom Thibodeau victory. A game in which the Knicks did not break 100 and turned it over 25 times, was somehow filled with positives the team can carry with it into the future.
The Phoenix
Realistically, there's only one way to start a breakdown of the positive things that took place Tuesday night; Julius Randle. Randle was, once again, magnificent, putting together his first triple-double as a member of the Knicks. He had 28-12-11 on 56% shooting from the field. It's easy to forget that the obituary for Randle's tenure had been written and was being passed around as recently as two weeks ago. He was dead in the water. Nobody wanted him in New York. But he is rising from the ashes in a way few could have imagined.
It's not the absolute output. (Okay, maybe it is a little bit, 28 point triple-doubles are a rarity in New York). More to the point though, it is the way he is producing for the Knicks. It's not as if he never had big games for the Knicks last season---he scored more than 30 points seven times---no one has ever denied Randle's talent. But he never had games the way he is having them this year. Gone is the man spinning his way into three different defenders. Replacing him is a player who is combining a new desire to produce within the realm of a team and environment, and the preparation allowing him to do so.
Here Randle isolates on the right wing. Last year Randle, the second Drummond retreats back into the paint, would have put his head down and dribbled wildly into the fray of defenders waiting for him. This year, he surveys his surroundings and waits patiently, giving his teammates an opportunity to make a play. R.J. Barrett makes a perfect baseline cut and Randle finds him with a well-timed pass.
And here, Randle makes perhaps his most impressive play of the night. First of all, the urgency with which he pushes the ball creates an opportunity for him and his team, where he, in the blink of an eye, has three options. He can try to finish a tough layup around Larry Nance Jr., he can try to fit a pass to Barrett, or he can trust & feel that a different Knick will dart to the corner opposite. This is an advanced read, one he was not making last year. Making this play requires skill, athleticism, & preparation. This is a well-coached player knowing the corner will be occupied by a Knick.
He hasn't just improved as a passer though, he also is improving the way in which he scores. He is screening more, which creates opportunities for him to catch the ball with an advantage. He is shooting more shots at the rim, leading to more free throw attempts, and less inefficient fade-away jumpers from the midrange. He is also a more willing spacer off the ball.
If Randle averages 20 & 10 he is going to be in the discussion for the All-Star Team. The first All-Star the Knicks have had since Carmelo Anthony. But any Knick putting up gaudy numbers is going to get All-Star consideration. That's just the nature of playing in New York. Randle could have done that last year and been in the same discussion. For the first time, however, it feels like Randle is headed to a place that would have seemed impossible last year; putting up numbers that give the team a chance to win.
Homage To a Better Time
The 90's Knicks were founded on one thing; defense. You have to imagine when James Dolan & Leon Rose decided to make Thibodeau the head coach it was with the hope that he could return the team to the heights of the 90's. We can talk about all the great things Randle did offensively, but the truth of the matter is that 95 points is not going to get it done on most nights in 2020 unless you really bring it defensively. And bring it the Knicks did.
R.J. Barrett, Reggie Bullock, Mitch Robinson, Frank Ntilikina, Kevin Knox, & Nerlens Noel all played defensed that ranged from good to very good Tuesday night. Given the Knicks only played eight guys all night, I'd say that is pretty solid output overall. But it was Robinson who really shined. Robinson, a fan-favorite since he first stepped on the court in a Knick uniform, finally seems to put putting together all of his gifts and focusing them on the defensive end. Thibodeau seems to have convinced him that he doesn't need to leap at every pump-fake and instead focus on staying in front of his man and let his length do the talking. It has worked.
Here McGee sets a (rather weak) screen on Payton allowing Dante Exum to penetrate into the lane. Look at how cautious and meek Exum is as he crosses the 3-point line. The mere presence of Robinson tells him that any attempt at putting the ball in the basket will be futile. Robinson then does something extra special---he feels Payton re-enter the play and seamlessly switches back onto a diving McGee, using his wingspan & reflexes to pick off the dump-off that could very easily have resulted in a dunk.
The 2001 76ers are remembered as the team Allen Iverson carried to the NBA Finals. But the 76ers that season had a league average offense and a super-elite defense. Is it possible the Knicks, as currently constructed, are trying to replicate a modern version of that team? Only time will tell, but the early results are promising.
A Red Cloud?
While the Knicks came away with the win Tuesday night, there was one negative that fans of the team couldn't seem to escape; 25 turnovers. The Knicks were extremely sloppy with the ball. Randle alone had 9 turnovers. Let's be clear, Randle is not LeBron James, if he's going to carry a high usage and try to play an unselfish style, turnovers are just going to be a part of the package. With that being said, 9 is a bit excessive. But I'm here to say that these were not his fault, and the style of defense the Cavaliers played against him that led to these turnovers was something that other teams could input down the line.
Look at how easily Cedi Osman is able to help Exum on Randle. Why is he able to do this? Because he simply does not care about leaving Elfrid Payton open. Furthermore, Payton extrapolates the problem by diving in to no-man's-land allowing Nance to simultaneously block his "cut" and be available to recover should Randle kick the ball out to Reggie Bullock. On top of all of that, Darius Garland is firmly planted in the paint leaving R.J. Barrett basically alone.
A lineup featuring Barrett, Randle, & Robinson was always going to be mired with spacing issues. But adding Elfrid Payton to the mix turns spacing issues into a spacing nightmare. There are going to be possessions where Randle (or Barrett) simply does not have a chance because defenses are going to make Payton prove he can beat them. Now, to give Payton some credit, he has at least been willing to try thus far this year. Through 4 games he has doubled his 3 point attempts, including hitting two catch & shoot threes last night. Unfortunately, there's virtually zero evidence Payton has the ability to become even a slightly below average shooter, and a world where teams stop helping off him to double other players seems, at best, far-fetched.
This is why Immanuel Quickley, (or Frank Ntilikina, who is just 22 years old, has increased is FT% meaningfully the past two seasons, and noticeably improved his shooting form), is so important. Quickley shot over 90% from the FT line in college. The positive effect Quickley can potentially have on the Knicks synergy cannot be understated. Until then, we have to hope that, when given the opportunity, Payton continues to catch & shoot with confidence.
What's Next?
The Knicks play the Tampa Bay Raptors tonight. Frank Ntilikina & Obi Toppin is out, and Alec Burks, Immanuel Quickley, and Austin Rivers are all questionable to play. While the Raptors are off to a slow start at 0-3, they are an extremely well-coached teams. I do not expect Randle to have an easy time sharing the court with Payton, Barrett, & Robinson. Hopefully Thibodeau has a counter for what is almost certainly going to come.
FB119
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