Brooklyn Nets: Flatbush Outlasts Knicks in Season's Opening Battle of the Boroughs

From the desks: THE HOOPS OF FLATBUSH & KICKIN' CANS DOWN 33RD STREET WIT' JIMMY

EAST RIVER SHOWDOWN

I - BKN 112; NYK 110

A Decisive James Harden Leads Flatbush Against Manhattan Rival

I preface this game recap acknowledging that RJ Barrett left after just nine minutes on the floor, and Coach Thibodeau, for lack of sufficient effort on defense, essentially benched Kemba Walker.  Meanwhile, Flatbush likewise entered this game somewhat rearranged, with Blake Griffin no longer in the starting lineup, Joe Harris out pending ankle surgery, and of course the controversial missing man variable.  

Thus lay the pretext to a tightly contested one-point margin of victory.  In the final second of the game, the team that possessed the ball got off one last desperation shot, missed, and lost.  That's how closely Tuesday's first showdown this season played out between the host Brooklyn Nets and the East River traversing Manhattan Knickerbockers.

After every game, top players around the league are unavoidably confronted by media and their microphones.  They ask questions, even ones they know sometimes are circumstantial or even uncomfortably unanswerable, yet in return, expect some level of inside info.  It's part of the job.  My point is, James Harden can say anything he wants insofar as telling the media he's still learning when to distribute, orchestrate, or personally seize upon a given possession.  But I say all that is just talk for the sake of talk.  For James Harden knows precisely what he's doing.  It's about other players not named Kevin Durant following Harden's lead and finishing.

Thrust into the starting lineup by Coach Thibs, Alec Burks, and Julius Randle for the Knicks, and Harden and Kevin Durant for Flatbush are the measures of this game.  They were the only four with 20+ shot attempts and topped all other players in minutes.

James Harden led all scorers with 34 points and secured a game-high ten rebounds with eight assists in 40 minutes.  He was 11/20 from the field and a more customary 9/10 from the line.  Otherwise, Harden knows turnovers continue marring his overall performance; this time, he committed a game-high five.

Kevin Durant was 0/5 from beyond the arc but made up for it by shooting 9/9 from the charity line en route to 27 points while (importantly) tying for a game-high nine assists in 41 minutes.  Together with Harden, they accounted for 61 (54.4%) of Brooklyn's 112 points.

Alec Burks led the Knicks with 25 points in 39 minutes, and Julius Randle added 24 points and posted team-highs of nine rebounds and eight assists in 40 minutes.  Together, they accounted for 49 (44.5%) of the Knicks' 110 points.

The Knicks outrebounded the Nets by four and put up six more shots than Brooklyn.  This continues to be a troubling trend for me, but the Nets bailed themselves out, again, outscoring the Knicks by a margin of eleven at the line.  And whereas the Nets were outscored in the paint, they outscored the Knicks off fast-break opportunities.

Manhattan had five players score in double-digits.  Derrick Rose scored 16 points in 36 minutes, and with 0.17 seconds left in the game, Evan Fournier tied the game at 110-110 as part of a 13 point night.  But James Johnson's free throws put the Nets back ahead by two.  Afterwhich, Even Fournier missed on a last-second attempt.

The Nets had four players in double-digits.  Cam Thomas led the bench effort with 12 points in 21 minutes.  However, the Knicks bench outscored Flatbush by a nine-point 36-27 margin.

If a 15-6 record makes me anxious ... it is what it is.  Teams nearing (or even matching) the Nets in shooting percentage are very problematic as Flatbush continually allows the opposition more possessions and overall shot opportunities.  

It's been my pet peeve all season.

Defense is the main issue with the Knicks.  They went from being elite defenders last season to the middle of the pack this season.  It's quite the conundrum when this team last season in the playoffs lacked desperately for points.

N.Y. Knicks: RJ Barrett Marches Through New Orleans

From the desk: KICKIN' CANS DOWN 33RD STREET WIT' JIMMY

SATURDAY

Knicks        123

PELICANS  117

FINAL

RJ Barrett Scores Career-High 35 Points

Last season the Knicks ranked twelfth in conference scoring with 107 points per game.  With two key off-season acquisitions and newfound consistency from beyond the arc, they've not only alleviated some of the scoring burdens off the shoulders of Julius Randle, but they're presently averaging 117 points through the first six games of this still-young season.

• Defensively, the Knicks last season allowed 104.7 ppg; through six games, that number presently sits at 109.8 ppg.

RJ Barrett, drafted by the Knicks with the third overall pick of the 2019 draft, is slowly but surely becoming a star under Tom Thibodeau.  It's not absurd to imagine Thibodeau building a relationship with Barrett similar to the one he enjoyed in Chicago (and still enjoys) with Derrick Rose.

Entering his third season, the 21-year old led the Knicks at New Orleans with a career-high 35 points, including 6/8 from three, and a team-high eight rebounds and six assists in 36 minutes.  Barrett scored 25 points in the second half, of which 16 came in the fourth quarter.  Saturday marked his second consecutive 20+ point game.

Evan Fournier and Kemba Walker finished with 19 points each.  With RJ Barrett, the three joined in shooting 15/23 (65.2%) from beyond the arc for 45 points.  As the only three with double-digit attempts, they collectively shot 24/43 (55.8%) from the field for 73 of the Knicks' 123 total points.

Julius Randle was 4/9 from the field for ten points with six rebounds and four assists in a game-high 38 minutes.  It's the first time he has attempted less than ten field goals this season and the fourth consecutive game of decreased shot attempts.  After 24 attempts against the Magic, he has since tried 18, 11, and nine shots, respectively.

The Knicks were minus-five in rebounds and minus-eight in assists.  But despite eleven more field goal attempts by the Pelicans, the Knicks finished 19/33 (57.6%) from three-point range to compensate for their 81 possessions.

Taj Gibson scored 13 points in 21 minutes, and Alec Burks added ten in 13 minutes off the bench.

With their fifth win in six games, the Knicks join a crowded mountain top with the Wizards, Bulls, and Heat.  They have already chalked up victories against Washington and Chicago but have yet to play Miami.

N.Y. Knicks: Game Three Exposed Coach Thibodeau's Dilemma at the Point

From the desk: KICKING CANS DOWN 33RD STREET WITH JIMMY

NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION

PLAYOFFS: ROUND ONE

GAME FOUR
Knicks

vs.

Celtics

A Rose By Any Other Role Is Still Not a Rose

And herein, we see Coach Thibodeau's dilemma...

If you start Derrick Rose, the bench has no real sustenance.  With Rose in the starting role, the bench contributed 40 points (or 42.5% of the Knicks scoring).  Nerlens Noel led a four-man effort with twelve points and eight rebounds in 22 minutes.  Alec Burks led with 23 minutes.  Otherwise, Obi Toppin and Immanuel Quickly contributed four points each in 13 and 15 minutes, respectively.

Derrick Rose led the floor with a game-high 30 points and five assists and tied for game-high with 39 minutes.  That's not optimal utilization of Derrick Rose.  He led all players with a minus-16, which is contrary to when he plays off the bench and usually leads the team in plus/minus.  This being said, Elfrid Payton did not play.  Coach Thibodeau would love it if Elfrid Payton of Dec-Feb can find his way back onto the floor.  Game Three proved beyond a doubt the Knicks need this.

In his first post-season, Julius Randle continues to struggle.  After averaging 24.1 points, 10.2 rebounds, and a league-high 37.6 minutes during the regular season, Julius averaged just 14.6 points in 35.6 minutes through three games against the Hawks.

The Knicks lost by eleven and were held under 100 points for the first time since their May 11th overtime loss against the Lakers.  RJ Barrett is averaging just 13.6 points per game, and in Game Three was limited to just seven points.  In May, Barrett eclipsed twenty points in a game four times while averaging 17.1 points over the final nine regular-season games.

Scoring just 13 points and getting outscored by 16 points in the second quarter proved devastating.  The difference in the final score speaks for itself.  Atlanta also penetrated and exposed the Knicks' interior, outscoring New York 44-30 in the paint.

There's an argument that the Knicks could and should be up 2-1 in this series.  Game Four will go a long way towards supporting that theory or not.

N.Y. Knicks: Another Strong Second Half Effort This Time Secures Victory in Game Two

From the desk: KICKING CANS DOWN 33RD STREET WITH JIMMY

NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION

PLAYOFFS: ROUND ONE

Game Two

Hawks    92

KNICKS  101

FINAL

Second Half Defense Grounds Hawks

We saw this before: the Knicks get off to another slow start.  Although, I was in the car at the time listening to the radio.  

In the first quarter of game one, they were outscored by eight; Wednesday, they get outscored in the first, this time by seven.  But whereas the Knicks trailed by two at the half of game one, this time they walk off to the locker room down by a concerning 13 points.  

I'm sure Tom Thibodeau had a few choice words for his squad.  Because in the second half, the Knicks held Atlanta to 18 points in the third quarter and just 17 points in the fourth, or said another way, just 35 points in the second half.  Meanwhile, the Knicks score 32 points in a big third quarter and followed up with 25 points in the final session en route to a 57-35 second-half advantage and a much-needed nine-point margin of victory. 

Nerlens Noel was back on the floor and helped the Knicks outrebound the Hawks by a handsome 54-41 difference.  The Knicks also outscored Atlanta 42-28 in the paint.

Trae Young again leads the floor with 30 points in 35 minutes.  Young and Bogdan Bogdanovic, the two you would expect, led all shooters with 20 and 21 attempts, respectively.

Meanwhile, Tom Thibodeau once again throws some crumbs Elfrid Payton's way; five minutes.  While that's still worth pondering, Derrick Rose clocks in with a team-high 39 minutes off the bench, in which he leads the Knicks with both 21 shot attempts and 26 points.  This is also to say Julius Randle did not lead the Knicks in attempts as is his custom.  Lest we forget, one has playoffs experience, and the other does not.  Overall, the bench contributes 55 points thus accounting for 54.4% of the Knicks scoring.  Obi Toppin was both effective and opportunistic, with eight points in twelve minutes.

Julius Randle was an improved performer over game one.  His game numbers betray him.  Let's call him clutch, then.  Randle finishes with 15 points and twelve rebounds in 35 minutes.  His drive the lane floater with 1:13 left in the fourth put the Knicks safely ahead by a 100-91 margin.  

Reggie Bullock added 14 points, and RJ Barrett chipped in with 13 points in 26 minutes.  Alec Burks' scoring line also betrays him, eleven points in 30 minutes, but unlike the Hawks, he provided an extra measure of scoring depth off the bench.

Despite another precarious start, the Knicks finish strong again.  The challenge now is to get the first quarter under control because they've demonstrated in two consecutive games against the Hawks they come on strong in the second half.

N.Y. Knicks: Cold Start Proves Costly

From the desk: KICKING CANS DOWN 33RD STREET WITH JIMMY

NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION

PLAYOFFS: ROUND ONE

GAME ONE

Atlanta Hawks      107

New York Knicks  105

FINAL

Getting to the Point of the Matter

I'm not listening to the nonsensical Frank Ntilikina narrative about preventing Trae Young from playing to his right.  Yes, Julius Randle was there to help on the left side.  But let's not be petty ... that's not what happened.  Losing the game on a last-second shot is not what went wrong.  Instead, the results of the Knicks game-long collective efforts put them in a position to win.

Julius Randle started ice cold, and the Hawks outscored the Knicks in the first quarter by eight.  Randle remained cold, but by halftime, the Knicks deficit was only two, largely thanks to Derrick Rose, who Coach Thibideau utilized off the bench far earlier than anticipated.  Julius stayed cold, yet the Knicks led by two after three quarters.

As he should have, Julius Randle led the team with 23 attempts, the same number as Trae Young.  But whereas Young was 11/23, including 1/3 from behind the arc, and 9/9 from the line for a game-high 32 points, Julius Randle was 6/23 and 2/6 from three and just 1/2 from the line.  Despite hitting a clutch three down the stretch, Randle effectively remained cold throughout the fourth.  If he hits one more three, the Knicks win.  If Julius gets to the line more, the Knicks win.  If the Knicks score two more points back in the first quarter, they probably win.

The Knicks twice exceeded 30 points in a quarter, the Hawks just once; it just so happened in the fourth.  But Atlanta only scored 24 points back in the first; the Knicks scored just 16 points.  Instead of pointing at Young's last shot and Julius Randle's fail attempt at the buzzer, rewind and revisit the first quarter.  But before you do, first remember that Nerlens Noel was not on the floor when Young put up his winning shot.

And by the way, the Knick outrebounded the Hawks by seven.

The bench scored 64 points which accounted for 60.9% of the Knicks scoring.  Alec Burks was the big man on campus, with 18 of his 27 points in the fourth quarter.

Coach Thibodeau has a decision to make at point guard.  I agree that Derrick Rose should play off the bench.  However, necessity is the mother of all inventions.  Rose clocked 38 minutes.  Elfrid Payton played just eight minutes, which in the playoffs proved to be a major waste of Knicks' time.  So, why bother ...

Elfrid Payton posted five or more assists this season 13 times in 63 games.  Six of those episodes occurred within his first ten games of the season.  Since then, just seven times.  His best stretch of the season started on Dec. 27 against the Bucks, in which he scored 27 points with seven rebounds in 29 minutes and wound down by Jan. 10 with five assists against Denver.  Through the last nine regular-season games in May, Payton averaged just 1.8 assists in 15.1 minutes.  The Knicks simply need more in the playoffs, that is, against a singular opponent.

Me, you, everyone is expecting Julius Randle to improve his game.  Chalk this one up to an off-night.  

But what of RJ Barrett?  I hear sniveling in the background.  But I think he played a representative game for a 20-year old, with 14 points and eleven rebounds in 32 minutes.  Barrett, like Randle, only had two attempts from the free-throw line.  That must change.

So, no, all does not boil down to one failed defensive stop.

N.Y. Knicks: Team Effort Outlasts Grizzlies in Overtime

From the desk: KICKING CANS DOWN 33RD STREET WITH JIMMY

FRIDAY

Grizzlies 129

Knicks    133

FINAL / OVERTIME

EXTRA: The Knicks Are Playing Meaningful Games in April

When you play as hard as the Knicks have this season, and it garners a small measure of success, so too do mild expectations start creeping into the equation.  Entering Friday's game losers of five of their last seven, the Knicks needed a win in order to keep from falling three games below par.  The lowest they've been this season is four games under the .500 mark.

Enter the Memphis Grizzlies, ranked eighth in the Western Conference.  Just the kind of team against which to prove a point.  It wasn't easy, as the contest went into overtime.  But with the stakes raised, the Knickerbockers ultimately prevailed to remain a topical item in the post-season conversation.

Although he only tied for third-most shot attempts and finished as the fourth leading scorer on the team, Julius Randle still posted a triple-double with 15 points, eleven assists, and ten rebounds.  Rather, his teammates on this night were prepared to carry the load.  RJ Barrett led the starters with 20 points in 34 minutes, and Immanuel Quickley matched him with 20 points in 31 minutes off the bench.  Derrick Rose and Alec Burks contributed 19 points apiece also off the bench.  

Memphis got off to an early twelve-point lead in the first quarter and still led by nine points at the half.  But the Knicks' effort in the second and fourth quarters would ultimately force overtime.  Immanuel Quickley and Alec Burks each converted a pair of free throws in the closing seconds to seal it for the Knicks.

N.Y. Knicks: Down Goes Mitchell Robinson

From the desk: KICKING CANS DOWN 33RD STREET WITH JIMMY

MONDAY

HEAT

vs.

KNICKS

FROM

EIGHTH AVENUE GYM

THE HEAT IS BACK ON NERLENS NOEL

With Saturday's victory over the Milwaukee Bucks, the Knickerbockers have now won three straight games for the fifth time this season.  Can they finally breakthrough with a fourth consecutive victory when they play the Miami Heat Monday night at the Garden?  

Miami enters Sunday's action eighth in the Eastern Conference standings with a 24-22 record.  The Knicks record is just the opposite.  In fact, they are now two games over .500 for the first and only time since Jan. 6, when they improved to 5-3 with a surprise twelve-point victory over the Jazz.  They're 6-4 in their last ten and are one of six Eastern Conference teams with a plus point differential.  The number four Charlotte Hornets and the Heat cannot say the same.

Just as Derrick Rose returned to the lineup after a bout with COVID, the Knicks will again be going forth minus the services of center Mitchell Robinson, who recently returned from surgery for a fractured hand.  He is a formidable presence in Coach Thibodeau's defense.  Midway through the first quarter of Saturday's game against the Bucks, on a play in which he caused a Milwaukee turnover,  Mitchell Robinson suffered a bad landing and hobbled off the court with a potential fracture/break of his right foot.

Having to deal with Brook Lopez and Thanasis Antetokounmpo, Nerlens Noel was called upon again to pick up the slack.  He scored six points, but more importantly, secured a game-high eleven rebounds (five offensive), with three blocks and two steals in 31 minutes.

Also playing minus all-star Julius Randle, the Knicks held Milwaukee under 100 points en route to a four-point road victory.  Alec Burks and RJ Barrett each scored 21 points apiece.  Burks led the team with a plus-13 in 41 minutes.  Barrett led with seven assists.  Immanuel Quickley scored 13 points in 26 minutes off the bench.

N.Y. Knicks: Julius Randle Part of NBA's Magnificent Seven

From the desk: KICKING CANS DOWN 33RD STREET WITH JIMMY

22-22 (.500)

Sixth Place

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Coach Thibs and the Time Bandits Turn Last Season Into a Distant Memory

Recent losses against the Sixers and Nets were just as meaningful as any of the Knicks' twenty-two victories to date.  That's how lively and competitive they've played under Coach Thibs.  

If you bet the over on the season's projected win total, then this is hitting the jackpot.  Lest we forget the Knicks last season finished with a 21-45 (.318) record.  On Tuesday, they achieved win number 22 of the season with 28 games still to play.  Defense is clearly leading the way.  The Knicks are the NBA's third stingiest team averaging 105.3 points allowed per game.  However, they also own a +0.3 point differential, which at this moment cannot be said of two other top-eight Eastern Conference teams.

After a quiet return to action on Sunday, Mitchell Robinson was 7/9 from the floor and 2/2 from the line for 16 points in 31 minutes off the bench.  He tied for a game-high twelve rebounds and blocked three shots.  I suspect he and Nerlens Noel will switch roles shortly.  

Alec Burks was 6/12 from the field and a perfect 6/6 from the line for 20 points in 29 minutes and Immanuel Quickley scored 14 points in a brief albeit efficient twelve minutes, both also off the bench.

Timing well with Mitch Robinson's return, Elfrid Payton was also back in action.  He slashed for seven points, five rebounds, four assists, with three steals and a plus-twelve in 21 minutes.  

Meanwhile, Derrick Rose remains out under COVID protocol - nine games and counting.

Otherwise, Coach Thibodeau in customary fashion made his starters earn their pay.  Julius Randle led the floor with 37 points on 13/24 from the field, 7/10 from behind the arc, and 4/5 from the line.  RJ Barrett was next in with 21 points and a team-high five assists in 39 minutes. 

Julius Randle is averaging 37.1 minutes per game, second only behind Brooklyn's James Harden who clocks in with a league-high 38.0 minutes per game.  Of the league's top thirty scorers, Julius Randle ranks #27 with 23.3 points per game but is one of only seven players in the top thirty averaging a double-double.  The other six are Joel Embiid, Thanasis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokic, James Harden, Nikola Vucevic, and Karl-Anthony Towns.

It is said people are largely a product of the people they surround themselves with.  

Julius is keeping good company.

N.Y. Knicks: Bockers Motor Through Detroit Pistons

From the desk: KICKING CANS DOWN 33rd STREET WITH JIMMY

SUNDAY

Knicks  109

Pistons  90

FINAL

Knicks Win Third Straight; Improve to Game Over Par

Break up the Knicks, who won their third in a row, and the fourth in their last five games to climb one game over .500 for the first time since Jan. 8 when they owned a 5-4 record.

Once again Julius Randle leads the floor with 25 points on 10/18 from the floor and 2/3 from the line and a game-high six assists.  He finished with a game-high plus-21, six assists, and eight rebounds.  Jerami Grant led the Pistons with 21 points in 31 minutes but got canceled out by RJ Barrett's 21 points on 8/13 from the field and 3/3 from the line in 35 minutes.  Making yet another start, Derrick Rose was 6/14 from the field including 2/3 from behind the arc for 14 points with five assists.

Nerlens Noel continues playing big minutes, clocking in a game-high 40 minutes with eight points and a game-high eleven rebounds.

Alec Burks led the bench effort with 16 points and three assists in 26 minutes, and Immanuel Quickley was 4/9 from the field and 3/3 from the line for twelve points in 16 minutes.  Obi Toppin was afforded 19 minutes but only added four points and four rebounds.

Sunday marks the 13th time this season the Knicks have limited their opponent to 100 points or less.  The Knicks remain the stingiest team in the league, limiting opponents to just 104.4 points per game entering Sunday's action.

Their shooting continues improving as well.  Against Detroit, they shot 51.2% from the field and 50% from three.  Against the Pacers, the Knicks shot 49.4% and a likewise 50% from three.  Before that, they shot 58.6% against the Kings ad 52.8% from behind the arc.  

N.Y. Knicks: Look What the Bockers Did to the Pacers, Again

From the desk: KICKING CANS DOWN 33RD STREET WITH JIMMY

SATURDAY

Pacers  107

Knicks  110

FINAL

Bockers Outpace Indy; Climb To Fourth Spot in Eastern Conference Standings

Climb Back To Level Ground

17-17 (.500)

Almost all things in this game being equal, the Knicks grit and determination and Coach Thibs ultimately win out over the Pacers Saturday at the Garden.  

There's really no other way to explain it.  

The Pacers were plus-three in total possessions, plus-three in attempts from the line, a slim plus-one in assists, and plus-five in blocked shots.  They were also plus-ten points in the paint.  Meanwhile, the Knicks were a more proficient 49.4% from the field, including 50% from behind the arc, plus-six on fast-break points, a plus-three in rebounds, and plus-seven in steals.

Indiana starts the game on an 8-0 run, brought to a stop when Derrick Rose buries a pair of free throws to finally get the Knicks on the board.  Roughly 20 minutes later, Rose launches a three-attempt from 8th Avenue and hits to give the Knicks a one-point lead at the half to the great delight of the socially distanced crowd.

With a three-point lead, Immanuel Quickley and Obi Toppin open the fourth quarter together.  Toppin, however, would only see six minutes all game.  Quickley hits a three-pointer-and-one at 11:04, giving the Knicks a nine-point lead.  After relinquishing the lead, RJ Barrett's short-range jumper ties the game at 98-98, and his follow-up free throw puts the Knicks up by one with 3:32 left.  Julius Randle's three at 2:55 puts the Knicks up by four.  After a Nerlens Noel steal in the defensive end, Julius Randle draws a foul and sinks two free throws to the chants of MVP! MVP!, giving the Knicks a five-point lead.  At this point, Coach Thibs subs out Julius Randle for Frank Ntilikina, and the move pays off.  With a two-point lead, RJ Barrett misses a pair of free throws with just 0:14 seconds left.  On Indiana's ensuing possession Frank Ntilikina steals the ball and is fouled.  Frank then converts both attempts, and the Knicks hold on for a three-point margin of victory.

The hardest working man in Manhattan, Julius Randle, wins his one-on-one confrontation with Domantas Sabonis, who led the Pacers with 15 points, nine assists, and a team-high seven rebounds in 36 minutes.  The Knicks all-star answered with a game-high 28 points, with six assists and a game-high ten rebounds for his 22nd double-double through 34 games.  RJ Barrett was second in with 24 points on 8/17 from the field, including 4/6 from behind the arc.  Getting another start, Derrick Rose, who caused a decisive turnover in the closing moments of the game, contributed 17 points with a team-high eleven assists.

Immanuel Quickley was 3/4 from behind the arc and 1/1 from the line for ten points in just 13 minutes off the bench.  Alec Burks played 21 minutes off the bench with five points, two assists, and a steal.  

The Knicks improved to 2-1 against the Indiana Pacers, but more importantly, finally, reestablish par with a 17-17 record.  Moreover, they move into a tie with the Florida Raptors for fourth place in the Eastern Conference with just over a half-season left to play.

N.Y. Knicks: Offensive Surge Upends Sacramento Kings

From the desk: KICKING CANS DOWN 33RD STREET WITH JIMMY

This is Alec Burk's City, We're Just Living In It

THURSDAY

Kings  121

Knicks 140

FINAL

Bench Leads Revolt Over Kings

No need to get your vision checked.  You saw that right ...

The Knickerbockers score a season-high 140 points en route to a 19 point victory over the Sacramento Kings.  In possession once again of the Midas touch, the Knicks shot 58.6% from the field, including 52.8% from beyond the arc.  The Knicks also outrebounded the Kings by a margin of plus-nine.

Rookie Immanuel Quickley leads the Knicks with 25 points in just 20 minutes off the bench, shooting 5/10 from the floor and a perfect 12/12 from the line.  Also, off the bench, Alec Burk was next in with 24 points and 5/8 from three range in 25 minutes but exploded for 19 of those points in the fourth quarter.  Meanwhile, Frank Ntilikina returned to action for the first time since just before New Year's Day.  Frank scored seven points in only his fifth game of the season with two assists in 23 minutes.

Derrick Rose made his first start since rejoining the Knicks.  He scored 18 points and distributed a team-high seven assists.  Julius Randle, recently named to the all-star game, notches yet another double-double, with 21 points and a game-high 14 rebounds; it's his 21st double-double of the season.

The Knicks improved to 9-7 at home and once again close to within one game of achieving a .500 record.

N.Y. Knicks: California Dreamin'

From the desk: KICKING CANS DOWN 33RD STREET WITH JIMMY

LEFT COAST SWING

THURSDAY

Knicks   119

Warriors 104

FINAL

A fifteen point victory over the Golden State Warriors ... be honest, considering their early schedule, who out there thought the Knicks would start the season win eight wins in their first sixteen games?

Not many, myself included.

The New York Thibs do it again.  A long flight to the Left Coast and playing the front end of back-to-back games means a long bench.  Coach Thibodeau went five deep, with all receiving at least eleven minutes.  Alec Burks led the effort with eleven points and five rebounds in 31 minutes.  Nerlens Noel adds six points, eleven rebounds, and four blocks.  Rookie Obi Toppin squeezed in five points in twelve minutes.

RJ Barrett scores a career-high 28 points on 10/17 from the field, including 2/3 from the arc in a team-high 37 minutes.  Julius Randle drops 16 points, distributes a game-high nine assists, and secures a game-high 17 rebounds in 36 minutes.  Mitchell Robinson was second on the team with 18 points and grabbed eight rebounds.

The Knicks outrebounded the Warriors by a 55-48 margin and shot an improved 46.3% from the field, including 45.8% from three.

Stephen Curry led the floor with 30 points.

Coach Thib's number one rated defense is at least three points better than the second-place Los Angeles Lakers.

FRIDAY

Knicks   94

Kings   103

FINAL

 

The Knicks defense stays true, but their scoring touch fails them yet again.  Sacramento pulls away down the stretch.  The Knicks were plus-three in total attempts but only convert on 36/94 shots for 38.3% percent from the field.  Mitchell Robinson scores twelve and grabs ten rebounds.  Julius Randle leads the floor with 26 points and 14 rebounds.   The Knicks continue leading the league with the fewest points scored per game yet still lead the league in allowing the fewest points on defense by a 3.6 margin better than the Lakers.  The bench shot just 11/37 (29.7%) from the field for 28 points in 87 minutes.  That just will not do.

N.Y. Knicks: Coach Thibodeau's Time Bandits

From the desk: KICKIN' CANS DOWN 33RD STREET WITH JIMMY

KNICKS STARTERS 

AVERAGING 33 MINUTES PER GAME

🏀      🕰      🏀

Coach Thibodeau Time Stamping Team Effort at the Door

Six games into the season, the Knicks perhaps have already won two more contests than many anticipated.  First and foremost was their bedazzling twenty-point victory over Milwaukee.  They promptly followed up with a nine-point victory at Cleveland, and then Saturday's defensively contested win at Indiana.  A defeat at the hands of Toronto makes them 3-1 in their last four games.

The Knicks, on average, have thus far allowed 104.7 points per game, ranking them fifth-best in the league.

Hello Coach Tom Thibodeau!

If you're a starter for the Knicks, Coach is taking away the minutes that make up a dull day in an old-fashioned way (... Pink Floyd).  Said another way, he makes you work hard, and it appears as if he has the full attention of his largely young and impressionable personnel.

I'll make opening night a stand-alone game, only because it was the first game, and no one really knew what to expect - not from Thibodeau, but from this roster.  However, six games in, we have a trend to speak of.  

During game one against Indiana, seven different players registered at least twenty minutes; the starters clocked in an average of 27.6 minutes.  After the first game, what's there to say..?

During game two versus PHILA, six different players played at least twenty minutes; the starters averaged 28.4 minutes.  However, whereas Elfrid Payton started, he only played eighteen minutes.  Carrying the load off the bench were Kevin Knox II with 29 minutes and Alec Burks with 31 minutes.

Coach Thibodeau switched up and started Reggie Bullock against Milwaukee but limited him to seventeen minutes.  Similarly, six different players partake in at least twenty minutes, with two coming off the bench; Knox registered 26 minutes and Burks 21 minutes.  The five starters this time average 31.2 minutes.

Thibodeau revved things up in their victory at Cleveland, playing his five starters an average of 38.4 minutes without a single bench player achieving twenty minutes.  Coach stuck with a tight eight-man rotation with Knox, Frank Ntilikina, and Nerlens Noel, receiving sixteen minutes each.

Coach then eased up on the gas pedal against Toronto.  Seven players got at least twenty minutes, but the starting five still averaged 32.2 minutes.

SATURDAY

KNICKS   106

PACERS   102

FINAL

Saturday in their return match against the Pacers, Coach stuck with a nine-man rotation.  Elfrid Payton started and scored 19 points with five assists in 34 effective minutes.  The starting five averaged 35 minutes, but center Mitchell Robinson just missed the mark with 29 minutes.  Otherwise, the four-man bench averaged 16 minutes.

Cycling back, I am omitting game one just because ...

Under Coach Thibodeau, Knicks' starters over the last five games average 33 minutes per game and play top tier defense.  They have now played Indiana twice.  Therefore, to date, four of the Knicks' five opponents last season all qualified for the playoffs, with the lone exception being Cleveland.

With another coach in place, this team is not playing .500 basketball.  Inclusive in Tom Thibodeau and Scott Perry's job descriptions are making the recent past (twenty years) a non-issue.  Thibodeau is already garnering results.  The onus now falls on general manager Scott Perry to procure for this coach some more complimentary talent by the March trade deadline.  Nothing crazy, just someone to help share the load.  That Thibodeau is a demanding dude.

• NEXT: @ Atlanta Hawks, Monday