Knicks 102, Magic 98: So cool, so collected
Behind a masterful fourth quarter from Jalen Brunson, the New York Knicks overcame a slow start to defeat the Orlando Magic.
As I sit, watching LeBron James surpass Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to become the NBA’s all-time leading scorer in *the latest* most embarrassing Los Angeles Lakers’ loss this season, I can’t help but be reminded of the importance of being humble. After an emphatic win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday, the New York Knicks walked into Tuesday night’s matchup against the Orlando Magic with momentum on their side, and a boost in the news that RJ Barrett would be available after missing the last game with illness.
But no one told them, or at least it appeared that way, as they crawled out to what would generously be described as a sluggish start in this one. That goes double for the returning Barrett, who opened up the game 0-for-4 from the field. Turnovers were an issue in the first quarter, but a three-minute defensive stand where they prevented Magic field goals saw New York down just 26-22.
Isaiah Hartenstein collected his third foul just over a minute into the second quarter, which seemed a de facto harbinger of doom given that the Knicks are already down Mitchell Robinson. But second-year big Jericho Sims put forth an admirable effort as New York and Orlando traded runs throughout the quarter, with Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle leading the way on offense.
Still, the Knicks faced an eight-point deficit at halftime, after posting their lowest scoring first half of the season with 40 points to the Magic’s 48. Barrett didn’t play the back half of the second quarter, justifiably, after making just one of seven shots and going space cadet on the defensive end.
He came out equally aggressive in the second half. And while it was Randle who headlined the offense, Barrett maintained a pronounced role in the passing game.
But those are only two of three bananas currently heading the New York offense. Brunson picked up stride in the second half, too.
Then came my favorite play of the game, a football snap-esque pass from Randle to Immanuel Quickley, who drained the corner three to bring the Knicks within four.
Jericho Sims’ first three-point attempt of the year was a close second.
Pulling up from 59 feet is admittedly ambitious for a career 0% 3-point shooter, but what do I know? I barely made it through my two-mile run today. So, New York walked (damn near literally) into the fourth quarter down three, on the road, against an Orlando team with absolutely nothing to lose. And they proceeded to take $104 million and dump it all over the Amway Center hardwood . . .
. . . in the form of the NBA’s top late-game bucket getter, Brunson, who scored 10 of his 25 in the final frame, earning “Let’s go Knicks!” chants from the thousands of New York faithful displaced and in-person for victory number 30 on the year. He diced, he sliced, he dished, and most importantly, he swished. As the great Clyde Frazier described him on the broadcast, Brunson was “so cool, so collected” in the fourth quarter. Following his latest “I’m a hooper, not a basketball player” performance, Jalen Brunson is now the NBA’s top clutch-time scorer this season with 120 points.
We are a long way from Elfrid Payton corner threes, Jarrett Jack full-court heaves or watching Randle rotate into the paint, dribbling the ball off of his knees.
Notes:
● New York improves to 8-0 this season when they hold opponents to 100 points or less, and they’ve done so in back-to-back games.
● The Knicks are going back to the dunk contest! Shams Charania of The Athletic reported late on Tuesday night that after Sheadon Sharpe withdrew his name from the event, Jericho Sims has accepted an invitation to participate. Quoth Andy Bernard in The Office: “I wasn’t the first choice, but I was the first choice’s first choice.”
● How about Jericho Sims! I owe the young fella an apology. After getting obliterated in the overtime loss to the L.A. Clippers last week, he’s strung together two strong performances against stiff center competition in Joel Embiid and a combination of Bol Bol/Wendell Carter Jr. He finished Tuesday night with eight points, nine rebounds (five offensive), two steals and an assist. As much as he’s been needed since Mitchell went down injured, that need was doubled on Tuesday night as Hartenstein collected his third foul early on in the second quarter. Charania mentions Sims has “emerged as a rotation big” in his above tweet, and he’s right.
● LeBron James is the NBA’s all-time leading scorer. That is still (hours later) an absolutely wild sentence to have to read/type. But selfishly, when I look at the all-time scoring list, my eyes will always veer to the difference in games between James and Once A Knick, Always A Knick and future Hall of Famer Carmelo Anthony. Not to say that Melo was ever seriously in play for the all-time record, but the man is comfortably in ninth place, having played 149 less games than his banana boat peer. What could have been…
● Speaking of an all-time New York Knicks great, Quickley had an excellent game, finishing with 18 points, four assists, three rebounds, a steal and no turnovers. He’s got to be the most versatile role player that never was, given that he’s played two completely different roles in back-to-back games, after getting the spot start for RJ in Sunday’s win over the Philadelphia 76ers.
● According to Stathead.com, this was Quickley’s third game of the season with 15+ points, four or more assists, and no turnovers off the bench. That ties him with Malcolm Brogdon and Russell Westbrook for most in the NBA. If it weren’t for his 10 scattered starts this season, I firmly believe the Knicks guard would be in consideration for this year’s Sixth Man of the Year award. He’s top-10 in total points, total assists, and total steals off the bench this season, and top-three in total plus-minus.
● Credit to Tom Thibodeau (I think?) for not turning back to Evan Fournier in the second half. New York had their lowest scoring first half of the season and made just five of their 19 attempts from three through the first 24 minutes. He played a great game on Sunday, so that seemed like the obvious pivot in a search for answers.
56 games into the season, should the sixth-seed New York Knicks be taking a matchup with the 12th-seed Orlando Magic down to the wire? Hell no. But much like LeBron’s mixed night with the Lakers, sometimes you’ve got to stop, take a look at what you have in the moment and remember the times when you didn’t. For the first time since 2012-13, the New York Knicks have 30 wins before the All-Star Break. Last year, they were seven games under .500 at the trade deadline and nine under – with only 25 wins – going into the All-Star Break. Cheers to you, Jalen Brunson, tonight’s hero. So cool, so collected.
