Knicks 107, Mavericks 77: “It’s my gym”
The Knicks walked into Dallas on a two-game win streak, and walked out with a three-game streak after dominating the Mavericks wire-to-wire behind another big night from Julius Randle.
Seventy-three points. Seventy-three freaking points. That’s the total the Dallas Mavericks, who entered last night’s game winners of five in a row and eleven of thirteen games, were held to by your New York Knickerbockers last night.
The Knicks played arguably their most complete game of the season. We’ve seen great stretches. We’ve seen exciting finishes. But we have yet to see the team really put it together for 48 minutes. And while there were certainly a few minor lulls, last night was probably the closest the Knicks have come to doing just that.
But how did they do it? Did they continue riding their young guns? Let’s dive in.
Another fast start
The Knicks continue to come out of the gate hot. While the despicable first half just two nights ago against Sacramento may have left a sour taste in some peoples’ mouths, the Knicks have now had double digit leads in twelve of their last fourteen games. Yet their record in those games is just 4-10. No, you’re not reading that wrong.
RJ Barrett led the charge in the first half, looking very much like the best player on the court the whole way. His second shift beginning at the end of the first quarter and carrying over well into the second was when he really shined. Since Barrett was a rookie, he’s shown a finishing ability that gave Knick fans hope that one day he would be a star. What he’s paired with it is an embrace of the gifts God gave him. Very few have his combination of size and athleticism. So it was always jarring to see him operate so far below the rim, giving the defense exactly what they wanted.
Those days are done. Barrett is now relentless attacking the rim. Two games ago we saw him bully Terance Mann. Monday night it was Harrison Barnes. Last night he took it a step further and decided to overpower anyone the Mavericks threw in front of him. At the half, Barrett had an impressive 14 points, three assists and three rebounds.
And he was hardly alone. The Knicks got contributions across the board. Alec Burks continued his resurgence as head coach Tom Thibodeau moves him closer and closer to his optimal role. Evan Fournier had a baseline reverse layup that reminded Knick fans why they were so eager to send Reggie Bullock packing this past offseason. Bullock did a fine job reminding them himself, shooting 0-8 from the field and scoring as many points as I did from my couch. Mitchell Robinson and Taj Gibson commanded the paint on both sides of the court, and Immanuel Quickley and Deuce McBride locked down the perimeter.
All in all, the Knicks dominated the first half and led 61-34 at the break. You may have noticed I forgot a single name. But his time to shine would soon present itself.
“It’s my gym”
The Knicks came out to start the second half in a way fans know all too well — flat. Sitting on a 27-point lead, the starters were unable to match the defensive intensity the backups brought in the second quarter, and they matched it with equally uninspiring ball movement on offense. Late in the third, MVP candidate Luka Doncic hit a step-back three to cut the Knicks’ lead to 74-60, to which most Knick fans had the same reaction:
“Of course.”
But, unlike the heartbreakers against the Lakers, Blazers, Thunder, or Nets (it’s sad how many options there were), the Knicks did not fold. Instead, they hopped aboard the shoulders of 2021 Most Improved Player Julius Randle, as he re-seized the momentum for the Knicks. Randle had 19 points in the second half, which is good, but by no means otherworldly. What made these 19 points special was the timing and the types of baskets he was getting.
In his third year with the team, Knick fans are familiar with Randle. We know his cadences like John Bonham knows “Stairway to Heaven”. Close your eyes and picture Randle operating at the elbow. The image should be clear. If he draws the double he’s gonna pass it; if he doesn’t, he’s going to jab step and dribble into some sort of mid-range jump shot. It’s just who Julius Randle is.
Except for last night. Perhaps inspired by the small opposing front court, or playing in front of his hometown crowd, Randle attacked the rim at will last night. And the Mavericks could not stop him. He took seven shots at the rim, missing only one, a put-back. The first play after Doncic cut the Knicks’ lead to 14, Randle caught the ball at the left free throw line extended and did not hesitate. He caught defender Maxi Kleber on his heels and blew past him for the easy layup, pushing the score to 76-60. When he re-entered the game in the fourth quarter, he scored six straight points to put the game out of reach.
This season has been a disappointment in so many ways. Randle is a very big part of that. We can talk about certain changes or decisions that were (or were not) made, but at the end of the day, if you have a player go from earning Second Team All-NBA to shooting barely 30% from three, then this kind of underachieving should be expected. But Knick fans should be encouraged by what we saw from Randle last night. A Randle more willing to attack the rim is more likely to offset shooting regression. And after last night, Randle is now attempting over 30% of his shots inside five feet, up from 22% last season.
Amidst all the excitement about the kids’ success, Randle has gotten lost in the shuffle. Some Knick fans seem to want him to just go away. But I think we’ve forgotten that there’s still a heavy incentive for us to root for him to right the ship. If the Knicks decide to trade him, we want his value to be as high as it can possibly be this summer. We want him to show other teams he’s worth the steep price the Knicks will likely ask for. But there’s also the chance the Knicks don’t trade him. That they, stubbornly or not, still believe it can work for him in New York. After all, he’s barely 27 years old. And if that is the case, then every one of us should hope that the Julius Randle we’ve seen these past few games, the one attacking the rim at will, is here to stay. The Knicks ended up winning by 30, and Randle was a huge part of that. How many more big wins will he be a part of?
What could have been
As I watched the Knicks’ second unit smother the Mavericks defensively, I couldn’t help but think, “why did it take so damn long for us to see this?” It’s not like we hadn’t been asking for it. Despite his shooting struggles, many have been calling for Immanuel Quickley, who continues to improve with each game, to start in favor of a point guard who wasn’t working and a backup who isn’t a point guard. In fact, as each new young player thrives, it’s hard to shake the feeling that each one should have been showcased sooner.
In preparation for Friday night’s game, I went back and rewatched the first game against the Memphis Grizzlies. That game, game 52 of the season, took place on February 2, 2022; barely a month ago. At the three minute mark of the game, seven players had seen the court for the Knicks. Barrett, Robinson, Randle, Burks, Fournier, Nerlens Noel, and Kemba Walker. This was NBA purgatory. And the worst part? The head coach was choosing to plant his flag there.
With that in mind, it’s tough not to wonder what this season could have looked like if the franchise selected a path sooner. At the time of Walker’s second benching, the starting five of Walker-Fournier-Barrett-Randle-Robinson had played the second-most minutes in the entire league with a net rating of -13.8. The only lineup to play more minutes was the starting lineup of the defending Western Conference champion Phoenix Suns, whose starters are over 20 points better per 100 possessions.
I bring this up because the Knicks are approaching a time where decisions must be made. Maybe Derrick Rose and Nerlens Noel will be healthy again this season. If so, what rotation decisions will Thibodeau make? Or this summer, how will the team consolidate its assets so that they can head into next season with a more clear depth chart? The only way to answer these questions is to know the path they’re heading down.
Wins are fun, but they ultimately mean very little if they are not building towards anything concrete.
