Knicks 108, Mavericks 85: Fate
Just like last year, the 20-21 Knicks faced the Dallas Mavericks and came away with a statement win. Could this be the latest spark to propel the Knicks into the second half of the season?
The New York Knicks, winners of four of their last five games, faced off with arguably their biggest out-of-conference rivals. Filled to the brim with former teammates turned foes, the Dallas Mavericks, riding a six-game winning streak, entered the game one of the hottest teams in the NBA. If you’re reading this you likely know what happened — the Knicks spent four quarters tossing the Mavericks around like a rag doll. Who was responsible for this absolute blitz? Is it sustainable? Let’s dive in.
A fast start
It is commonplace these days to see a person mistake a coincidence for irony. Maybe it’s the extra street cred using irony has provided since 1995 and the release of Jagged Little Pill, or maybe it’s just the extra syllables in coincidence, but for whatever reason, the human race can’t seem to nail that one down. Sometimes, however, the tables are turned and an entirely different phenomenon gets confused for coincidence: fate.
The 2020-2021 Knicks, a team that has felt more and more distant as this season has trudged along, had a very familiar record through 41 games; 20-21. Boosted by the addition of Derrick Rose, that team made a second half surge that propelled them into the fourth seed by season’s end. The pinnacle of the season? April 16, 2021, when a shorthanded Knicks team traveled to Dallas and took on Luka Doncic, Kristaps Porzingis, and the Dallas Mavericks. Led by Julius Randle’s 44 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists, the Knicks won handily and increased their win streak to five. A little less than a year later, the 2021-2022 Knicks sat with that exact same record through 41 games, and faced many of the same questions; Is Julius Randle capable of being Gotham’s Batman? And if so, can RJ Barrett be Robin? Is Tom Thibodeau the right coach for this team? If last night’s game was meant to serve as a response, then that would be a resounding yes.
From the opening, the Knicks came out like a team trying to make a statement. The Knicks have raised so many questions over the team’s frustrating first half of their campaign, it would have been tough to soundly answer them all with one fell swoop, but they sure as hell tried. And, perhaps most importantly, they did so together. The first quarter was, in many ways, emblematic of the game as a whole. Randle moved and passed with a purpose. Barrett came out aggressive, both looking for his own shot and battling an undersized Mavericks team on the defensive glass. Mitchell Robinson looked determined to capitalize on the aforementioned size advantage. And Alec Burks and Evan Fournier served as the connectors Knick fans hoped they would be. Through one quarter the Knicks led 30-21, and every Knick starter scored and impacted the game in his own way.
A rapid pace
A hot topic headed into this season was the Knicks’ pace. Despite their overall success last season, the Knicks’ offense was 23rd in offensive rating, even with both Randle and Barrett shooting far above their heads from the outside. A big reason for that was how often they operated in the half court. So, this season, things were supposed to be different. Fournier and Kemba Walker (who missed yet another game last night) were going to come in and help push the pace to make the team less reliant on the half court offense. And for six games, it certainly looked like that was that case. Until it wasn’t.
Entering this game, for a second straight season, the Knicks are dead last in the NBA in pace. And the Mavericks are just ahead of them at 29th. This game was certain to be a methodical one, as if it were longing for the glory days of the ‘90s. And then something funny happened — Julius Randle. Randle pushed the pace at every opportunity. If he could grab a rebound and go, he did it. If not, he pushed the ball ahead to someone who could. The Knicks got so many opportunities in the first half of the shot clock against a retreating defense that they may very well have tricked the national audience into thinking this is how they always play.
And, believe me, the Knicks needed every one of these self-created advantages. The Mavericks had not only won six games in a row, but had leaped up to sixth in defensive rating. They are an elite defensive team in the half court. Maybe the Knicks just woke up for a nationally televised game. Or maybe Thibodeau did his homework and created a game plan to keep the Mavericks defense from being set as much as possible. If so, kudos to him. Let’s hope this game shined a light on the value of upping the pace, and we start to see a lot more of it from our Knicks.
Mitchell Robinson
Before we get to the star of the game, let us first sing the praises of the man who so consistently flies under everyone’s — including his teammates’ — radars: Mitchell Robinson. Robinson was phenomenal last night, playing one of his best and most complete games of the season. Every aspect of his game was firing on all cylinders. He dominated the glass on both sides of the court. He protected and finished at the rim. He switched onto both Luka Doncic and Jalen Brunson multiple times and more than held his own. And while the connection of his screens was its typical almost-empty-ketchup-bottle quality, he was as active and willing a screener as I can recall in recent memory.
But, perhaps most importantly, Robinson showed Knicks fans a wrinkle we have been wanting to see for four seasons now; he caught the freaking ball. Robinson played like a man determined to prove he doesn’t have hands of steel. He was like an entirely different player. If he wasn’t leaping high above the other nine players on the court to corral a rebound, he was snaring a pass from Julius Randle that very well may have sent him flying to the ground just a season ago. It’s been an up and down season for Mitch. One that’s seen him battle a benching, a quick COVID list visit, and the urge to share his thoughts on his Instagram story the night after games. But if the Mitchell Robinson we saw last night is here to stay, it won’t be long before we reopen the discussion about his contract.
RJ Barrett
Through it all, this was RJ Barrett’s night, once again. Something occurring frequently enough recently it’s starting to become a trend. Barrett, still just 21 years old, has scored 30 or more points on 59% or better shooting in three of his last five games. All three coming in Knick wins. The first two came against Indiana Pacers and San Antonio Spurs, teams that were both meaningfully shorthanded and not really all that good. Which is why this game felt so special.
And that is just the beginning. Because, like Robinson, Barrett showcased an array of skills his loyal fans, some of whom could be heard at the Garden chanting his name last night, had been desperate to see since the day he was drafted. Barrett was getting whatever and wherever he wanted within the teeth of the Mavericks defense. He made layups from both sides of the rim, with both hands. He made floaters. He drove left, stopped on a dime, turned on his right heel and hit a fadeaway over a stumbling Mavericks big man. He hit not one, not two, but three pull-up jump shots off the dribble. His greatness did not lack diversity. No, it was so multifaceted that we are approaching a time where the league better start paying attention.
Because, guess what? That’s not all RJ Barrett did last night. He was, somehow, just as brilliant on the other side of the basketball. Tasked with guarding preseason MVP favorite Luka Doncic, Barrett hounded him. Doncic is many defenders' worst nightmare. If you’re quick enough to slide with him, it is likely he can overpower you in the post. If he can’t overpower you in the post, you’re likely not quick enough to slide with him. He is the ultimate catch-22. But Barrett is one of the rare defenders who can answer both questions, and he did so last night. Doncic was just 2-8 from the field when Barrett was his primary defender.
Doing it the hard way
Despite the victory, the Knicks find themselves in a tie with the Boston Celtics for just 10th in the East. In addition to that, unfortunately, they have one of the league’s toughest remaining schedules. The team dug a hole for itself with a multitude of early season letdowns, not able to capitalize on a soft early schedule, and now they have to dig themselves out. But the basketball team that sprinted around the majestic Garden court for 48 minutes last night was one that looked up to the challenge. They played hard. They played smart. They played together. No one can predict just how the rest of this season will go or if the Knicks will be playoff-bound come April, but for the first time in far too long, I am damn excited to watch them try.
