Knicks 115, Magic 102: “In complete control”
In convincing fashion, the New York Knicks secured their second victory of the season with a 115-102 win over Paolo Banchero and the Orlando Magic.
With second-year guard Quentin Grimes still out and Tom Thibodeau fully vaccinated against the Cam Fam fever, New York rolled out their usual starting five for game three: Jalen Brunson, Evan Fournier, RJ Barrett, Julius Randle and Mitchell Robinson. Through three games that lineup is -6 and looked every bit the part to start this bout with an 0-3 Orlando Magic. New York missed their first two shots before giving up a corner three to Franz Wagner, though not before Robinson swatted his layup attempt on the same possession.
Randle, who I’d predicted pregame would get the best of first overall pick Paolo Banchero, took the first blow in the heavyweight undercard matinee.
It seems worth noting here that Banchero is averaging 22.8 points through the first four games of his career. He’s the first player to begin their career with four consecutive 20-point performances since Grant Hill in 1994. I’m old enough to remember when Orlando shocked the world by taking Banchero first overall. He followed that bucket up with by drawing contact on Randle along the baseline, hitting both free throws and giving the Magic a 10-6 lead with 8:13 to go in the first. It would take the Knicks just over three minutes to take the lead, with pace and ball movement giving Brunson a wide open three-point attempt to lead 15-14.
But an average first quarter bout of back-and-forth feelers between the teams soon became the stage for the unprecedented – two-fold. With just over five minutes to go in the first, Brunson pushed ahead, synchronized with big man Mitch on the pick and roll, threw the ball up for the alley oop and time stood still for opposing center Mo Bamba, who snatched the ball away. This was the first turnover of Brunson’s campaign with New York. Unprecedented. At least, so far. He now holds the record for most consecutive assists (16) without a turnover to start a Knicks career, surpassing Miles McBride, who notched 15 through six games.
Fast forward to the remaining three minutes of the first and New York is playing four reserves: Immanuel Quickley, Reddish, Immanuel Quickley, Obi Toppin, and Isaiah Hartenstein along with RJ Barrett. Following yet another set of free throws for Banchero, Toppin inbounded the to Quickley, who took two dribbles before finding Reddish under the basket with a vicious bounce pass.
For those not in the know, a large portion of Knicks Twitter spent the days leading up to Monday night’s game blasphemously posting online that in addition to being a ball hog, Quickley has also “refused” to pass the ball to Reddish thus far this season. Remember the Cam Fam Fever I mentioned earlier? Some folks got it bad. Luckily for them, Quickley brought the cure. Both shots and a booster, as he recorded three straight assists to Reddish to close out the first quarter of this one.
I’ve seen lighting strike once. I’ve heard it never strikes in the same place twice. But to see it strike thrice? Unprecedented. The second quarter would provide little to no excitement, sans this absolutely sick move from Brunson to find Randle for the slam dunk. Both teams scored 31 in the second, leaving the Knicks up 65-59 at halftime.
No one’s talking about it, but Brunson took Cole Anthony’s lunch money in this one. The second half opened up with some sloppy ball on New York’s end, largely by way of Randle, who made one of three shots in the opening minutes. Fortunately for the star forward, his newly acquired running mate went to work quickly. Brunson hit three straight shots for the Knicks to keep a resurging Magic team at bay, taking advantage of the favorable matchup he’d found in Anthony.
Then it was an ice cold RJ’s turn to strut, weaponizing his two-man game with Obi to provide the Garden crowd a reel of highlights.
It seems worth pointing out that Brunson’s fast hands served as catalyst on that last play. New York climbed to a 96-82 lead through three quarters and never looked back. Orlando pulled within six with just over four minutes to go in the fourth, but an and-one jumper from Brunson all but sealed their fate.
Final: 115, 102, Good Guys.
Notes:
● Brunson has already earned his entire contract’s worth of paychecks as far as I’m concerned. His presence on this Knicks team has been a calming, directing one. New York’s $104 million point guard is averaging 17.7 points, 7.0 assists, and 1.0 steals per game over three games, and as mentioned, is rare to turn over the ball. Of all 22 players who’ve got 20+ assists on the year, only he and Fred (should have been a Knick) VanVleet have fewer than five turnovers.
● I’m not sure what to make of RJ Barrett thus far. The shooting splits are concerning – he’s making just 34% of his field goals and 18% of his threes – but his resilience is as comfortable cushion as any. He’s yet to let any misses deter his confidence, but can be caught playing outside of the offense a number of times on any given night. Made shots can fix any problem, and at 2-1, it’s hard to deem this as catastrophic for the Knicks. Yet.
● Bol Bol had a career night on New York’s home floor, which as opposed to the 30+-point outbursts from numerous role players last season did not decide Monday’s game. He finished with 19 points, five rebounds and four blocks, looking every bit an NBA player.
● Mitchell Robinson is playing the best basketball of his career, averaging 8.7 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game. Of his 13 total rebounds the season, only two of them are defensive. His game is concentrated, concise, and constructive. Color me one of many people who owe the longest-tenured Knick an apology after the last two years.
● What else is there to say about Quickley, who finished the night scoreless but impacted the game in every other facet? The third-year guard finished with eight assists, six rebounds and a steal in 23 minutes. He’s the only player so far this season with a 0-point, 5-rebound, 8-assist game and the first Knick to record that statline since Jarrett Jack in November 2017.
● Continuing with my song of praises, Randle deserves his own reoccuring verse. Apparently, what goes up must come down, and what come down will go back up. Randle’s made for a nice second banana to Jalen Brunson, despite preseason concerns from nearly all of Knicks fandom. He’s averaging 21.3 points, 9.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.0 steals and just 1.7 turnovers with the ball out of his hands more. Chants for Obi Toppin to get more minutes haven’t completely silenced, but have certainly dropped a few decibels.
● IT IS SO EARLY, but with Brunson and Randle on the floor (167 possessions), the New York Knicks are +10.2, scoring 126.3 points per 100 possessions, and allowing – gulp – 116.2 points per 100 possessions.
A first half full of firsts and a disciplined second half were the difference makers in this one, with the Knicks looking very much like a team that should be 3-0. They’re playing faster and with a greater purpose, knocking down big shots and recovering fully from the missed ones. And more importantly, they’re spreading the ball too. New York is tied with Indiana for 10th in assists at 27 a night. Last year they finished in dead last with 21.9. That speaks to the arrival of Brunson, whose his best weapon is his mind and who has his team “in complete control” thus far, both quotes (and high praise) from Thibodeau.
