Knicks 122, Pelicans 112: Clash of the Titans
The New York Knicks refuse to disappoint on the biggest stages, this time putting down Zion Williamson and the New Orleans Pelicans 122-112 in overtime in Sunday’s matinee matchup.
What is there to say that hasn’t already been said?
What could I actually put here that would quantify what so many of us are feeling, now fans of a team that’s won six straight for the first time since 2014?
The joy I’ve felt watching this team this season is quite literally the merit and personification of the beauty in sports fandom. The lows can get real low, but the highs…
I mean, I’m still grinning, approximately two-and-a-half hours after Reggie Bullock hit two 3-pointers to put away the media’s former would-be savior of the New York Knicks.
This game against the New Orleans Pelicans (both, really) will undoubtedly be pins — or blips, rather — on the team’s timeline, as the fans who were here for the dark days of Lou Amundson and company look back, presumably donning championship gear years down the line.
OK. So, the game.
As has been custom at points throughout the season when New York is matched up against other defensive-minded, 3-point incapable teams, the start was real ugly.
A longtime favorite of mine, Steven Adams, took over with an absolute dominant first few minutes in this one. He had eight points and four rebounds (two offensive) within the first seven minutes of the game. New York had little answer for not-Aquaman.
And the Knicks didn’t score in the paint until the 4:22 mark in the first.
But before that, we got to enjoy some masterclass shot-making from RJ Barrett.
He had five points by the time of the aforementioned paint breakthrough, which was done in a pretty fashion by none other than Nerlens Noel.
That brought the Knicks within three at 15-12, but also walked their big man back to the locker room with an injury. Noel was later diagnosed with a bruised right hand, but did return.
Enter Derrick Rose and Taj Gibson.
The latter of the two infamous TimberBulls hit a floater almost immediately.
And with his second 3-pointer of the day, Barrett tied the game up at 19.
Julius Randle was still scoreless up to this point, so, as you can imagine, it was a little frustrating when a very clear shooting foul was ruled not in the act of shooting, especially after Brandon Ingram got a very generous continuation moments prior on the other end.
Thibs in particular didn’t care for the call, nor the fact that he couldn’t challenge it.
So, a scoreless Randle and flaming hot RJ walked the New York Knicks into the second quarter down 25-21 after Zion Williamson cashed in a 3-pointer.
Enter, Kevin Knox?
New York’s beloved former first-rounder and current benchwarmer found himself in the game to start the second quarter. He immediately canned a jumper.
That was off the assist from Rose, who scored back-to-back buckets after the fact to put together a 7-0 Knicks run, which turned into a 10-0 run after Randle hit his first shot of the night.
The Pelicans called a timeout immediately following the 3-point make, now facing a 5-point deficit and a 36-31 New York lead.
It didn’t do them any good, with Randle having smelled the blood in the water already. He started targeting Zion in one-on-one matchups for the rest of the half.
And it worked.
Taj Gibson had some nice moments in the second quarter too. Rose was unable to convert a few MVP-esque layups and he cleaned them up with tip-ins.
That helped to continue the Knicks’ run, which was capped off with a Reggie three.
That made for a first-half-defining 17-2 run for New York, who coasted the rest of the first half while admittedly giving up some looks to Zion and the Pelicans.
They walked into halftime with a 57-44 lead, shooting 48% from the field and having made six of their 15 3-point attempts, good for a 40% clip.
Barrett, Randle, and Rose accounted for 39 of the Knicks’ 57 first-half points. For a moment, it looked as if New York wasn’t going to break a sweat en route to capturing six straight.
Then the third quarter happened.
New Orleans opened things up with a 13-2 run, fueled largely by Eric Bledsoe.
The veteran point guard started the second half with a 3-pointer and ended up scoring eight consecutive points after making just one basket in the first half.
RJ recorded his fourth foul of the game just two minutes into the second half, which would have its own effects on the game later, but didn’t help the Knicks with the Pelicans’ aggressive approach to open the third quarter.
Luckily, the good guys have an All-Star. He snapped their run with this jump shot over yep, you guessed it, Mr. Williamson.
At the halfway point of the third, despite some shoddy and suspicious calls from the officials, the Knicks had maintained a 1-point lead, 67-66.
Bullock had back-to-back makes shortly thereafter, and almost grabbed a steal on the other end, inspiring me to take a trip down memory lane:
I still think Courtney Lee got a tough shake in New York. But he also got paid, so I digress.
Anywho, RJ maintained his aggressive play, despite having four fouls in the third, hitting what would be his last shot in the final minutes of the quarter.
The third quarter ended with all parties tied at 79 points apiece. New Orleans’ halftime adjustments made a world of difference, and New York was looking gassed.
But it was Rose of all people who helped to serve as their catalyst in the fourth quarter, hitting this tough layup over Kira Lewis Jr. in the opening minute.
And then, as if he had been saving it, Immanuel Quickley unleashed about two-and-a-half minutes of offensive strut to keep the Knicks afloat.
Randle slammed home a second dunk off the almost RJ turnover, and New York had strung together a 9-0 run and taken a 4-point lead...
…but then the Pelicans responded with four quick points themselves. Zion hit a layup off of his own missed jumper and then found the surprisingly quiet Brandon Ingram for another basket.
Randle and Zion kept going at it, but the Knicks’ “engine” began to lose steam. New Orleans found themselves up seven points after a Lonzo Ball (also quiet in this one) layup.
With three minutes left, New York was down seven. Then Derrick Rose hit a free throw, a finger roll layup, and a three within a minute and a half to bring them within three.
90 seconds left.
Nerlens Noel was fouled by Ball while attempting to rebound a missed floater from Quickley, and in the most clutch way possible, sunk them both without pause.
50 seconds left.
On the other end, Eric Bledsoe was fouled by Rose and hit both free throws.
7.8 seconds left.
Tom Thibodeau called a timeout.
He drew up a play (he later admitted it was for Randle) for Bullock.
And the 30-year-old veteran sank the three to tie the game.
A missed jumper from Bledsoe sent this one to overtime, and the rest is history.
Rose made a bucket to start the “fifth quarter,” and then Randle threw a lob up to Noel to get New York four quick, unanswered points.
Then another three from Bullock put the Knicks up five.
It may have not seemed it at the time, likely due to just how hard they can commit to the nervous ball of energy bit in close games, but New York didn’t look back after that three from Reggie.
Especially after this block on Ingram from Noel…
…which earned a special kind of praise from commentator Doris Burke:
“Might as well wag your finger and give us a Dikembe, that was so good.”
A shot clock-beating three from Randle (off the assist from Frank Ntilikina) ultimately sealed the victory in overtime for the New York Knicks.
Six straight wins.
Four straight 30-point performances for Julius Randle.
Back-to-back wins on national television.
Yeah, you could say the New York Knicks are on the way back.
Notes
RJ Barrett had a strong game, even if he scored just six points in the second half, and fouled out ahead of overtime. He had six turnovers, but a couple of them were just poor timing on tight window passes to Noel in a Pelicans-filled paint. Those will come as the 20-YEAR-OLD continues maturing and growing into his own.
Start the Julius Randle, Third-Team All-NBA campaign, if you haven’t already. He’s averaging 30.6 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 6.2 assists over the win streak.
New York held New Orleans to 112 points, in an overtime game. The Pelicans shot 40% from the field and 22% from the 3-point line. That’s a strong showing from what I consider to be the NBA’s best defense.
Lonzo Ball, in just his second game returned from injury admittedly, had just five points, seven rebounds, three assists, and two steals in this one. I continue to struggle to see his long-term fit on this Pelicans roster, and wouldn’t mind if the Knicks passed on overpaying him this offseason.
Credit to Derrick Rose, who showed out in a big way in this one. He finished with 23 points, five assists, three rebounds, a block, and a steal. I think he’s starting to find his legs again after being out for so long and having contracted COVID-19. Rose is averaging 15.5 points over the six-game win streak.
Lastly, Immanuel Quickley is going to get so many opportunities over his many years in a New York Knicks uniform. With the team in full stride, earning victories of such caliber that we haven’t seen in years, have patience with Thibs and how he deploys the rookie. Results are everything.
It was a goddamn clash of the titans on Sunday, and Julius Randle emerged victorious.
What a win, what a team, what a guy.
These last 14 games will no doubt test this team, and I know a New York Knicks playoff push is unfamiliar, exciting territory… but let’s enjoy the ride, yeah?
