Knicks 119, Warriors 104: Can you dig it?!
The Knicks went to Golden State riding a two-game win streak, and left with their second three-game streak of the young season. Catch up on RJ Barrett’s career night, Julius Randle’s near-triple-double, and more with Matthew Miranda.
Over their past 47 games, the Golden State Warriors have failed to win three in a row. The Knicks are on their second three-game winning streak of this supremely weird season after downing the Dubs 119-104 in San Francisco last night. That outcome may not be the five-alarm conflagration it would have been a couple years ago, when the Warriors were still the Warriors. But they were coming off a 19-point comeback over the Los Angeles Lakers and a 22-point thrashing of San Antonio. And the Knicks? What of these Knicks?
There’s still much we don’t know about the boys in blue and orange. One thing we do know: they’ve responded to their season’s first moment of adversity — a five-game losing streak that threatened to submarine the era of good feelings — with a resounding bounce-back statement. The destruction of Boston, the grinding win over Orlando and the discomforting smoothness with which they handled Golden State make New York a .500 team as we near the mid-midseason mark. Julius Randle continues to excel. Mitchell Robinson keeps being Mitch. RJ Barrett is in the best stretch of play of his young career. Alec Burks is back. Reggie Bullock has found his shot. Tom Thibodeau is a real coach. What of these Knicks?
After dominating with defense the last two games, the Knicks switched things up and opened on the offensive. Barrett and Randle led the way early, with RJ netting 14 in the opening frame.
Bullock hit three triples early, keying a 10-0 run. Much of the sauce was pouring from the liberal ladling of Randle, who dished five assists in the first few minutes. The Knicks were five fingers working as one fist, with nine dimes on their first 10 buckets. Perhaps they were inspired going against the electric mustard that is Steph Curry.
What did the Zen Buddhist say to the hot dog vendor? “Make me one with everything.” The Knicks really were doing everything, en route to a 40-point first quarter, their highest-scoring frame of the season. The Warriors kept turning the ball over, igniting the Knicks’ sometimes-mothballed transition game. It’s a good thing the starters played so well, because the bench, a bright spot so often this year, went dark. Midway through the second quarter, the team had only scored six points. With two minutes left before the half, a pair of Curry free throws tied the game at 55. Then Draymond Green apparently yelled at James Wiseman, but the refs either didn’t realize that or decided that’s mean, too, whistling Green for a second technical foul. It’s not easy being Green.
MSG reported Tom Thibodeau called Green “the most unique player in the NBA.” Maybe the Warriors were deflated losing him just before the half; they opened the third missing seven of their first eight shots. Barrett continued his excellent play, driving strong and finishing. Mitch asserted his presence on both ends, scoring nine in the quarter and dissuading a number of Warriors’ never-were attempts. The Knicks’ starters were really the story of the game. They pushed the lead to double figures and never let up. Curry, the two-time MVP, scored 20 in the first half but only two in the third. Also from the I Wouldn’t Have Expected That Department: the Knicks got to the line 41 times — and made 32 of them!
The fourth was free from suspense but not from majesty. Obi Toppin earned a “that was pretty” from Walt Frazier for this one.
Take it slow. Even slower.
Immanuel Quickley followed that with a three. The Knicks kept getting out on the run, Barrett kept thriving while driving, Mitch kept intimidating and dunking, and New York went up as many as 19. Harkening back to one of the best signs during this winning streak, the defense turned up the screws in the second half. With two minutes left, the Warriors were under 30% for the half and had scored only 30 since. How the Knicks keep winning keeps changing. That they do is as wonderfully welcome as watching waves wash up on a newly-resilient shore.
Notes
A career-high 28 for Barrett. What’d you think of the win, RJ?
RJ even sweeter in slow motion.
Not a single Knick finished the game with a negative rating. Quickley was a net zero. Zero’s a number.
Randle was one assist and a couple blown Mitch dunks from his second triple-double of the season. 16 points, 17 rebounds, 9 assists and just two turnovers. The last time a Knick had two triple-doubles in the same season was Mark Jackson in 1989. The most for a Knick? Eight in 1969, by Clyde.
Mitch poured in 16 second-half points and absolutely owned the defensive airspace, shutting down entire possessions just with his presence and movement. A nice game by the Knicks centers, especially given some of the struggles they’ve had against the league’s better big men. Wiseman didn’t feel like he ever dominated.
Noel with some tough, effective play. Four blocks off the bench for the Nerlen Wall.
Payton put in a good shift chasing and defending Curry. Payton also shoots the ugliest bricks. Even his makes look like they have a headache. Contrast this to when Burks takes a free throw. That ball wants to find the net. Send it home, Alec. Why don’t you send him home?
My fiancee says Quickley “moves like a gymnast or a soccer player.” Watch him move around, especially on defense. To me he looks like a handball player. Or a dancer. Quickley moves like a dancer.
There have been more clock malfunctions this year than I can remember.
Know The Prospect alum Nico Mannion with his first NBA point.
Kent Bazemore is the Platonic embodiment of pugnacious. His face and his game.
J.L. Borges wrote a short story called “The Zahir.” The Zahir is an object that entrances whoever sees it into gradually losing interest in reality. All they want to see is the Zahir. It can be a coin, a column, a face — its form always changes, but the effect is the same. My Zahir is Brad Wanamaker’s face. I’ve only seen that dude like five times in my life, but for some reason it hits me different from anyone I’ve ever seen. It’s not an attraction thing, at all. There’s something else there. Something supernatural.
My fiancee watching Thibs talk: “If you told me he went to Hell and [coaching] is his punishment, that’s what he’d sound like.” She’s not wrong.
Quoth Cyrus from The Warriors: “Can you dig it?!” Dig it! The Knicks are back on track, which is especially delish given how many recent seasons have gone to hell almost immediately. Next game is tonight in Sacramento. Could New York enter the weekend as a winning team? Find out soon.
