New York Knicks’ Report Card Following Win vs. Suns
By Matt Shetler
Playing without Carmelo Anthony and Raymond Felton, the New York Knicks used a pair of late tough clutch shots from J.R. Smith to escape the desert with a much needed 99-97 win, putting an end to a mini-slump where the Knicks had lost 3-of-5 games.
With some key parts out of the lineup, here’s a look at how the guys who did play performed in our daily New York Knicks’ report card.
Dec. 26, 2012; Phoenix, AZ, USA: New York Knicks guard Jason Kidd controls the ball in the first quarter against the Phoenix Suns at the US Airways Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Game Stats
Field Goal Percentage: 42.5 %( 40-of-88)
Opponent’s Field Goal Percentage: 45.8% (38-of-83)
Three Point Percentage: 40.9% (9-of-22)
Opponent’s Three Point Percentage: 38.1% (8-of-21)
Free Throw Percentage: 71.4% (10-of-14)
Opponent’s Free Throw Percentage: 81.3% (13-of-16)
Assists: 21-21 (Even)
Rebounds: 41-38 (Knicks +2)
Points in the paint: 28-28 (Even)
Individual Grades
Jason Kidd (23 points, 8-of-16 shooting, 8 assists, 6 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 turnover)
Kidd’s first start at the point went exactly how you figured it would-outstanding. In typical Kidd fashion he filled the stat sheet and made all of the little plays at both ends of the floor that helped the Knicks win. Watching Kidd’s understanding of the game is a pleasure. He’s a leader and the Knicks needed every bit of it last night. Grade: A
James White (2 points, 1-of-3 shooting, 1 assist)
White got the start in Anthony’s absence and didn’t do much in 18 minutes. He also had a costly foul on Jared Dudley late in the game, but was bailed out by Smith’s two big shots. Grade: D
Ronnie Brewer (2 points, 1-of-3 shooting, 1 rebound, 1 assist)
Brewer continues to see his minutes cut due to ineffectiveness. He only played 13 minutes Wednesday night and did nothing to earn Mike Woodson’s confidence. That’s a shame because Brewer’s defense could have slowed down Jared Dudley, who went for 36 points. No excuse to allow that to happen. Grade: F
Kurt Thomas (5 points, 2-of-4 shooting, 4 rebounds, 1 assist)
Dec. 26, 2012; Phoenix, AZ, USA: New York Knicks center Tyson Chandler (6) takes a shot under pressure from Phoenix Suns center Marcin Gortat (4) in the first quarter at the US Airways Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Thomas got another start and played 16 minutes. He chipped in on the boards and in the scoring column. Thomas doesn’t play a lot, but you know what you will get from him when he’s on the floor. Grade: C+
Tyson Chandler (14 points, 6-of-9 shooting, 12 rebounds, 2 blocks)
Another big game from the Knicks’ center as he controlled the paint and the glass. He was solid defensively and efficient from the floor. Chandler should be an All-Star. Grade: A-
Chris Copeland (14 points, 6-of-12 shooting, 2 rebounds, 2 blocks)
Will Copeland earn a permanent spot in Woodson’s rotation? He’s making a case for it with another big game last night. He’s a spark off the bench and didn’t have a bad game defensively either. Grade: B+
Pablo Prigioni (5 points, 2-of-4 shooting, 3 assists, 2 steals)
The Suns made their comeback mostly with Prigioni on the floor in the third quarter. He was a -11 for the night and turned the ball over four times in 17 minutes. With Felton out of the lineup, Prigioni must be better and take better care of the basketball. But he did do some good things, so it wasn’t a total wasted effort. Grade: C-
Marcus Camby (4 points, 2-of-7 shooting, 9 rebounds, 1 block)
Camby played 13 minutes and grabbed nine boards and blocked a shot. That’s exactly what he brings to this team and it would be nice to see him a regular part of the rotation. Grade: B+
Steve Novak (3 points, 1-of-3 shooting)
Novak is on the floor to shoot the basketball and if he isn’t getting open looks, then he doesn’t offer up very much value. Playing 28 minutes, Novak has to get up more than three attempts and has to make more than one. Grade: D
J.R. Smith (27 points, 11-of-27 shooting, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 5 steals)
It is safe to say the Knicks won because of Smith’s heroics. He wasn’t very efficient from the floor, but he stepped up and made clutch shots, even though he tried to shoot the Knicks out of the game in the third quarter. But what I loved about Smith’s effort had nothing to do with his scoring. It was the rebounds, assists and five steals he had that were just as important. Overall it was one of his best all-around games in a Knicks’ uniform. Grade: A-
Carmelo Anthony: DNP, Hyperextended Left Knee
Rasheed Wallace: DNP, Sore Left Foot
Raymond Felton: DNP, Right Finger