The New York Knicks were able to split a two-game back-to-back with the Chicago Bulls after winning 107-103 on Wednesday night. It was a game that the Knicks led throughout, but nearly let slip away from them in the 4th quarter.
Knicks: Adjustments from last game
The Knicks had lost the first game of the back-to-back with the Bulls 110-102. Although the score was similar on Wednesday night, it was a much different game.
The Knicks seemed hell-bent to contain Zach LaVine in the first game. They constantly bring double teams against him and force him to pass out and let his teammates do the damage.
The strategy worked at times, but it led to plenty of open looks, particularly for Lauri Markkanen, who poured in 30 points that included six 3-pointers.
On Wednesday night, the Knicks’ approach on defense was simple – We dare you to attack the rim. The team’s defense suffocated Markkanen, who finished with just 9 points on 8 field goal attempts.
There were a lot of hard rotations in the paint, and many of the Bulls’ players were overwhelmed by the physical play of the Knicks’ defense.
The Knicks’ bigs held down the paint. Mitchell Robinson was a constant disruptor in the middle. Nerlens Noel finished with 3 blocks.
The intensity of the first unit was also something drastically different than Monday’s game. The Knicks came out with a lot of energy to open the game and at the start of the second half.
The team lost that energy for a while in the 4th quarter when they were outscored 27-16, but were able to make some key stops in the end and hang on.
The Knicks defense continues to be, well, arguably the best defense in the entire NBA. The team currently ranks 1st in opponent field goal percentage allowed – they are holding opponents to just 43.6% from the field and 31.4% from 3.
The Knicks shot the ball extremely well this game, finishing at 48.3% from the field and 50% from 3-point range. The Knicks already rank in the bottom in 3-pointers attempted. Last night they attempted the 2nd fewest amount of threes they had all season, shooting just 22 and hitting 11 of them.
In many ways, the offense mirrored the defense – the Knicks wanted to establish a physical presence and win the battles at the rim. Elfrid Payton and RJ Barrett spent the entire night attack the rim. Payton finished with 20 points and Barrett with 17.
Julius Randle Takes Over
The star of the night was Julius Randle. Randle continues to take on the challenge of point-forward and thrive.
After completely overwhelming Lauri Markkanen, the Bulls had to start switching some of their other defenders onto Randle, and many times double-teamed him. He still got his way.
When coach Thibodeau was asked about Randle in the post-game press conference, Thibodeau said,
"“Veteran leader, plays strong on both sides of the ball, shares the ball, makes the right plays, sets an example for everyone on how you’re going to work. He gives the team the belief that they can win.”"
Randle took over the game and hit some incredibly difficult shots. The Knicks leaned on their star player, and he delivered.
Although the team shot the ball well, the Knicks’ offense was far from perfect. The team committed 17 turnovers throughout the game.
The bench’s impact was also minimal, the entire bench finished with just 27 points on 36% from the field.
As the Knicks look to build off of this win, I think the team needs to take a hard look at some of their rotations. The defensive effort has been phenomenal, but the offense still feels congested in spurts. Sometimes those spurts are just for a quarter, and sometimes they last over the span of multiple games.
The Knicks needed this win as they look to climb back into the Eastern Conference playoff standings. The team will take on the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday.