Knicks Bench Loses to Pacers
RJ Barrett and Julius Randle played very well against the Indiana Pacers in the Knicks third preseason game. They played slightly more than half the game. RJ was 6 – 9 inside the arc and 6 – 7 from the line. Barrett finished with a team high 21 points and a +13. Jules was +11, 2 – 4 and 3 – 6 from deep. Randle, in particular, played within himself and made the most of his opportunities.
Jalen Brunson played a team high 30 min. and struggled with his shot. McConnell and Nembhard made it difficult for Jalen to turn the corner and go left. He finished 4 – 14 and 1 – 3. Brunson did have 8 boards, 11 points and only 3 dimes.
The performance of IQ, more than anyone else, doomed the Knicks. Without DRose, the second team has no PG. Miles McBride cannot penetrate and IQ refuses to pass. While the starters averaged a +8.6 in 25.8 min., the bench was a -16.3 in 22 mins. Cam Reddish, who had 10 attempts for 7 points, only made 3 passes in the flow of the offense. He led the Knicks with a -22. IQ was -18. With the outcome still in doubt, Quick took over, firing away rather than moving the ball. Immanuel was thoroughly outplayed by Andrew Nembhard, the 31st pick in this year’s draft. Toppin had very few touches in crunch time. His -20 wasn’t indicative of his play. Obi was simply ignored.
Most of the questionable calls, and there were a few, went the Knicks way. The officials did nothing to help the Knicks lose the game. The second team did all that was needed. The ‘clear path’ foul is being made a joke by taking away the defensive player’s opportunity to go for the ball. It slows down the fast pace with that trip to the line. This is the opposite of the rule’s intent, which was to eliminate the stoppage of play due to a non-baksteball play grab of the opposing player.
One minor occurrence was concerning. Jalen Brunson stepped to the line to shoot a T when IQ was on the floor. This was reminiscent of Randle doing the same thing with Ntilikina. That time, Morris Sr. intervened and Frank missed the shot. It is concerning because Brunson shouldn’t have done it. Quick is one of the best FT shooters in the league. Perhaps it was just that he filled that role in Dallas, and forgot himself. Let’s hope that was all it was.