The New York Knicks were full of energy and excitement against the Pacers on Monday night following the weekend off after two consecutive losses to the Milwaukee Bucks and Charlotte Hornets last week.
New York has been inconsistent with their play, especially the starters, who were relatively quiet once again against Indiana in the win (92-84). The second team proved to be resilient, compensating for lack of production from some of the starters, as Derrick Rose contributed 14 points and Immanuel Quickley 16.
Starting point guard Kemba Walker contributed 16 points, shooting 8-of-11 from the field. RJ Barrett splashed a three-pointer with just seconds left on the clock to give his team a considerable advantage, virtually putting the game to bed. Julius Randle only posted 11 points but picked up 11 rebounds and five assists in the win. Mitchell Robinson added three blocks over 16 minutes, with Taj Gibson playing the majority of the game, earning 29 minutes.
The Knicks played their brand of defense on Monday:
Elite defense helped the Knicks in this contest, holding the Pacers to just 37.2% from the field and a measly 21.6% from three-point land. Big man Myles Turner scored just three points, hitting one shot the entire game.
In addition, the Knicks outrebounded Indiana 46–44 and also picked up 22 assists compared to 16. The catalyst in this win was Quickley, who played 23 minutes, more than Kemba Walker and just slightly less than Evan Fournier at 24. Quickley hit all four of his three-point attempts and connected on five total field goals, adding five rebounds, two of which were offensive.
It is fantastic to see the second-year guard getting momentum as the season progresses, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Tom Thibodeau continues to use him in a more prominent role given his consistency in the last few games. A special shoutout to Obi Toppin, who only scored three points but was active on the defensive side and picked up four rebounds. His energy was contagious.