Before the New York Knicks officially began their NBA All-Star break, they needed to summon every ounce of energy and grit just one more time to beat the Atlanta Hawks at Madison Square Garden.
They crumbled late in regulation Wednesday night before Jalen Brunson – of course it was Brunson – saved the night with a jumper with 11.1 seconds left in overtime before Atlanta’s Georges Niang missed a three-pointer from the right corner in the final seconds as the Knicks escaped Garden enemy Trae Young and the Hawks 149-148.
That victory gave the Knicks a 36-18 record, their best record through 54 games since the 1996-97 season.
Coach Tom Thibodeau’s team sits in the third spot in the Eastern Conference, 2.5 games behind the defending champion Boston Celtics.
The Knicks came into this season amid sky-high expectations, fueled even more following the addition of Karl-Anthony Towns.
They’ve largely met those expectations – though not fully. And there’s certainly room for improvement.
Here are three takeaways at the all-star break:
1. Knicks are an offensive juggernaut, defense still catching up
The Knicks score points.
A lot of them.
They’re fourth in the NBA (behind the Grizzlies, Cavaliers and Nuggets) with 118.4 points per game. They’re second in the league with an offensive rating of 119.9 (Cleveland is first at 121.9).
The Knicks shoot 49.6 percent as a team (third in the NBA) and 37.6 percent from three-point range (fifth in the league).
This is a very good offensive team, bolstered by the additions of Towns and Mikal Bridges.
The Knicks’ defense, though, has been more mediocre – not characteristic of Thibodeau’s teams.
They’re giving up 112.5 points per game, 13th in the NBA. Their defensive rating of 113.9 ranks 18th in the league.
Their defense has been vulnerable – especially at the rim. They’re giving up 49.7 points in the paint per game, 20th in the NBA.
2. Mitchell Robinson’s return should help Knicks
The Knicks have been waiting a while for Robinson to come back – he’s been recovering from ankle surgery after suffering an injury in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Indiana Pacers.
It’s been an injury-riddled couple of years for Robinson. But when the 7-foot Robinson is healthy, he’s an elite rim protector and stellar offensive rebounder, two areas the Knicks need to improve in.
It’s unclear exactly when Robinson will be back. He was recently cleared for contact but not five-on-five practice. That’s the step that comes before he can be cleared for game action.
When Robinson does get back, he should be a strong complement to Towns and a formidable backup for Towns.
The big question still remains whether Robinson can stay healthy. Still, the Knicks’ rim protection will improve with Robinson back on the court. Whenever that might be.
3. Knicks’ record vs Celtics and elite teams leaves questions
The Knicks have played the Celtics twice, once on the road and once at home.
They got blown out both times (though it should be noted they were without OG Anunoby, their best defender, in last week’s meeting).
They’ve played the Eastern Conference-leading Cavaliers once and they lost by six. But that game came back on Oct. 28. The Knicks are a better team than they were then.
And then if you factor in the Western Conference-leading Oklahoma City Thunder, the Knicks have dropped both of those meetings too, including a 25-point drubbing at The Garden in January.
So the Knicks haven’t done well against the NBA’s best.
The good news?
They’re going to have an immediate chance to change that after the All-Star break, with games at Cleveland (Feb. 21) and Boston (Feb. 23).
There’s a good chance the Knicks will have Anunoby back at that point. Those are big measuring-stick games.
Not to mention a chance to show they can beat the best.
NY Knicks Report Card: Player grades for starting five
Jalen Brunson: A+
What more could the Knicks ask for from Brunson, who’s again having a tremendous season, averaging 26.1 points and 7.5 assists while shooting 49.2 percent from the field and 39.7 percent from deep.
Hart does a little of everything for the Knicks, a tough, tenacious player who sets a tone on both ends of the court. He’s averaging 14.7 points, 9.6 rebounds and 5.7 assists per game. He has seven triple-doubles this season, the first Knick to hit that mark since Michael Ray Richardson in 1981-82 and the third in franchise history to record at least seven such games in a season.
Mikal Bridges: B-
Bridges got off to a tough start amid a changed shooting form but he’s largely recovered. He’s averaging 17.7 points while shooting 49.2 percent from the field and 35.9 percent from deep. He’s averaging a team-best 38.2 minutes per game. Perhaps Bridges’ best quality has been his availability – he’s started every game.
OG Anunoby: B-
Anunoby’s averaging 16.4 points and 4.7 rebounds per game while shooting 48.2 percent from the field and 36.5 percent from the perimeter – both marks have dipped since last season. His offense has been inconsistent, so his grade takes a bit of a hit. But he’s among the best defensive players in the NBA and shows it on a nightly basis.
Karl-Anthony Towns: B+
Towns is having a great season after joining the Knicks just before the season started. The Piscataway native is averaging 24.7 points and 13.4 rebounds per game. He’s shooting 53.4 percent and 43.8 percent from deep. His shooting ability has stretched the floor and created more room for Brunson to work. His defense has been inconsistent, but it’s hard to knock that too much with the way he’s played on the other end of the floor.
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