The New York Knicks lost three games in last year's playoffs. They've dropped all three this season after a 111-102 lose-from-ahead defeat to Orlando. New York led the first 40 minutes, fell behind midway through the fourth and never recovered. The result was the same as it's been all year. The performances behind that result varied.
Let's see how each Knick graded out.
Karl-Anthony Towns: B+
Three games, three double-doubles -- par for the course for KAT. But he did a few things tonight he hadn't shown yet this season.
It's a day ending in Y, so Towns was in early foul trouble. But after picking up his second at the start of the second quarter, he didn't commit another all night. That kept him in the game, which looked like the difference when the Knicks were leading and Towns kept driving past his man over and over again.
After just four assists total his first two games, there was more Point KAT than we've seen since the Finals, dishing four against the Magic. If this is him rounding into form, the Jalen Duren-less Pistons will have their hands full Tuesday.
Tyler Kolek: B+
From the moment Kolek checked-in, he was diming. A drive and dump-off to Mikal Bridges for a lay-in. Finding Towns cutting down the lane. A drive-and-kick to Landry Shamet for an elbow 3. Keeping a loose ball alive amongst the Magic bigs, then finding Shamet for another 3. There was even a nice defensive stand against the bigger Anthony Black that ended in a missed turnaround.
Most impressive was the job Kolek did after Brunson went to the bench just after the 5:00 mark in the third, with the Knicks up four. The captain was able to rest for nine minutes of game time; when he returned the lead was six. Kolek did enough to get more minutes going forward -- in New York or elsewhere.
OG Anunoby: B
Anunoby arrived in New York thinking he could be something more than the 3-and-D role he'd been typecast in with Toronto. Tonight we saw more of how much there is to him: going to his post-up game to open up corner-3 attempts for Josh Hart; driving for an and-one; attacking Nikola Vucevic before pulling up in the paint for two, part of a one-man 8-0 run that put the Knicks up 10. That didn't last. Hopefully the 3-dimensional Anunoby does.
Josh Hart: B
When the next ice age has come and gone, cockroaches will still crawl about, Twinkies will still be edible, and Josh Hart will be putting up 13 points, eight rebounds, three 3s, a pair of assists and steals and a positive rating somewhere. The man is a marvel.
Andre Drummond: B
Drummond only played seven minutes but made himself felt with a tip-follow and a lovely dribble-drive past Vucevic. The best he's looked since the first half of the opener.
James Wiseman: B-
Wiseman played seven minutes too, for him a season-high. Like Kolek, he subbed in for a superstar and when that superstar checked back in, the lead had been maintained. Wiseman hit the glass and used his length to alter several shots. He missed all five of his, some of which was probably nerves.
Jalen Brunson: B-
It's a testament to Brunson's greatness that a 28-point performance gets a B-. That he took 28 shots to do it is one reason his grade isn't higher. He missed six of seven 3s and three free throws on another night the Knicks hemorrhaged points at the line in a game that came down to the end. Shots that are usually automatic for him keep bouncing out. Brunson looks just a little rusty, as do the Knicks.
Landry Shamet: C
Shamet made a couple of 3s. Nothing too memorable. Seems like a nice guy.
Miles McBride: C
After a 3-point barrage and 20 points in Boston, McBride must have left his lucky socks in the hotel. The Knicks shot just 9-of-38 from deep against Orlando and are at 32% for the season. McBride sustaining his stroke would go a long way toward them doing the same.
MIkal Bridges: F
In the 2006 playoffs, the Suns were down 3-1 in their first-round series with the Lakers. Phoenix won Game 5 at home, then a hard-fought overtime Game 6. At halftime of Game 7 they were up 15, Kobe Bryant had 23 points on 62% shooting and the rest of the Lakers had 22 on 30%.
Feeling the Lakers had failed to put a good team around him, Bryant (in)famously staged a one-man slowdown strike in the second half, refusing to shoot, passing the ball as soon as he got it, not in a great-ball-movement way so much as going through the motions. After one point, one rebound and no assists in 19 second-half minutes, the front office heard him: two years later, Pau Gasol was a Laker and the team were champions.
Mikal Bridges isn't upset with anyone I'm aware of. I don't think he's trying to send a message. But for whatever reason, he often appeared to be going through the motions on offense. He wasn't missing shots or not getting a good whistle. When the ball came to him, he rarely did anything with it besides quickly get it to someone else. Bridges played 35 minutes and took two more shots than Wiseman.
To be clear: this grade is for last night only. We've seen Bridges go through tough stretches like the one he's in now. He always finds his way out.
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