We were waiting for her, we wanted to see her again, she pointed her nose at the best time this Monday evening. Disappeared for some time, the formidable defense of the Knicks reappeared in the game against Indiana last night, and all of New York was able to blow a blow: an old-fashioned 92-84 success, with a big bulwark blue-white-orange and full collective support.
The subject was frightening, and we had talked about it with a little fear.
After getting used to defensive masterclasses last year, the Knicks weren’t there at all in their own half on this brand new start to the season. Lack of automatism? May be. New heads to incorporate? Yes, maybe also. But whatever the reasons, the numbers were there, final. The 25th best defense in the entire NBA, and a shamefully porous 5 major, enough to sweat a Tom Thibodeau unaccustomed to this kind of general disinterest. The New York coach spoke about it before the meeting on Monday evening, because everyone had to get back to it. Everyone had to find a way to put in an extra effort, because the effectiveness of the team would depend on the addition of all these commitments, and there was a great opportunity to be seized against the Pacers of Rick Carlisle. Plus, it’s not as if Indiana, with a bulging chest, had beaten the Knicks at home a few days earlier (111-98) with a gala Myles Turner. We leave the historical rivalry aside, no Reggie Miller or John Starks here but two teams in need of a big win. That of this night will finally go to the camp of bockers, playing at home in front of an audience as worried as they are excited.
Worry ? Yes, because the five major was still bof-bof, alternating between the good (start of Kemba’s match), the less good (3 throws provoked in total) and the unmistakable (basically everything else). Still something quite disturbing, after all the media beating that there has been this summer, to see this starting five struggling so much together. Any adjustments to be made afterwards? Yes it’s sure. And it was still necessary to realize, when Indiana took more than 10 points in advance and the atmosphere was not tip-top at Madison Square Garden. However, when we say worried public, we immediately follow it with the word supercharged. When it came to making a difference, it was the Knicks bench that took the game and made it personal, behind the efforts of D-Rose, Immanuel Quickley, Obi Toppin and Taj Gibson not to mention Alec. Burks. Seeing this starting five as a struggle, New York’s survival had to come from somewhere. So Quickley and Rose are going to raise the crowd, while Taj is going to box like a devil this great Domantas Sabonis cut in titanium. Two big Toppin dunks, huge group defense, and this is how you get the pill, that of an underperforming five major. Fortunately, Thibs and his assistants were still able to count on a murderous arrow from RJ Barrett or a few authoritative drives from Julius Randle, but so little and so far from the planned contribution … As we say in the jargon, the important c ere are the three points so New York did the job, remembering its basic identities.
10 points conceded in the last quarter, only 2 baskets allowed because the rest is throwing, hell was unleashed on Malcolm Brogdon who chained bad decisions when LeVert and Turner did not mix the brushes. It’s stupid, but that will happen for New York, which has certainly made progress and additions in attack but remains a fighting team and which will have to make the difference above all in its own half of the field. It showed when it came to calming down the Bulls, slowing down the Bucks or finishing off the Sixers. We stop the bullshit and take out the slap box. This is what happened last night, to see if it will hold up for the evenings to come.
Behind the excellent contribution of the bench (44 to 13 for the Knicks) and a collective defense much more serious than in recent times, New York finds a smile and a victory “in its own way”. No, although it is pleasing to the eyes, it is not victories with river scores that will smell of MSG. It’s the grind, muscle, defense and extra effort that will thrill the fans and raise the real level of this team. We ask for confirmation, with two games to take away without negotiating against Orlando then Houston.
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