The New York Knicks' game against the Charlotte Hornets on the road Friday night started off looking like a solution to their recent starting lineup production woes.
Unfortunately, it ended up with the problem being more exacerbated than ever, with the New York starters surrendering what was once a 16-point lead and giving up a backbreaking 22-5 run in the third quarter, ultimately losing to Charlotte, 104-96.
Though head coach Tom Thibodeau is usually one to play the postgame politics game, he pulled few punches in his comments following the game, giving all credit to the bench for their efforts to bring the Knicks back while offering thinly-veiled criticism of the starters' coughing up of multiple leads.
“Y’know the third quarter was a problem, then the bench came in, straightened that out, fought, got the lead with four to go, and didn’t close out,” Thibodeau said.
“The bench came in and played well, but we need everyone playing well,” he continued. “It’s a team. So you need your starters to play well, you need your bench to play well, you need to play well together.”
Initially, the Knicks' starters did just that. Kemba Walker in particular looked extremely comfortable being back in the city where he made three All-Star teams, scoring 17 points in the first quarter en route to the Knicks building a 34-18 lead after one.
Kemba. AGAIN.
He's got 14 of the team's first 21. pic.twitter.com/yEzcHkQxxL
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) November 13, 2021
But the offense wasn't the only selling point — the defense, more than anything, looked much improved from the previous number of games where the starters have looked largely apathetic on that end. The Knicks weren't over-helping, funneling Hornets into the paint, while also getting out to cover shooters. The Hornets shot 31.8% in the first quarter, and just 1-10 from three.
Unfortunately, the effort just wasn't there the rest of the game for the starters, and the bench was once again tasked with bailing them out. The Knicks entered the half up 55-46, yet by the 4:22 mark in the third quarter, that 9-point lead had morphed into an 11-point deficit, 75-64.
“Started the game well, built a big lead, in this league you gotta play for 48 minutes,” Thibodeau said. “That team’s capable of scoring a lot of points, and no lead is safe. So if you don’t play with the right intensity, in the second half we didn’t play well.”
Much like against the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday, the bench unit came in and cleaned up the mess. Alec Burks had a stat sheet-stuffing 15 points, nine rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block. Obi Toppin continued his per-minute brilliance with seven points, eight rebounds, an assist and a block in just 15 minutes. Immanuel Quickley and Derrick Rose combined for 17 points, including 4-10 shooting from deep.
Meanwhile, the starters would finish with just 12 points total in the second half, including Walker, who scored half of that total, but shot just 2-7 and was an astounding -28 in 13-and-a-half minutes.
You Kn3️⃣w it was coming! 👌👌👌@T_Rozzay3 | @HornetsOnBally pic.twitter.com/CLe1dwf038
— Charlotte Hornets (@hornets) November 13, 2021
Whether the Knicks' starting five can figure their issues together out might be the storyline that defines the rest of New York's season. Unfortunately, things won't be getting easier anytime soon, with the Knicks returning to Madison Square Garden to take on the Pacers on Monday. Typically, returning home would be a good thing, but with the Knicks sitting at 2-4 on their home floor and poised for a three-game home stand, things might get harder before they get easier.
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