Knicks Crush Preseason Pacers: 3 Realistic, Reasonable Takeaways
Early autumn in New York ... why does it seem so inviting?
The New York Knicks are certainly doing their part, having captured eight consecutive preseason wins, the latest being a 131-114 triumph over the Indiana Pacers on Friday night. Not only have the Knicks looked uncannily strong when the scores don't matter, but they unofficially remain undefeated in the Jalen Brunson era.
How do the Knicks and their supporters remain grounded yet optimistic after a game like that? We have the takeaways ...
Bench Mark
While four Knicks starters reached double-figures (RJ Barrett scored 11 of the Knicks' first 17 points, Mitchell Robinson came one rebound short of a double-double with 10 tallies of his own), this game will go down as a stylish showcase for the metropolitan bench.
Obi Toppin made a sterling case for more minutes with a game-high 24 points, with two of those, in particular, creating the dunk heard 'round the preseason and setting Madison Square Garden at regular season volumes. The assistant on Toppin's slam, Immanuel Quickley, sank 3-of-5 to close out a 17-point night after closing the first quarter with four consecutive misses. Jericho Sims pulled down six rebounds in his preseason debut, matching Isaiah Hartenstein, while Miles McBride countered a 2-of-7 night from the field with two blocks. The Knicks continue to keep Derrick Rose's minutes in the early going (12 on Friday) but he made the most of them with seven first half points.
The fact that the Knicks were able to win a game where their de facto big three of Barrett, Brunson, and Julius Randle shot 14-of-38 from the field by a 17-point margin is quite telling of the impact the bench had on Friday.
It's great that the Knicks have a headliner for the latest iteration of their seemingly endless rebuild upon the big-ticket signing of Brunson, but the former Dallas Maverick said it himself: he's not a full-on savior who can snap his fingers and make half the Knicks' Eastern competition disappear. Seeing the Knicks' bench rise up and pave the path to victories, especially after depth issues plagued their ultimately futile quest to return to the playoffs (23rd in bench scoring last season) is perhaps the perfect takeaway one can glean from whatever value the preseason has left.
View From the Toppin
Time will tell if Toppin's destructive dunk serves as an act of cruelty, a tease that Knicks fans have been far too accustomed to in recent seasons. But, if only for a short while, Toppin is an indispensable part of the Knicks' depth game, one where some felt he could get lost in the fold after the team re-upped with both Robinson and Sims while bringing in Hartenstein from Los Angeles.
Perhaps the ultimate tease for Toppin enthusiasts lingers not in the show-stopping dunk but rather in the postgame comments from Tom Thibodeau, which perhaps hint that Toppin may finally be getting through to the notoriously hard-to-please Knicks boss.
"Obi brings life in everything he does. He walks in the building and there’s a bounce to him," Thibodeau said. "He energizes the team and you can feed off of that. I think when he’s playing defense and getting out, we play fast. Everything is fast with him.”
Toppin further endeared himself to his adoring MSG public with a redemptive night beyond the paint: after missing all four of his triple attempts against Detroit, Toppin sank all but one of his first Friday five.
Reddish Sunset?
Nitpicking the Knicks' early dominance seems cruel to a franchise seeking any sort of good vibes, but preseason postgame analysis is based on the very concept. Thus, it may be time for an uncomfortable yet necessary conversation about Cam Reddish.
With Evan Fournier granted a rest day and Quentin Grimes still resting a sore foot, Reddish had a prime opportunity to impress in the starting lineup but failed to seize the moment. He was able to counter a dismal night from the field on Tuesday against Detroit with solid defense and mobility on both sides of the ball, but he struggled to keep up with Indiana's Buddy Hield and sank only 1-of-7 from the field.
To his credit, Reddish did pick up two steals and has said only the right things when it comes to a roller-coaster offseason fueled by self-debunked trade speculation. The ultimate Reddish apologists, quite prevalent among the Knicks' fanbase, will also argue that Reddish was ailing on Friday, playing with a lingering ankle injury sustained in a collision with a Tuesday official.
But Reddish can't keep letting these opportunities pass him by. The next five days will be vital for his recovery, as there's an outside shot his New York future could be decided in the latter half of the Knicks' preseason slate.
Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags
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