The best-laid plans of mice & men often go awry
Near the midpoint of the third quarter last night, his team down six, Mikal Bridges was guarding Jaylen Brown when the Celtic turned the ball over. Josh Hart fired it ahead to Jalen Brunson at midcourt, with Jayson Tatum to his left, Derrick White closing on his right and the high-flying Brown a few feet back, in perfect chasedown-block position. Using the defenders’ aggression against them, the brilliant Brunson pushed his dribble about halfway down the lane, drawing and ultimately collapsing the coverage, turning to find Bridges wide-open trailing the break. The ironman drilled an open trey to make it a three-point game. At that moment I had a vision of a stirring Knicks comeback, a win that’d tie them with the C’s in the loss column and be their best of the season. Beyond that, I imagined writing a recap I’ve had in mind for nearly 10 years.
Then the Celtics win on a 19-3 run en route to a rout. If you’re here for an autopsy, the simplest explanation for cause of death is the Knicks only attempting five more 3s (24) than the Celtics made (19). Three Bostonians made four or more beyond the arc; no Knick had more than three. New York’s starting five attempted 16 longballs. Tatum alone took 14. If you’re throwing 30 jabs a round and your opponent’s throwing 30 uppercuts, you meeting the mat is a question of when, not if.
The recap I hoped to write started with someone I can’t remember anymore — could’ve been Arron Afflalo. Maybe Courtney Lee, maybe Frank Ntilikina. What I do remember was watching a game where the Knicks were behind big early but started making a comeback. The points were piling up to where the pinwheel ceiling sounded like it could come crashing down, so raucous were the home crowd. And then, just when the comeback was about to crest, and the Knicks got out on the break, and were one more make from MSG climaxing in full, uproarious rapture . . . the ball found Ntilikina in the corner. Or Lee. Or Afflalo. Whatever. Whoever it found missed.
And I thought, “That’s a sign. You’ll know the Knicks are back — not Amar’e-quote back, but fully, actually, 1990s or 1970s back — the day that pass finds the right guy in that spot.”
Then, like Linus in the pumpkin patch, I waited, eyes peeled and razor-sharp, for a sign my faith had been rewarded. Could Marcus Morris be the prince who was promised? What about Reggie Bullock? Alec Burks didn’t scream “Messiah,” but if the holy grail were the cup of a carpenter it’d only make sense for New York’s savior to give a similarly humble vibe. Evan Fournier raised some eyebrows his first year here, what with setting a Knick record for 3s in a season and in particular those fading-away corner jobs where he’d drift both away from the basket and behind it. Alas, none of them were “Him.”
I imagine recaps are like rosters: you can have a vision, but unless the right content comes along to fill it the form remains just another dream. The dream of the Knicks surpassing the Celtics is a long-standing one. The bad news isn’t really news at all: as of right now, today, they’re not close. Boston had the edge in size, shooting, continuity and defense, and if you try any “But OG Anunoby was out!” they’ll see you and raise you two absent starters in Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Richdingus.
Somehow, despite the Knicks replacing OG in the starting five with the bigger Precious Achiuwa, every switch and rotation seemed to end up in a size mismatch favoring the visitors: Josh Hart guarded by Luke Kornet; Brown shooting one fadeaway after another over Brunson and Deuce McBride; Karl-Anthony Towns facing Tacko Fall triplet triple-teams. That last bit’s made up. But that’s basically what it felt like watching: like the Knicks thought they were playing the Celtics but instead all the C’s big brothers showed up instead.
Last night didn’t change any my hopes for the Knicks. I think they have the right starting five to win a championship. I don’t think they have the bench to, nor do I expect a team to build both a title-worthy starting lineup and reserve unit all in one offseason. I think with continuity they can be a 60-win team — consider, if you will, how little of that Brunson’s actually had since becoming a Knick. He had about a year and a half straight with RJ Barrett and Julius Randle. In the last 13-ish months, RJ was traded for OG, who missed most of his first half-year with New York. Randle missed the last 3+ months, which is about how long KAT and Bridges have been Knicks. And yet the offense is elite and the defense — most nights — is coming along.
Brunson to Bridges was the right play midway through the third, and feels like a glimpse of greater glories to come. Last night it was but one twinkling light amidst the dark. Quoth Jaybugkit: “Hey, Delon’s first minutes!” I don’t imagine Delon Wright makes a big impact this year for this team, but while he’s no Mikal or Brunson or Towns he’s also not Afflalo. He’s not Ntilikina. He’s not being asked to be what he isn’t. The Knicks close the first “half” with a back-to-back Tuesday and Wednesday, visiting the 4th-seeded before hosting the Hawks. So if there’s still hate in your heart you didn’t properly exorcise last night, two good chances to take care of business this week.