An incredible defensive effort saw the New York Knicks defeat the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Cente. With consecutive games holding opponents under 110 points, the Knicks look more like their top-five defense from earlier in the season.
With a 121-102 victory, the Knicks never relinquished the lead, led by the tenacity of Julius Randle and co.With an incredible defensive effort, the New York Knicks defeated the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center. With consecutive games holding opponents under 110 points, the Knicks look more like their top-five defense from earlier in the season. In a 121-102 victory, the Knicks never gave up the lead thanks to the tenacity of Julius Randle and Co.Stallions: Julius Randle continues his dominationThere’s no doubt how great Julius Randle has been lately. With an average of 27 points, eight rebounds and five assists on 57% shooting over his last ten games, Randle showed, after numerous criticisms at the start of the season, that he was the best player of the New York Knicks.Julius continued his dominance against Brooklyn, posting 26 points and seven rebounds, which was a much more relaxed affair than what we’ve seen from him over the last five games. Toughness makes opposing defenses fear guarding Julius Randle. There’s no doubt how great Julius Randle has been lately. With an average of 27 points, eight rebounds and five assists on 57% shooting over his last ten games, Randle showed, after numerous criticisms at the start of the season, that he was the best player of the New York Knicks.Julius continued his dominance against Brooklyn, posting 26 points and seven rebounds, which was a much more relaxed affair than what we’ve seen from him over the last five games. Toughness makes opposing defenses fear keeping Julius RandleStuds: The Knicks have a phenomenal supporting cast Donte DiVincenzo may be one of the best offseason signings in recent history considering his performance for New York. With a 44% shooting percentage after three games this season, his legend continues to grow as he has become a fan favorite in New York. With 23 points and eight rebounds against Brooklyn, Donte is part of a dynamic duo that should be better known as the ‘Swiss Army Knives.’The second half of that pair would be “Nova veteran” Josh Hart. With career-highs of 10 points and 13 rebounds, Hart is expected to help fill the void left by the injured centers plaguing the Knicks, and he’s performing as always. Hart currently has the most ten rebound games played by a shooting guard since the 2017-2018 season.Every time Immanuel Quickley enters the game, good things happen for the Knicks. He fits easily into the culture with his “get to work” mentality. Quickley scored an impressive 19 points on 58% from the field. It gets to the point where opposing defenses plot against him. Averaging 14.6 points on 52% shooting over his last five games, Quickley’s motor has become contagious for the New York Knicks. Studs: Knicks defense stops The Nets shot 36% from the field and an abysmal 31% from three-point range. The Knicks, who were previously in last place in December, have made a comeback defensively in their last two games. New York has ranked second in defensive rating over the last two games, behind the Oklahoma City Thunder. In this sample, New York appears to be dominant and is poised to set the tone in major matchups to come.Dud: RJ Barrett continues to struggle RJ Barrett conversations are present. The fifth-year forward hasn’t put together a big game in quite some time, and it’s becoming increasingly alarming for the New York Knicks. Before watching the rest of the game from the sidelines, Barrett had four points in the second half and finished the game with 14 points and five rebounds.Barrett should be the third option for the New York Knicks, but the weight of being a productive defender and consistent scorer could lead to Barrett playing very uncharacteristically as of late. In his last five games, Barrett is averaging 14.8 points on 40% from the field.What to remember from the Knicks’ victory against the Nets,The Knicks played branded basketball against the Brooklyn Nets and overall looked like a well-oiled machine. When it comes to turning defense into offense, this team hums. If he capitalizes on his strengths and continually plays defensively, he will reestablish his defensive balance before tough contests. The Knicks are definitely turning heads with their recent performances and have a few days off before hosting the Milwaukee Bucks at Madison Square Garde.
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