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The Knicks organization celebrated the 50th golden anniversary of their 1973 championship last night. The team honored historical figures from the storied franchise, such as Walt "Clyde" Frazier, Bernard King, Allan Houston, and Larry Johnson. It was a wholesome moment among Knicks fans as the legends were lauded at Madison Square Garden with loud cheers from the crowd.
It only seemed right that the Knicks scored 73 points in the first half in honor of them, while holding the Pelicans to 52 points. This display represented the defensive tenacity the '73 team played with. On top of that, the Knicks trio of Jalen Brunson, Julius Randle, and RJ Barrett scored a total of 73 out of the team's 128 points. The Knicks are now eight games above the .500 mark.
Knicks etch out 5th consecutive victory against the Pelicans
It's a different game than it was 50 years ago, yet some aspects remain the same, like the grind-it-out defense seen last night. Tom Thibodeau's Knicks displayed a valiant two-way effort against a Pelicans team that was missing Zion Williamson.
They held the Pelicans to 39.2% shooting from the field and 21.1% shooting from the perimeter. Julius Randle did a fantastic job guarding Brandon Ingram, who was held to 19 points on 7-22 (31.8%) shooting. CJ McCollum was also held to 6-19 shooting (31.6%). New York outrebounded New Orleans 54-39, with the two centers (Robinson and Hartenstein) combining for 23 rebounds.
The Knicks' offense came out firing on all cylinders last night. Julius Randle recorded 16 points in the first quarter to set the tone. The starters, except for Grimes (nine points), were all in double-digits. The bench, sparked by Immanuel Quickley's 13 points and Josh Hart's 15 points, helped maintain the Knicks' strong lead. Zooming out, the Knicks had near-perfect shooting splits, shooting 51.1% from the field, 39.6% from three, and 82.6% from the line.
Julius Randle, Jalen Brunson, and RJ Barrett each score 20+ in the win
New York hasn't had many games this season where their top-three players are all playing well. Last night was different. Julius Randle continued his spectacular, all-around play with 28 points, seven rebounds, and five assists on 55% shooting. Jalen Brunson continues to provide the ball-handling and shotmaking this team desperately needs with 20 points and five assists.
The most impressive performance went to RJ Barrett though, who has been quietly playing solid basketball post All-Star break. The 22-year-old put up 25 points, four rebounds, and seven assists on 62% shooting last night, having the second highest +/- (+23) on the team behind Julius Randle (+26). After a rather disappointing season with inconsistent scoring, poor shot-selection, and questionable effort overall, the forward's last two games have seen him take good, quality shots, make quick yet patient reads out of double-teams, and defend at a level reminiscient of his 2021 season.
The Knicks' trio continue to prove many wrong. With remarks about Jalen Brunson being on an overpaid contract, the guard is bringing what the Knicks have lacked for years -- offensive facilitating and go-to scoring. Last summer, as many fans labeled the Knicks' trio of Barrett, Brunson, and Randle as the 'mid three,' the young stud, one of the league's top scorers, and the two-time All-Star are leading their team to the soxth seed in a competitive Eastern conference.
Fans chant for Derrick Rose's appearance
Walt Frazier summed up the confusion perfectly. Despite "Derrick Rose" and "We Want Derrick" chants from the sold-out Madison Square Garden, Knicks fans were shocked when Tom Thibodeau yielded to the cheers and sent Derrick Rose on the court in the last few minutes of a blowout victory against the New Orleans Pelicans.
The Knicks look to make it six-straight wins against the Boston Celtics on Monday at 7:30 PM. From RJ Barrett's game-winning three to the Knicks trio combining for 85 points in an overtime win, the Knicks-Celtics rivalry has always been an entertaining watch.
