New York Knicks beat the Chicago Bulls, then lose to the Cleveland Cavaliers: Stuck a tier below

The Knicks returned to action with games on consecutive nights. They defeated the Chicago Bulls in overtime 111-113 before being blown out by the Cleveland Cavaliers 142-106. The Knicks played sloppy basketball on both nights, showing more rust than rest.

The Bulls game started ugly, with Jalen Brunson dragging New York’s offense through the first half. Karl-Anthony Towns came alive in the third quarter, but the Knicks couldn’t put Chicago away in regulation. They blew a fourth-quarter lead but bounced back to win in overtime.

New York followed that hard-fought win with a lackluster effort in Cleveland. The Cavs attacked the paint with impunity and hit open shots as the defense collapsed. The Knicks barely showed resistance, and both teams cleared their benches by the start of the fourth.

The defeat is draining, marking another example of New York’s inability to catch up to the true contenders at the league's best. Let’s examine both performances to see where to be optimistic and where to be concerned.

Notable Performances

The top two score well despite defensive flaws

Karl-Anthony Towns:

vs Bulls: 32 PTS (14/30 FG, 2/10 3PT, 2/4 FT), 2 AST, 18 REB, 2 STL, 3 TO in 43 mins

vs Cavs: 23 PTS (10/15 FG, 1/3 3PT, 2/3 FT), 4 AST, 7 REB, 1 STL, 1 BLK, 4 TO in 29 mins

Karl-Anthony Towns started the game against Chicago 2 for 15 and couldn’t buy a bucket in the first half. But he attacked the rim relentlessly in the third quarter, getting going in a nick of time. Towns’ rebounding carried him even through his low-scoring portion, and he closed the game by overwhelming Chicago’s defenders.

Towns continued to score against Cleveland. But the Cavs’ big men forced KAT to slow down, keeping him away from rebounds and turning the ball over on drives.

While Towns’ offense was great and rebounding impressive, his defense was disappointing after a break. The Knicks moved KAT off Vucevic, likely to avoid Chicago attacking Brunson and Towns in pick-and-roll situations. 

Jalen Brunson:

vs Bulls: 22 PTS (8/21 FG, 2/9 3PT, 4/4 FT), 12 AST, 3 REB, 1 STL, 1 BLK, 2 TO in 38 mins
vs Cavs: 26 PTS (10/17 FG, 2/4 3PT, 4/4 FT), 4 AST, 4 REB, 1 STL, 3 TO in 28 mins

Jalen Brunson’s scoring kept New York’s offense steady throughout both games. He provided almost all of the offense to start both games and added incredible playmaking as Chicago doubled him with increasing intensity down the stretch.

Brunson’s scoring kept the Knicks hanging against Cleveland early. But he barely dodged a blowout in his minutes, and the lead disappeared whenever he sat.

Brunson’s defense was as disappointing as Towns’. His offense looked fantastic, but teams attacked him on the opposite end.

Hopeful returns after the ASB

OG Anunoby:

vs Bulls: DNP

vs Cavs: 5 PTS (2/6 FG, 1/3 3PT), 1 STL, 2 TO in 27 mins

OG Anunoby returned to play against Cleveland, though I dare say, “too soon.” He never looked comfortable, with defense that was a shadow of his typical form.

Adding concern to the mix, OG grabbed his injured foot after falling. I’m more perturbed by the performance than I would have been if he sat longer.

Miles McBride: 

vs Bulls: 23 PTS (9/19 FG, 5/12 3PT), 3 AST, 6 REB, 3 STL, 3 BLK in 42 mins

vs Cavs: 5 PTS (2/5 FG, 1/3 3PT), 3 REB, 1 TO in 21 mins

Deuce McBride was the third hero of the Chicago win. He knocked down big shots in key moments, hitting key three-pointers throughout the night. McBride’s defense might have been even more impressive. He frequently blew up Chicago’s plays, turning in his best performance of the season.

McBride didn’t have the same energy for Cleveland. He hit a pair of jumpers but couldn’t contain Donovan Mitchell or Ty Jerome defensively. I’ll chalk up his rare defensive struggles to fatigue.

Not enough from these two starters

Precious Achiuwa:

vs Bulls: 11 PTS (5/11 FG, 1/3 3PT), 9 REB, 3 STL, 1 TO in 46 mins

vs Cavs: 7 PTS (3/10 FG, 1/2 FT), 1 AST, 10 REB, 1 TO in 28 mins

Precious Achiuwa helped New York’s defense by picking up Nikola Vucevic for most of the action. He hedged against screens nicely, stepping out and keeping ball-handlers in check. Precious also made a handful of nice plays on offense.

Achiuwa’s defense looked a step slow the next night. Cleveland continually fed cutters who snuck behind Precious, and he gave up blow-by drives on switches. To his credit, the former Raptor rebounded well against a much bigger frontcourt.

Mikal Bridges: 

vs Bulls: 13 PTS (6/16 FG, 1/5 3PT), 5 AST, 10 REB, 2 BLK, 4 TO in 44 mins

vs Cavs: 14 PTS (6/13 FG, 2/5 3PT), 5 AST, 1 REB, 1 TO in 28 mins

Mikal Bridges came up with the most important stop of the game against Chicago. The Bulls got the ball to Nikola Vucevic in the paint with no big man around. Bridges took the assignment and blocked Vuc to force overtime.

But besides that big moment, Bridges played a mostly forgettable role in both games. He hit some shots and made nice passes when the opportunities arose. But Mikal never threatened to take over the game at either end. His numbers are okay, but his impact was disappointingly limited.

More Notes

• Cam Payne shot poorly but provided playmaking off the bench with 9 assists in the two games.

• Ariel Hukporti played inspired defense and provided energy off the bench. He had a real impact against Chicago but struggled like everyone else against Cleveland.

• Landry Shamet played well against the Bulls, thanks to a pair of three-pointers. He was ineffective against the Cavs.

Closing Thoughts

I can’t sugarcoat a harsh reality. New York has failed to beat the Cavs, Thunder, or Celtics. They’ve been blown out in nearly every matchup with those elite opponents, and their defense hasn’t stood a chance.

It’s worth noting that Josh Hart missed this game and that Mitchell Robinson may be the secret sauce that fixes the defense. But it’s scary to think that New York is so reliant on everyone being healthy to even hang.

They’ll get a chance to bounce back against Boston next, but I’d be lying if I said I’m confident. New York needs to find another level, or they’ll be nothing more than second-round fodder. I’ll see you next time, Knicks fam!