New York Knicks beat the Portland Trail Blazers 123-114: A little more heart

The New York Knicks got back in the win column, beating the Portland Trail Blazers 123-114. Josh Hart’s return seemed to move everything back into place.

The game started with both teams flying up and down the floor. The Blazers lived in transition while the Knicks kept up thanks to three-point shooting. New York established a slim advantage thanks to defense, particularly when the second unit entered. As the Knicks got stops, they built leads, but the Blazers always responded and closed the gap.

New York entered halftime with a five-point lead and pushed that lead to ten in the third quarter. That’s when Portland made a push, going on a run to start the fourth quarter and even taking the lead. The Knicks responded with their own run down the stretch, taking the lead and seeming to get every key loose ball.

The Knicks played with more energy than we’ve seen in weeks. Let’s look at the players’ performances.

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The Blazers sent tough individual defenders at Jalen Brunson and gave them double-team help. But Brunson was in his bag, making more than half his shots for 26 points and adding eight assists with only two turnovers.

When Portland forced the ball out of the Captain’s hands with high double teams, he used Josh Hart almost exclusively as his outlet. That unlocked better ball movement than we’ve seen during crunch time since Hart went down with an injury.

There were plenty of ways to see the difference Josh Hart makes for the Knicks, but I’d point to pace first. Hart turned the first defensive rebound of the game into a fast break, and he kept the pace up throughout. That led to some bad turnovers, but some rust was bound to show up. More importantly, it energized everyone.

Hart also showed his value as connective tissue at both ends. His size and strength make him a more switchable defender than Deuce McBride. On offense, he was the second playmaker when the ball was forced out of Brunson’s hands. Hart, as a tertiary playmaker, freed up Bridges and Anunoby to find rhythm as off-ball options.

No one benefits more from Josh Hart’s return than Mikal Bridges. Hart took away some initiation opportunities from Bridges, but that just meant catch-and-shoot opportunities. Instead of attacking the paint, Mikal could wait for the kickout and feast.

Bridges took what the defense gave him, but that was a buffet of open looks, easy assists, and long offensive rebounds. He was clutch, too, scoring five points in crunch time.

This may have been OG Anunoby’s most balanced offensive effort since returning from injury to start December. Anunoby’s jumper was lethal, opening up easy lanes to drive and finish without much resistance.

You may look at Deni Avdija’s 25-point performance and think Anunoby was subpar defensively. But Avdija did his damage in transition. The five turnovers from Deni are a better indication of OG’s tough defense in half-court sets.

I love Karl-Anthony Towns’ shot selection in this game. He didn’t force jumpers, but punished Portland when they dropped off him. If the Blazers sent wings to guard KAT, he attacked them off the dribble and powered his way to a paint touch. Nothing felt forced.

Towns thrived in double-big sets that forced Portland’s centers to focus on Mitchell Robinson. The two big lineup seems more effective as a change-of-pace option.

Watching Mitchell Robinson and Donovan Clingan battle for position in the paint was as fun as watching transition attacks. The two bigs fought for every loose ball, and I’d give Mitch the clear edge.

But Robinson’s defense was even more important in this win. He forced the Blazers out of the paint with frequent blocks and challenges. Easy opportunities were rare while Mitch played, and came almost exclusively on fast breaks.

I can’t think of a better example of a glue piece than Josh Hart. He’s back for one game, and already it feels like the team has its identity back. That might be fortunate timing, but I don’t think it’s a coincidence.

Hart gives the Knicks an edge. He plays fast, while providing physicality. His passing and ball handling free up the wings, while his rebounding and defense help the bigs. Most importantly, his hustle is contagious.

With Hart back and an extra day to rest, this West Coast trip is looking up. We’ll see how it goes and discuss after the doubleheader against the Kings and Warriors!