New York Knicks beat the Sacramento Kings 133-104: Bouncing back with a veneance

The New York Knicks got back in the win column, defeating the Sacramento Kings. They stormed out to a quick lead, and their defense never let the Kings back in the game.

New York started on fire, with Deuce McBride leading the way in a 37-point first quarter. At the other end, New York’s defense forced Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, and Malik Monk to take tough shots. The half concluded with New York up fifteen, as four of their starters had already scored double-digits.

New York’s onslaught continued with a three-point barrage en route to another 37 points in the third quarter. New York took a 26-point lead into the fourth quarter, turning the final stanza of action into extended garbage time.

The Knicks ended their three-game losing streak with authority. Let’s look at the victory.

Notable Performances

The leaders in Jalen Brunson’s absence

Karl-Anthony Towns: 26 PTS (8/15 FG, 3/6 3PT, 7/9 FT), 3 AST, 9 REB, 1 STL, 1 BLK, 4 TO in 28 mins

My favorite performances from Karl-Anthony Towns come when he establishes a paint presence. KAT frequently attacked off the dribble, finding the paint for finishes and free throws. When Sacramento fell back to contain him, KAT knocked down threes in space.

Towns’ defense was reasonably good, a marked improvement over recent struggles. He picked up fouls from late rotations but consistently took the step over to challenge shooters at the rim. I’ll take the effort!

OG Anunoby: 24 PTS (7/15 FG, 1/3 3PT, 7/8 FT), 8 AST, 7 REB, 4 STL, 1 TO in 37 mins

The attacking version of OG Anunoby showed up again. He attacked off the dribble and in the post, collapsing the defense and showing off some passing chops. The approach rewarded Anunoby with assists and trips to the free throw line.

Anunoby’s mentality overwhelmed his defenders, and he used the same aggression to demoralize the Kings’ offense. He constantly hounded ball-handlers or denied players the ball altogether. The Knicks’ defensive ace put together one of his best two-way performances of the season.

Doing everything we’ve been asking for

Mikal Bridges: 15 PTS (6/10 FG, 1/3 3PT, 2/2 FT), 3 AST, 6 REB, 3 TO in 31 mins

Mikal Bridges handled the rock more than we’re used to seeing, and he got positive results. The extra touches came with an additional improvement: Bridges never settled. He attacked matchups off the dribble, got to the rim, and either took jumpers from close or sprayed the ball to cutters.

Bridges often defended DeMar Derozan or Zach LaVine, with OG Anunoby picking up the other. The only consistent success either Kings scorer had came from LaVine taking three-pointers well behind the three-point line. Bridges otherwise locked them up.

Josh Hart: 18 PTS (6/11 FG, 4/6 3PT, 2/2 FT), 3 AST, 6 REB, 3 TO in 31 mins

My prayers were answered as Josh Hart fired away from three to start this game. The Kings let Jonas Valanciunas hang in the paint instead of guarding Hart, so the Knicks’ wing shot and made three jumpers from deep to punish the defense.

Hart’s rebounding and assists dipped below his norms, but that’s not for lack of effort. The Kings pushed Hart to take shots instead of driving and kicking, and Keegan Murray appeared determined to stop New York’s spark plug from grabbing defensive boards and breaking the opposite way.

Stepping up to bigger roles

Deuce McBride: 21 PTS (7/11 FG, 4/5 3PT, 3/5 FT), 7 AST, 3 REB, 2 STL in 32 mins

While the entire team started hot, Miles McBride led the way. He scored 15 points in the first quarter of action, knocking down jumpers from around the arc. His outburst forced the Kings to pay him extra attention for the rest of the night, which slowed down his shooting but opened the floor for everyone else.

Deuce’s defense set as much of a tone as his offense. He hounded ball-handlers, often battling Malik Monk until the Kings’ scorer had to take contested jumpers. McBride even dove for loose balls despite the Knicks’ commanding lead in the second half. It was a fantastic performance covering for the injured Jalen Brunson.

Mitchell Robinson: 2 PTS (1/1 FG), 1 AST, 4 REB, 4 STL, 2 TO in 16 mins

Mitchell Robinson’s defensive presence was undeniable from the moment he checked in. The Kings turned the ball over repeatedly after trying to attack the paint but hesitating at the sight of Robinson rotating over.

Mitch finished his lone offensive touch at the rim and applied offensive rebounding pressure. He looks ready for more minutes as needed because his impact never faded.

More Notes

• Landry Shamet knocked down five field goals, including three shots from deep. His cutting around the perimeter and into the paint helped apply pressure on the Kings.

• While Cam Payne’s numbers don’t leap off the page, his six points and three assists came within the flow of an offense he maestroed for the second unit. He played well.

• Anton Watson and MarJon Beauchamp made their Knicks debuts in garbage time, with Beauchamp scoring his first points for the orange and blue.

Closing Thoughts

Life without Brunson got off to a rocky start, but the Knicks bounced back with a spectacular effort.

They shot the ball better than we’ve seen in weeks. Players stepped up with more touches, doing more but rarely forcing the issue. The ball movement was fantastic. If this keeps up, the Captain will return to players ready to take the reins when defenses focus too heavily on him.

The Blazers are next, but I, unfortunately, won’t be able to recap that one. I’ll be back to chat after the Warriors’ game on Saturday. I’ll see you then, Knicks fam!