Knicks stars combine for 70 and scorch The Suns

It was a near perfect night for the Knicks as both 2023/24 playoff nemeses in Indiana and Philadelphia were blown out whilst Brunson and Co. brought their winning streak (4 games) to this pivotal five-game road trip. Potentially more importantly, the impatient Knicks fanbase was silenced as Jalen Brunson dropped 36 points in probably his most impactful game of this young season. He set the tone, knocking down two early threes as the Knicks piled up 44 points compared to the 28 from the Suns in the first quarter of action. This 16-point lead was more or less maintained throughout the game as the Knicks led by as many as 24 and as few as 9 in an eventual 138-122 victory.

Karl Karl Anthony-Towns and Jalen Brunson taking a break

Credit must be given to the Suns, who fought to the end despite key injuries to All-NBA-caliber Kevin Durant and former All-Star Bradley Beal. Even without these two players, the Suns still managed an impressive 49% shooting from the field and 38% from three. At times, they were able to create open shots through slick transition offense, especially in the second half, proving that sometimes the best offense is in fact defense. These high numbers remain worrying for the Knicks as their defensive identity remains in question; they are ranked 21st out of the 30 NBA teams when it comes to defensive rating—hardly the numbers of a team striving to win it all this season. Critics have almost unanimously decided that this is due to Karl-Anthony Towns's ability—or, in their view, lack of ability—to protect the rim. However, this view is simply false. His personal defensive rating sits at 109, and when compared to the league average of 112, concerns about his defensive capability should not be questioned, especially when the primary reason Leon Rose traded for the All-NBA centre was his offensive capabilities. Towns is averaging a career-high 27.3 points through the first 15 games of this season while shooting 55% from the field and 51% from three. While it may seem far-fetched, these truly are numbers that should have him in the MVP conversation thus far.

However, what was the biggest factor in the Knicks' win tonight—and their biggest X-factor—was their impressive three-point shooting. They connected on 8 threes in the first quarter and finished the game shooting 19-for-39 from beyond the arc. This included 7-for-11 from Jalen Brunson, who is continuing to prove why the Knicks value him so highly. Remember, this is a man who, in unprecedented fashion, sacrificed a whopping $110 million in salary to help the Knicks build a competitive roster to compete with the likes of the almighty Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference. This is why he continues to be the heart and soul of New York basketball and, and for some locals, the heart of the city.

Josh Hart (most likely arguing about a foul or lack of)

With Brunson's example set this offseason, the team has fought to keep important pieces and add new ones while maintaining their competitive spirit and championship aspirations. Look no further than Knicks forward Josh Hart, who embodies this characterization of New York basketball to its fullest extent. While his 10 PPG career stats don't exactly jump off the page, it’s what you don’t see that stands out. Despite being 6 feet 4 inches (we are talking about the NBA here), he is one of the league's premier rebounders—and the best for his position—showing this through consistent double-digit rebounding nights. Tonight, he scored 19 points, collected 11 rebounds, and made 6 assists. However, it was two plays in particular that stood out. The first was a slick steal (he had three tonight), followed by a tough transition finish while being hounded by the Suns defense. The second was a tough offensive rebound over Suns center Jusuf Nurkic, and a dish out to Mikal Bridges for an open three-pointer. These are the sorts of extra-effort plays that Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau looks for in his players and why Hart is often playing 40+ minutes a night.

Having now completed 15 games of this season, the Knicks have mustered a 9-6 record, good for 3rd in the relatively weaker Eastern Conference. However, the improvement is there. Looking back on the opening night of the season, there was almost no perimeter defense as the Celtics rained down an NBA record 29 three-pointers and blew out the Knicks. However, there has been serious improvement since. OG Anunoby, who signed a $212.5 million contract over 5 years, has found his groove on both ends of the court and remains one of the league's most versatile defenders, guarding players from 6 to 7 feet tall. Anunoby, in tandem with Mikal Bridges, has been lethal at times as the duo's defensive chemistry continues to improve. Moving forward, the Knicks will look to extend their winning streak in the next matchup against the Utah Jazz, whilst eagerly waiting on the return of key rotation players Mitchell Robinson (God's answer to an offensive rebound), Miles McBride, and Precious Achiuwa.