After 31 minutes last night in Chicago, the New York Knicks had scored 68 points but surrendered 87. The rest of the game, led by Jalen Brunson and Jordan Clarkson, they ran off a 65-40 run, winning their second straight.
There were heroes, zeroes and those in-between . Let's see how each Knick graded.
Confessions of a sportswriter: it's surprisingly easy to overlook Jalen Brunson when writing about the Knicks. You wouldn't think so, but he's pretty much proven and done everything there since he came to New York.
But last night you could have been vacationing on Mars and it was still impossible to miss the buzz and brilliance Brunson brought. He scored 22 in the second half on just 12 shots, but it wasn't just that. He had five assists after intermission, helping four Knicks join him in scoring double-digits in the second half. But again, It wasn't just that.
It was the sight of Brunson doing what he does best: becoming water, taking on whatever form the situation called for and taking over. Entering last night he'd made only 4-of-20 threes this season; against the Bulls he drained 6-of-10. He made more two than any other Knick. He made more threes than any other Knick. He got to the line as often as any other Knick.
With all the attention he commands, with the amount of time he has the ball in his hands, he committed just two turnovers. In the NBA today, there is no more fertile ground to plant a basketball than in Jalen Brunson's hands.
Jordan Clarkson has never been the most-celebrated Knick reserve since joining the team a year ago. He's never heard the Garden chant his name the way they have Landry Shamet's. He isn't some fresh-faced young dreamcatcher like Tyler Kolek. And stylish though Clarkson may be, he'll never be a native New Yorker like Jose Alvarado.
What Clarkson has been ever since he became a Knick is the portrait of professionalism. The Knicks signed him after a career spent as a microwave bench scorer who's also averaged six assists per 36 minutes. It turned out there wasn't really the need for that from him. Clarkson could have pouted, could have asked for his release, could have spent his remaining playing days living Cam Thomas' best life and just jacking up shots for bad teams until it came time to hang 'em up.
Instead, Clarkson re-imagined himself as a mixture of Josh Hart and TJ McConnell, becoming a rabid attack dog on the offensive glass and a full-court pressing nuisance of a defender. Because the Knicks usually have the scoring part covered, Clarkson channeled his energy into areas of need.
But Wednesday night, they needed the old Clarkson. They got him.
Clarkson, playing the whole fourth quarter, drilled 5-of-6 shots, including two three-pointers. He also collected a couple of steals in the frame.
The Knicks don't need reserves who think they should start, or think they should play every day. They don't need reserves who only want to do what they're comfortable doing. They need reserves who care first, second and third-most about winning, period. Clarkson does, which is why even when he's gone he's never forgotten. Wednesday night he was present, accounted for and unforgettable.
I'm not sure how many players in the league today have ever had 10 points and 10 assists in under 20 minutes. I'm unsure how many Knicks, if any, ever have. Kolek was oh-so-close last night, just a point and a dime away. Making his first three-pointer of the year, then his second and third? Welcome news, for sure, but more affirming of what we already know: Kolek can shoot .
But did you know he now has 21 assists this year against zero turnovers? After being one of the league's best teams protecting the ball in recent seasons, the Knicks were turning it over more than they like the first few games.
Karl-Anthony Towns has been operating more as the playmaking hub we saw in the playoffs, resulting in too many nights like last, when he had five assists but also four turnovers. With possession so important and Alvarado still out injured, Kolek will keep getting chances to shine .
Four three and three dimes in 20 second-half minutes from Landry Shamet, who was pressed into extended duty due to Mikal Bridges continuing to struggle. Would normally be a B+, but extra points for Shamet toughing his way through this one when he hurt his ankle after dunking and stepping on Caleb Wilson's foot.
Shamet doesn't have the size or salary of Bridges, yet remains invaluable for his quick release, dogged defense and because he doesn't sleepwalk through entire games.
In the first half: 12 points, three rebounds. In the second half: 11 points, three rebounds. A balanced effort by Ogugua Anunoby.
Perhaps most impressive was getting to the line eight times. Anunoby has nearly doubled his free-throw attempts from last year (3.3) to this year (6.4). Extra points for persevering after hitting the back of his head on the floor in the first half.
Long heralded as one of the greatest shooting seven-footers of all-time, it's time to stop pigeon-holing Towns. That's like calling Patrick Ewing one of the greatest high-top fade wearing seven-footers ever-you're missing a whole forest because you're stuck on one tree.
Last night, even after a bad fall on KAT's left wrist required a locker-room trip and taping up, was another instance where his versatility proved too much for the opponent. In the first half he scored with relative ease inside the arc, but wasn't looking for threes or looking to dominate the ball. He did all that while owning the glass, his 11 boards before the break more than double what any Bull pulled down.
Foul trouble caused Towns to sit most of the third quarter, but he played the whole fourth along with Shamet and Clarkson. The Bulls haven't had an answer for KAT since he became a Knick. Most teams haven't got one.
The barometer for Andre Drummond is pretty simple : if he makes his presence felt, no matter how few the minutes, he's done his job. What the Knicks can't afford are invisible minutes.
Wednesday night he hauled in 11 rebounds in 15 minutes and had three screen assists. The Knicks would love to see that kind of performance every night from AD.
Not a great shooting night-just 1-of-6-but Josh Hart still did a lot of the usual Josh Hart stuff. Eight rebounds (three offensive) and three assists, along with a team-high tying six contested shots on the defensive end. Hart is as true a "glue guy" as it gets, meaning just like glue you don't tend to notice him so much when he's doing his job. And like glue, he's almost always doing the job.
Miles McBride 's first-half performance, wherein he missed six of seven three-point tries and rushed some, was poor enough to earn a second-half benching. The only reasons he gets this grade are the five rebounds and five deflections he amassed in those minutes.
In the first half Mikal Bridges played nine minutes, made one basket, committed one turnover and two fouls and did not register a single rebound, assists, steal or block. Riddle me this: what could be worse?
Bridges' second half! When he made no baskets and didn't bother with any turnovers, fouls, rebounds, assists, steals or blocks. That's why he only played four minutes post-intermission. That's why the Knicks were so lucky Shamet, Kolek and Clarkson all brought their A-games on the same night. And that's why Bridges earns a failing grade .
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/nba/knicks/onsi as Knicks Report Card vs. Bulls: Clarkson Gets A, Bridges an F .
