Jalen Brunson: C-
The 29 points and seven assists will be what people see, and the box score-watchers will say he had a solid game. But anybody watching the game can tell you that he did not. Not only did he shoot just 10-26 from the field and 5-7 from the free-throw line, he took his matchup against Dyson Daniels and the back-and-forth against CJ McCollum too personally and sabotaged the offense by trying to play hero ball. That led to most of his 26 shot attempts being contested and forced, which
in turn took his teammates out of rhythm. And when he wasn’t overly focused on trying to get up another shot attempt, he also committed two live-ball turnovers down the stretch.
That alone might not have cost the game, but it came close. And he compounded those mistakes by getting absolutely torched by CJ McCollum on the other end. The veteran guard was very intentional in seeking Brunson out, and the Knicks captain put up little to no resistance. The game was still a team loss at the end of the day, but Brunson deserves the most individual blame for blowing what should’ve been a relatively easy win.
Josh Hart: B+
Josh Hart shot 1-5 from three, and that’s less than ideal. If he makes even one of those, the feelings around this series might be completely different. That being said, Hart was everywhere in that dominant first quarter. He continues to do a very commendable job defending a bigger and more athletic Jalen Johnson while also going right at him in transition. He also led the team in rebounds for the second straight game with 13. Hart could’ve played better, but as the team leader in plus-minus, he was far from the reason they lost.
Mikal Bridges: B-
Mikal Bridges came out of the gates aggressive, which is usually a very good sign for him and the Knicks. But the problem remains his ability, or lack thereof, to remain aggressive and engaged. Part of that is on the coaching staff and Brunson, but part of it also falls on him. Bridges faded into obscurity on the offensive end as the game went on and had a very tough stretch, going 0-3 in the final period. He missed two open threes that would’ve swung the momentum of the game and missed the game-winner.
The only thing saving Bridges from a lower grade is the defense he has played thus far. For the second straight game, Bridges has shut down Nickeil Alexander-Walker, who is now averaging just 13 PPG and shooting just 9-29 from the field.
OG Anunoby: B+
This was a difficult one to grade. OG Anunoby started out the game playing very well. He was aggressive going to the basket when he needed to be, made two out of the four threes he took, and was great on the boards once again, all while playing his usual standout defense. But it’s hard not to penalize Anunoby’s grade for the free throws he missed in crunch time and for going four for eight on the night.
Karl-Anthony Towns: B+
18 points and eight rebounds doesn’t sound like an amazing game. And one can argue that he could’ve been more aggressive in demanding the ball in the fourth quarter. But I, as have others, have loved the way Karl-Anthony Towns is playing right now. He’s looked incredibly confident and comfortable when featured in the offense, doing a great job of being both decisive and patient. The three turnovers aren’t ideal, but him taking 14 fewer shots than Brunson is much more on the point guard and Mike Brown than it is on him.
On top of that, the big man is also playing some of the best defense we’ve seen him play. He followed up his three-block, one-steal Game One performance with another two blocks.
Mitchell Robinson: A-
Is there anything more we can say about Mitchell Robinson at this point? His plus-minus looks at a team-worst -10, but that is partly a product of him playing with some very questionable lineups. For most of the 18 minutes he was on the court, he looked great, grabbing seven rebounds and scoring 13 points on 6-6 from the field while also making one of his two free-throw attempts.
Deuce McBride: F
Not all of McBride’s F grade is on him. He seems to still be partially bothered by his sports hernia injury, and Brown did him no favors by inserting him as the point guard and the lone ball-handler and creator in some of the 13 minutes he played. But boy, did Deuce McBride look bad last night. It was maybe the worst he has looked since being a rotation mainstay. His shot, when he can even find one, looked off, and he did not handle the perimeter ball pressure well whatsoever. Regardless of the reason, he simply needs to be better if the Knicks want to get to the Finals, let alone beat this Hawks team.
Jordan Clarkson: B+
Jordan Clarkson continues his career-reinvention tour with another good game. I can’t say I remember any other bench microwave scorer turning himself into a player whose game is centered around hustle, ball pressure, and offensive rebounding. It’s safe to say Clarkson has gained the trust of Brown (rightfully so) and has also bought his career more time as well. Good on Clarkson. If the Knicks want to win this series, they’ll likely need him to continue being who he has become.
Landry Shamet: F
Landry Shamet may still be dealing with knee soreness, and Brown misused Shamet, like he did with McBride. But that doesn’t excuse Shamet either. Through two games, the veteran guard has looked like a shell of his regular season self. Maybe the veteran’s regular season performance tempered the fanbase’s expectations, but they can’t keep playing him this much if he can’t make, let alone find, shots out there. It’s hard to confidently say he should be benched without seeing him play with Brunson and/or Towns more, but I also can’t say his leash should be very long. The Knicks need at least one of him or McBride to show up. On Monday night, neither did.
Jose Alvarado: B
Jose Alvarado didn’t play in Game One, and nobody was questioning the decision. Such is the case when you win. Had they lost, that might’ve been a different scenario. But after the bench unit struggled with ball handling in the second quarter, the New York native got his first playoff minutes, and he did not disappoint. While his stats leave a lot to be desired, he was tied for the second-highest plus-minus with a plus five in just nine minutes. He provided the Knicks with some much-needed playmaking and energy. I’m still not certain just how much playing time he should get, but with Shamet and McBride struggling the way they have, there’s a case for him to play a little more.
Mike Brown: F
If grades could go below Fs, I think Mike Brown would deserve it. Players have a larger impact on the game than coaches do, and if they had made more shots, turned the ball over less, and defended better, they would’ve won the game. But some of those things aren’t always controllable. Do you know what is, though? Coaching decisions. Despite the starters coming into the game with the lead, Brown’s decision to go without his two best players for such a long stint was inexplicable. One, he hasn’t even used those lineups much, and two, they haven’t statistically been great. To experiment in what is the most important game up to this point in the season just makes no sense.
Brunson’s lackluster play, the missed free throws, and CJ McCollum’s heroics played a part in the loss, but Brown shot himself and the team in the foot and arguably coached his worst game of the season in the process.
