The Knicks stunned the NBA world (for better or worse) on Wednesday night, stealing Game 1 of the NBA Finals in San Antonio for the team’s first road win on the biggest stage since Game 2 back in 1994.
In an ugly, physical, defensive-focused game, the box score doesn’t look pretty, but we’ll try to grade the guys based on how they looked and their impact, rather than judging them by their efficiency, considering the stage.
30 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 12-31 FG, 2-9 3pt, 4-4 FT, 4 turnovers, +6
Looking at the statline alone and knowing Brunson’s shortcomings defensively, you might have an eyebrow raised looking at this grade if you didn’t watch the game, but to fully contextualize things, you have to look at the bigger picture.
Harrison Barnes flopped to his knee in the first quarter, prompting him to head to the locker room. OAKAAK Luke Kornet stepped on his foot in the second quarter. He was in serious pain for much of the first half as he struggled with his shot and looked apprehensive at times. He started 1-for-8 and 6-for-20. He couldn’t buy a three. It wasn’t his night.
And then he just fried their faces off in the fourth quarter. 13 points on 5-for-9 shooting. Calming down the troops after surrendering a brutal 9-0 run in the final minutes with a clutch three with 1:50 to go. Making impossible shot after impossible shot.
He’s making an argument to be the best playoff closer since Michael Jeffrey Jordan. And it’s not just me saying it.
He doesn’t get an A because he was a big part of the team’s offensive struggles in the first half, but he was fantastic. On a day where nobody seemed to be firing on all cylinders, he was the best player out there.
9 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 3-6 FG, 3-4 FT, 1 turnover, +11
This was Mikal’s worst game since Game 5 against Atlanta. He looked apprehensive as he adjusted to the truly generational rim protection of Victor Wembanyama. For a guy who’s one of the best shooters in this series, he didn’t take a three. Because of the way the Spurs are structured, he also doesn’t have a clear defensive responsibility.
But he was a big part of silencing San Antonio’s offense with active hands and strong contests. He also sneakily was the catalyst behind the Knicks picking themselves off the mat after falling behind 94-95, subbing in for Landry Shamet with 2:16 to go and being on the court for the game-ending 11-0 run. He got the assist on Brunson’s go-ahead triple.
There will be a time for Bridges to have a big game in this series; it just didn’t happen on Wednesday.
3 points, 15 rebounds, 6 assists, 4 steals, 1 block, 1-5 FG, 0-3 3pt, 4 fouls, +22
Is this not the most Josh Hart statline ever?
He’s 13 inches shorter than Wemby, yet he outrebounded him.
His first half was very mediocre. He got into foul trouble and was clogging up the offense because of ghost coverage, which he wasn’t able to shoot his way out of.
Yet, like he always does, he found a way to make an impact. 10 rebounds in 19 second-half minutes. +17. Three clutch steals in the fourth quarter. He was everywhere.
If he starts making open threes, the Spurs are in trouble.
17 points, 3 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 block, 5-12 FG, 3-6 3pt, 4-4 FT, -6
It was a weird game for OG. He was, like Bridges, apprehensive early, but he got more aggressive in the second half. He wasn’t able to fully get his game off because of Wemby’s rim protection, but he nailed three clutch triples in the second half to give the offense life.
He made four straight clutch free throws that took the life out of the Spurs. He played formidable defense all game. It was a solid OG game, but one that he can improve upon.
18 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 block, 7-15 FG, 0-2 3pt, 4-4 FT, 2 turnovers, 4 fouls, +14
What a fantastic game for the Big Bodega, who’s playing the best team basketball of his career.
He didn’t make his threes. He didn’t make a shot outside the restricted area. He once again failed to clear 20 points.
Didn’t matter. He successfully dragged Wemby out of the paint and drove right past him. He spearheaded the third-quarter comeback that made it a game. Maybe Chet Holmgren can take notes.
But what elevates his performance above all the rest? His defense on the most unstoppable force in basketball. Wemby was uncomfortable with him all game, going just 2-for-12 with three turnovers with Towns guarding him. In a postseason where he’s played the best defense of his career, he just had his magnum opus.
6 points, 4 assists, 1 rebound, 1 block, 2-7 FG, 2-6 3pt, +11
When the Knicks were down 14 in the third quarter and needed a life raft, McBride was on the court, doing all the little things and making the right plays.
He played better than his stat line. He had two of the most emphatic plays of the game in that third quarter.
7 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 3-6 FG, 1-3 3pt, 1 turnover, 3 fouls, +4
Alvarado had some moments in his NBA Finals debut, but there were some moments that stood out to me in a negative way.
At times, he took too long to get into the offense. This works when you have a 1A like Brunson, but a player like Alvarado needs to get into the offense sooner. He’s not a gifted scorer or shooter, so his value on that end comes from his playmaking. He didn’t do enough there.
The decision-making was also odd. He isolated on Wemby at the three-point line with 5 seconds on the shot clock. He was taking rough floaters. He sagged off Julian Champagnie late in the first half.
His offense wasn’t all bad, though. He had a nifty reverse layup to get around the long arms of Wembanyama and nailed a three late in the first half. Overall, pretty average.
13 points, 1 rebound, 0 assists, 5-9 FG, 3-6 3pt, 4 fouls, -11
Shamet had the worst plus-minus on the Knicks, but it didn’t reflect his level of play.
Offensively, he was the only player who was able to make a three. He hit one in the midst of the big 3Q run, he hit a go-ahead layup early in the fourth, and had the quick trigger that the team needed badly.
Why was he -11? He was on the court for that late Spurs sprint before being replaced by Bridges with 2 minutes to go.
2 points, 6 rebounds, 1-2 FG, 0-1 FT, 1 foul, 1 OREB, -4
How do you judge a man who played just 13 minutes and didn’t touch the ball a lot?
He missed a dunk, he yammed it on his old best friend, and he grabbed six rebounds. All with a broken hand.
He could do more, but he was good in his spurts. He had one fantastic defensive possession on Wembanyama to force a turnover and another tremendous seal to give Brunson space to hit a key layup. He’s a high-IQ player who will be vital to getting three more wins.
0 points, 0 assists, 1 rebound, 0-1 FG, 0-1 3pt, 1 foul, +2
Clarkson played six minutes, and you didn’t notice him much. Not sure why he attempted a three as his only shot, but we’ll have to see if he can get back to what he’s thrived at in Game 2
