3 Takeaways From the Knicks Season Opener 2020–2021
By: Brandon Sariwati
Tags: Basketball, NBA, New York, Rj Barrett, Knicks

These observations are from the Knicks first game against the Pacers from December 23, 2020.

I don’t think there were any real expectations for the Knicks, a “worst team in the league contender,” to beat a playoff team in the Pacers. As bad as we played in the second half, the first half of the game showed Knicks fans reasons to be optimistic about the team’s future. Here are the 3 takeaways from the season opener:

The Knicks need a Point Guard

Look at this we have 6 point guards listed on the roster.

Elfrid Payton, Frank Ntlakina, Dennis Smith Jr, Austin Rivers, Immanuel Quickley and Jared Harper.

How is it that we don’t have an established point guard with all of these options.

Elfrid Payton is our starter. He struggled in this game. He missed easy close to medium range shots, didn’t create many opportunities for other players, and surprisingly had a loose handle. There was a reason why many Knicks fans weren’t high on him last season and it showed.

Frank barely had an impact on this game. He played 5 minutes and ended up with one point. I really had high hopes for him and his future the Knicks, but I just don’t think he’s shown enough at this point to prove that he’s even worth playing.

The only competent point guard during this game was Immanuel Quickley. He looked outstanding in the preseason. His performances seamlessly translated into his first regular season game. Unfortunately, he only played 12 minutes due to a hip pointer injury. When he was on the floor, he energized the team by pushing the pace and pressuring the defense. The rest of the Knicks looked like they wanted to play this style of ball and performed well enough to put up 66 points in the first half. It’s not a surprise he was one of the two Knicks to post a positive plus/minus on the floor (the second being Alec Burks).

He was definitely a bright spot for the Knicks. Hopefully, he continues this type of play throughout the season.

For now, I’d want to see IQ play more point guard minutes. When Austin Rivers comes back from his injury, I think these two should carry the load for the Knicks at the point guard position. They’re definitely more competent to run it.

RJ has improved — but the Knicks need to feature him more

He started the game by shooting a perfect 8–8 shots scoring 20 points in the first half. He was showing the full package too, shooting 3s, hitting mid-range shots, and getting into the paint. What jumped out at me was his aggressiveness no matter who was guarding him. For example, there was a play where Victor Oladipo was hounding him and he overcame this by throwing a couple of moves which resulted in a layup. I think Knicks fans are in for an exciting RJ Barrett season as the number one scoring option.

It’s a shame they went away from feeding him the ball in the second half. Or at least that’s what it felt like. Once I.Q. was out of the game, the Knicks offense returned to their mediocre ways from last season. Putting RJ and Alec Burks as the primary ball handlers didn’t work out. Then they tried Elfrid Payton and Frank Ntilikina. It goes back to my first point, where the Knicks and RJ need a point guard. Regardless of how the game ended, I’m happy we saw the version of RJ we did this game.

Alec Burks — Marcus Morris 2.0?

He reminds me of what Marcus Morris was last season with the Knicks. He was showing the full repertoire hitting 3’s, getting to the free-throw line (8–9!), and consistently getting in the paint. I don’t think he sustains scoring 20+ points this season, but if he averages around 15 to 16 points, I think can become a valuable member… That the Knicks can probably flip for a future pick or young talent.

Honorable Mentions

Obi Tobbin looked okay. He struggled in the field shooting 3–12 from the floor and 3–7 from 3!!! That’s way too many 3 point attempts for him. I’d rather have him attacking the basketball showcasing more with his athleticism. I like his aggression and willingness to shoot, but he needs to tone it down and play to his strengths.

This game might have shown that his handle isn’t all there yet which leads to a lack of confidence when it comes to driving in the paint, but I wouldn’t fully blame him. The point guard situation also doesn’t help with setting up any shots for him.

Mitchell Robinson still looks like he needs to work on his discipline on defense. He’s still fouling and getting torched by both big men in Sabonis and Turner. I want to him succeed, but we need to see way more improvement from him.

Overall

There’s a reason for optimism in the Knicks. The development of our young talent in RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley, Obi Toppin, Kevin Knox, and Mitchell Robinson should be the main goal of this season. I know we’re going to be bad… Really bad. And I’m okay with that. Well not okay, but content considering we’ve been trash for the past 7 years or so. I believe we can climb from this rut as long as the management makes the right moves. As Knicks fans, however, we need to hold on to the delights of the team as much as we can.