The famous ceiling with garden beams leaked while the rain hit the roof on Sunday night, causing a 14-minute delay.
And for an unusually long segment in the second half, the Knicks defense also leaked. After going up 18 points early in the third quarter, the Knicks couldn’t do anything right as the Raptors rallied 40-15, taking a five-point lead in the middle of the fourth quarter.
But this is the new Knicks, in a new era. Before they could stifle the game, they got up late and survived a brutal, ugly 102-96 decision over Toronto to break a nine-game winning streak against the Raptors.
“We found a way to the end,” said Tom Thibodeau. “I like that we have the mental resistance to try and get it out in the end. But I think we are able to play better than we did today. ”
More importantly, the Knicks probably sealed a spot in the play-in tournament. They moved six games to the Raptors, who are in 11th place. The top 10 teams will qualify for either the playoffs or a playoff spot.
The Knicks could not have done anything worse offensively in the second half, at one point missing 15 of 17 shots, flummoxed by the Toronto area. There was no teamwork or flow.
“There’s a trend when you go through this – we have guys who want to do what’s best for the team – but you have to do it collectively and not get out of it alone,” Thibodeau said. “If you go one by one too far, it will hurt you.”
But when you play enough defense – as the Knicks did all season – you can win any competition. The Lakers could find out on Monday, when they make their only visit.
The Nerlens Noel Center registered four blocks. Reggie Bullock had three thefts. RJ Barrett hit another big 3 and Julius Randle threw clutch free throws in the final seconds to bring the Knicks back to .500.
This should have been much easier, but the Knicks are not easy to build. Barrett said he was still “excited” about the victory, no matter what he looked like.
“What I learned being in the NBA,” Barrett said, “is a long game. Anything can happen. “
The first possession of the night in Toronto was suppressed by Bullock, who intercepted a pass and glided for a stretch. The last possession of the first quarter ended with Bullock’s double team, Pascal Siakam, who snatched the ball and entered for another half.
The first quarter ended with the Knicks 24, Raptors 16. Toronto was no longer in Cleveland. The night before, the Raptors had collected 47 points in the first quarter.
Welcome to Tom Thibodeau’s Garden of Defense.
At the break, the Knicks led 56-42. Raptors shot 31%. Knicks made a statement – even though it was a bit muddy in the rain in the second half.
Sunday was the third anniversary of Thibodeau’s Timberwolves breaking a 14-year playoff drought.
Ironically, Wolves star debutant and No. 1 general Anthony Edwards probably wouldn’t mind playing for Thibodeau, judging from his comments on Friday about the Knicks defense.
Edwards, the favorite for the rookie of the year, was asked how the Wolves can become a better defensive team.
Unsolicited, he sounded like a sage in Knib’s quote from Thibodeau, flooding them with praise. Defensive stats show major progress, but it’s more meaningful to hear Edwards – without preconceived notions – praising the Knicks as he did.
“If you work hard, you have an excellent defense,” Edwards said. “If you look at New York night and night, they don’t have great defenders. Whatever their defensive game plan is, it’s great. They always play a great defense as a team. I like to watch them play defense. I feel like I’m the best defensive team in the league. It’s hard to play. They take you out of your things and press you ”.
Even during the Knicks’ recent 1-5 slides, no one failed to defend them. In the five losses, the Knicks allowed just 102 points per game.
Thibodeau may never win one of those NBA coaching awards of the month, but it’s not like the winner of the hot Atlanta March, Nate McMillan, refers to “Saturday Night Live” – as it was Thibodeau this weekend. To be fair, SNL cast members have been an important role among celebrities over the years, but this was not a refund.
During a parody rap song called “Weird Little Flute”, Kid Cudi and Pete Davidson sang: “Learning can be difficult … So I train hard like Thibodeau … And the only time I get up … is when I play my little one. ”
Quin Snyder of Utah will not soon receive that SNL love.
“He pushes me every day,” Knicks starter Obi Toppin said before the game. “He challenges me every day to be better, not only offensively, but certainly defensively.”
It would be shocking for the Knicks to collapse now and fall out of the play-in tournament and finish 11th.
Because their style is built on defense (they allow the fewest points in the league at 104.5 per game), it is not a club prone to a massive slip.
There were major concerns about their offensive skill in the second half, and Alec Burks’ late turnover with a two-point lead could have been blatant, if not for Siakam’s double dribble. Good luck. Lots of defense.
Thibodeau seemed agitated most of the evening, but smiled as he talked about the delay in the rain.
“I thought it was baseball,” he said.