Thunder CRUSH Knicks. Oklahoma City 126 NY 101

January 11, 2025 LouV 2024-25 0
Karl-Anthony Towns powers inside. Photo courtesy NY Knicks.

It was more than just a crushing loss.

It was an announcement that the Knicks do not belong on the same court as the Thunder and have no championship aspirations at this point. NY has in essence taken a step backwards from last February, when they looked like world beaters, before the injuries.

Since then, Oklahoma stole Isaiah Hartenstein away, and built a team predicated on Defense — the best Defense in the NBA — and still with great offense, led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. And Jalen Williams and Jaylen Williams and guys like Isaiah Joe coming off the bench to light you up. And with Chet Holmgren still out, and Alex Caruso on the bench too. Imagine how good Oklahoma will be when they get back?

But maybe not? The Knicks did lead Oklahoma by 10 points through 3 quarters a week ago in Oklahoma before stumbling in the 4th quarter. In this game both teams got off to a poor start, but then Isaiah Joe started lighting it up from the parking lot, and Shai Gilgeous was soon energized — and Oklahoma ran away from the Knicks, who were on their heels and slow and missing EVERY 3 they took.

Mikal Bridges finished with 0 (zero) points on 0-9 shooting (0-7 from 3) and OG Anunoby had 4 pts on 2-8 shooting (0-5 from 3). They just kept missing, missing, missing — and Oklahoma — especially Isaiah Joe (a season-high 31 points on 11-16 shooting including 8-11 from 3) — kept hitting every 3 they took.

On a Friday night at Madison Square Garden. Friday Night Knicks!

Thibs’ Thoughts

“We started flat. We got in a hole. Our defense wasn’t very good,” said coach Tom Thibodeau afterwards. “They’re a great team but we have to be a lot better defensively. It requires a lot more than what we did today, and I share in that. That’s my responsibility. I gotta make sure we’re ready to go.”

Brunson’s Thoughts

“You have to give them a lot of credit,” added Jalen Brunson. “The way they played, from their point of view very well. We just did not play Knicks basketball today.”

“It’s all about building every single day. Sometimes you can do the right things and fail and sometimes you can do the wrong things and have success,” Brunson added. “Tonight we did the wrong things, AND failed. Every single day we have to keep building and keep chipping away. Just not lose faith; not lose confidence. Yeah, tonight sucked. That’s plain and simple. Tomorrow we wake up, we watch film and move on and get better.”

NY drops to 25-14; Oklahoma improve to 31-6, best in the West.

1. Both Teams Start Out Missing Every Shot

Both teams started out missing seemingly every shot they took. In fact with 6:20 left in the 1st quarter the score was 6-4 NY, and with 5:30 left in the quarter it was a 6-6 tie.

The Thunder started 1-10 and then went 26-34 from the floor in 1st half.

2. Joe Starts Lighting It Up from Parking Lot

The score was 11-11 with 4:26 left in the 1st quarter when Isaiah Joe entered the game for Jalen Williams. He immediately hit a 3 from 27 feet out. Then Shai-Gilgeous Alexander went to work inside. Then Luguentz Dort hit a 3. At the end of the quarter Isaiah Joe hit a 3 from 35 feet out. The rout was on — Oklahoma up 31-17.

3. Oklahoma Leads by 27 at the Half

And then the 2nd quarter started and Miles McBride entered the game. It was a welcome sight — he has been missed, out for several games with a pulled hamstring.

McBride immediately tipping in an offensive rebound and got a foul for a 3-pt play.

But Isaiah Joe answered with another 3 from the parking lot — 27 feet out. And then another Joe 3. And then Joe started driving inside on backdoor plays off Hartenstein passes — with Landry Shamet on him doing his energetic best but not good enough.

No matter what the Knicks did, Joe kept hitting 3’s, and then Shai Gilgeous-Alexander started to blaze with his inside game.

And then another Isaiah Joe 3.

Oklahoma 70 NY 43 at the half.

4. KAT & Hart Fight Back

Out of the half the Knicks looked better — with Jalen Brunson hitting floaters, Josh Hart taking it to Oklahoma like a man possessed, and Karl-Anthony Towns taking it to the rim time after time, scoring inside and hitting 3’s.

KAT would finish with 22 pts on 9-16 shooting; Brunson 27 pts on 7-15 shooting (1-2 from 3) and 11-11 in free throws; and Josh Hart 16 pts (on 6-13 shooting), 13 rebounds, and 3 steals.

But Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby kept missing every 3 they took and the Knicks could gain no ground.

Shai in Full-Throttle Mode in 3rd

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was in full throttle mode. He would finish with 39 points on 15-21 shooting (1-1 from 3) — a far cry from a week ago when Mikal Bridges did a great defensive job on him, keeping him in check.

“What Shai also does is stay in attack mode, plays to his strengths, plays at his tempo, dictates where he wants to go and what he wants to get,” noted NBA Analyst Ross Kreines, “While understanding how to create space, create then seek contact and play angles.”

5. Thibs Pulls Starters with 9 Minutes Left in 4th

NY entered the 4th down by 28 pts, 102-74, and an Alan Wiggins drive put them down by 30.

Thibs pulled the starters with 9 minutes left — bringing in Ariel Hukporti and Jacob Toppin to join Landry Shamet, Cameron Payne, and Miles McBride.

And Hukporti looked Good! He had the size to battle Isaiah Hartenstein, and got the better of Hartenstein on a couple of plays, including a drive inside. The 7-foot Hukporti also blocked a shot.

With 2 minutes left Matt Ryan and Tyler Kolek entered. The 4th quarter was what Marv Albert used to say, “Garbage Time.”

The Boxscore

https://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore/_/gameId/401705095

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