Recaps
Jazz Make Late Run, Win 108–101 Over Knicks
New York kept Hayward mostly cold, but Gobert’s presence disrupted Porzingis, Knicks all night
Riding a three game losing streak, the Jazz looked to right the ship against the Knicks at home. With New York mired in their own slump — five of their last six games have been losses — the Jazz got their wish. They hold a one-game lead over the Clippers for fourth place in the Western Conference standings. The Knicks are 12th in the Eastern Conference, one game ahead of the 76ers.
The Knicks jumped out to an early lead thanks to Derrick Rose’s snappy forays into the paint, but Rudy Gobert responded with a career-high 35 points, and the Jazz stormed back for a 108–101 win.
A few thoughts from tonight’s game:
Knicks trapping high
Although the Jazz have been ice-cold in their past few games — and continued to hurl bricks from deep on Wednesday — the Knicks stuck with a high trap for Utah’s pick-and-roll ballhandlers. Some coaches preach consistent defensive schemes for the PnR, some coaches allow flexibility based on match ups. Jeff Hornacek isn’t necessarily wrong for being consistent, but trapping high left a lot of space for Gobert to operate down low (see: below).
Gobert a man amongst boys
The “Stifle Tower,” as ESPN’s Zach Lowe has dubbed him, was unstoppable against the Knicks. Kristaps Porzingis couldn’t box him out without fouling, a common theme lately against bigger, athletic bigs, and Willy Hernangómez had to shove Gobert in the back at one point to go for an offensive board.
Over the past few seasons, the league has seen an impossibly long French dude morph into the best rim protector in the league. Along the way, we’ve seen his hands get better and his confidence grow around the basket. But we’ve never seen…this. This is like if DeAndre Jordan created DeAndre Jordan in a lab (plus he hits free-throws). We’re talking earth-shattering rim rolls, rebounds reminiscent of King Kong snatching little humans, and blocks that belong on Metalocalypse (DETHKLOK). Gobert might have had four dunks in the first half, or a million. I couldn’t tell.
Final stat line? 35 points (13-of-14 from the field, 9-of-12 from the free-throw line), 13 rebounds, four blocks, an assist and a steal.
Rose attacking early in the shot clock (before he got injured)
Derrick Rose does one thing well on the court. That is not an exaggeration. He doesn’t shoot threes, which is probably to his benefit. He rarely even glances at midrange jumpers, which is bizarre considering he took 57.6 percent of his shots from there during his MVP season in Chicago, per NBA.com. All he does is drive, and when he does, he usually goes right. It’s gotten to the point where Derek Zoolander should give him a high five every time he goes left.
But Derrick Rose is still really good at driving right, better than 80 percent of point guards in the NBA. And when he attacks early in the shot clock, he at least gives himself the time to kick the ball back out if the lane is closed, instead of force up that awkward floater of his. He got into a quick rhythm against the Jazz, and finished with 17 points before exiting the game with a leg injury.
Knicks give Hayward different looks
Gordon Hayward got off to an icy start, and ended the third quarter just 2-of-12 with five points. How’d the Knicks hold Hayward, averaging 22 points per game, to just five points through three quarters? By keeping him guessing.
They gave him a different matchup seemingly every play. Lance Thomas, Carmelo Anthony, Derrick Rose, Courtney Lee, and Kristaps Porzingis all defended Hayward at some point. And the Knicks juggled their schematics on him too, occasionally throwing the double team at him out of the high post up or switching on the pick-and-roll. Hayward couldn’t find the groove, until the fourth quarter when the Knicks took their foot off the gas and didn’t crowd Hayward as well off the ball. Hayward was able to create space off the ball, and went 4-of-5 in the final frame.
He finished with 19 points and eight rebounds.
‘Melo can’t budge Hayward out of the post
Carmelo Anthony has built a career out of the high post. For the majority of his 10-time All Star career, he’s been virtually unguardable when he sets up shop from the elbow. Put a bigger forward on him, and ‘Melo would face up, rip through, and blaze past the slower man with his quickness. Put a faster wing on him, and ‘Melo would use his size to back his man down with two power dribbles before launching that feathery turn-around jumper.
He couldn’t do either against Hayward, who’s both big and fast enough to hang. To make matters worse, ‘Melo couldn’t even back down 6'2" George Hill late in the fourth quarter, resorting to a blatant push-off that the refs called for an offensive foul.
The Knicks face the Trail Blazers at 10:00 pm EST Thursday as their West Coast trip continues.
— Harrison Liao, site writer
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