Knicks Player Ratings: Towns And Brunson Dominate In Road Win vs. Cavaliers

The New York Knicks dug themselves into an early hole this season, dropping their first three games right out of the gate. It’s been a slow climb ever since, but they are back over .500 now after an impressive win (109-97) over the Cleveland Cavaliers . Coming off a blowout win over the 76ers last night , the Cavs were in a prime position to build on their momentum with a victory over the defending champions. Instead, thanks to steady hands and consistent scoring from stars like Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns , the Knicks held their ground in the first quarter before eventually seizing an eight-point lead by halftime. As much as Donovan Mitchell tried (37 points on 59.1% shooting), his teammates couldn’t buy a bucket, and it didn’t help that the defense was shutting everything down. Ultimately, while the Knicks did not have a great shooting night either (42.7% as a team), they were much better equipped to handle it with a roster and playstyle that’s easily adaptable. If you look at the box score, the stats will tell you that this game was a two-man show between Brunson and Towns, and that’s not wrong — but there were other players who also played a crucial role, albeit in much more subtle ways. In this ranking, we’ll rank all the major rotation players for this win, including Brunson and veteran center Andre Drummond , who went scoreless off the bench.   Jalen Brunson: A+ Game Stats: 31 PTS, 6 REB, 9 AST, 1 TOV, 12-25 FG, 3-7 3-PT FG, 4-5 FT, 34 MIN Jalen Brunson had a pretty sluggish start this season, but he’s finding his groove. Tonight was him at his best, as he set the pace with a constant attack. He was scoring in rhythm (with his usual confidence), making perfect reads on the floor that led to nine assists. Without a doubt, he was the best player on that court tonight, and it opened up a world of opportunities for his teammates. Clearly, the Knicks can still count on this guy to deliver.   Karl-Anthony Towns: A+ Game Stats: 29 PTS, 13 REB, 3 AST, 2 STL, 11-21 FG, 2-4 3-PT FG, 5-5 FT, 33 MIN With all the noise about his extension , you might expect Karl-Anthony Towns to look checked out on the court, but he didn’t look like it tonight. In fact, this was one of his most complete games of the season so far, and it made all the difference for the Knicks. With the team shooting so poorly, Towns raised his scoring intensity and upped his effort on the glass, putting matters in his own hands.   OG Anunoby: B+ Game Stats: 15 PTS, 6 REB, 2 AST, 1 STL, 1 BLK, 4-13 FG, 3-9 3-PT FG, 4-4 FT, 33 MIN OG Anunoby has emerged as the essential glue guy for this team. While there’s still some debate about his value, his play is essential to their success. Against the Cavaliers, he was launching it from three, finishing 3-9 after 33 minutes of play. Of course, his biggest impact came on the defensive end. His ability to contest shots and close out on shooters helped limit the Cavaliers to 32.0% shooting from three (16-50).   Jordan Clarkson: B Game Stats: 9 PTS, 2 REB, 0 AST, 4-5 FG, 1-1 3-PT FG, 0-0 FT, 14 MIN In a game where mostly everyone struggled with efficiency, Jordan Clarkson was the outlier. He made nearly every shot he attempted, and most were unquestionably good looks. In the end, the Knicks don’t ask much from JC, but they are better when he’s hitting shots, and we saw that in action today as his mere presence on the court forced the defense to adjust and spread the floor.   Mohamed Diawara: C+ Game Stats: 2 PTS, 3 REB, 3 AST, 1-4 FG, 0-3 3-PT FG, 0-0 FT, 14 MIN Mohamed Diawara had a few good moments out there, but his performance tonight was mostly forgettable. He lacked a certain aggression and confidence, managing just two points in 14 minutes. Still, you can’t judge him too closely given that he’s still so young in such a small role for this team. Against the Cavaliers, he was a team-high +16 for doing all the little, unseen things that help impact winning on every play.   Andre Drummond: C Game Stats: 0 PTS, 8 REB, 0 AST, 2 STL, 1 BLK, 1 TOV, 0-1 FG, 0-0 3-PT FG, 0-0 FT, 14 MIN Andre Drummond won’t win any scoring titles in the near future, but the Knicks don’t need him to. They signed him this summer to set screens, grab boards, and block shots, all the things he was doing tonight. He played like a man who truly knows his role and how not to overstep his authority. In the end, his eight rebounds helped give his team a 49-40 differential on the boards.   Mikal Bridges: C Game Stats: 9 PTS, 6 REB, 4 AST, 2 BLK, 4-13 FG, 1-7 3-PT FG, 0-0 FT, 31 MIN Mikal Bridges is in the middle of an ugly campaign , but he did show some positive signs tonight. Even as his shooting woes continued, he found other ways to contribute, ensuring that he got some value in his minutes. As one of the Knicks’ most active defenders tonight, he wasn’t totally bad, but failed to meet expectations as a core starter.   Landry Shamet: C- Game Stats: 9 PTS, 1 REB, 1 AST, 1 STL, 1 TOV, 3-8 FG, 3-8 3-PT FG, 0-0 FT, 28 MIN Landry Shamet was ice cold against Cleveland, but he was getting the right kind of shots. As the fifth starter for this team, his biggest jobs are to stretch the floor and play good perimeter defense. Tonight, he did just that, but it’s just not enough to stand out, even in a game where efficiency was so low. On offense, he was often invisible on the court, and on defense, he was a total liability.   Miles McBride: C- Game Stats: 5 PTS, 0 REB, 0 AST, 2-4 FG, 1-3 3-PT FG, 0-0 FT, 15 MIN Miles McBride got the most minutes of any Knicks bench player tonight, and he didn’t make good use of them. While his defense was respectable, he failed to provide any kind of offensive spark or even so much as an assist to a teammate. Whether it’s a personal shooting slump or a symptom of something greater remains to be seen, but Miles McBride is much better than his performance today reflects.