Julius Randle and RJ Barrett wore the night and played 40 minutes each time, combining 54 points.
But rookie point guard Immanuel Quickley, in his third NBA game, and veteran Austin Rivers carried the Knicks home in the fourth quarter as they recorded a 113-108 road victory in Atlanta to make their four game 3-1 to end.
Tom Thibodeau’s Knicks are now a 4-3 winning ball club – by far the hottest NBA team in New York after winning four of their last five games.
Just like his skill, Quickley left a big three-shot foul with 2:34 left, hitting all three free throws as he finished with 16 points in 19 minutes and played nearly the entire fourth quarter during which he scored 10 scored points.
Rivers, in his recent role as Closer, hit a huge three-pointer with less than a minute left and charged Trae Young.
Randle scored 12 points in the first quarter and finished with 28 points, 17 rebounds and nine assists. The Hawks were the first team not to double the Knicks’ rising star.
RJ Barrett was tremendous with 26 points, 11 rebounds and five assists in 44 minutes as the Knicks rose from a 15-point deficit in the third quarter.
The Knicks had little depth with Obi Toppin and Omari Spellman and suffered a concussion when Nerlens Noel was ruled out with a single sprain. Noel was not in the injury report.
This forced Randle into big minutes (43). With Randle dominating inside and the Knicks attacking the edge, the club dominated the paint. Twelve of their first 14 points were in the paint. The Knicks starters built an early 24-14 through a beautiful feed from Payton to Barrett for a quick blow, leaving the Knicks standing at 10.
Asked why he stuck with Quickley in fourth place, Thibodeau said:
“He can shoot. Just as he approaches the game, attitude, approach. He has the one skill that opens everything up. Every day he gets better and better. If you’re as intelligent as he is, he picks things up quickly. We searched and struggled and found a group and drove with it. ‘
Quickly hit a float to start the fourth quarter, and it was 88-86. He finished 4 of 6 off the field, 2 for 3 from the 3-point line and 6 of 6 from the line.
The Knicks fell behind by 15 before trailing in the final 1:30 of the third quarter. Kevin Knox hit a three-pointer for his first bucket of the night. Quickley blows through former Duke striker Cam Reddish for an essay. And then Knox hit another try – a buzzer from the corner after which he raised his arms in celebration as the Knicks led 88-84.