Tom Thibodeau regularly praises his Knicks roster for his versatility, with the ability to carry out the offense through Julius Randle, All-Star forward, and veteran guard Alec Burks, if necessary.
Such a necessity never felt more immediate this season than Thursday night, when the two players led the Knicks to a 94-93 win over Orlando with their top three point guards – Elfrid Payton, Derrick Rose and rookie Immanuel Quickley – all available had.
Randle recorded his second triple-double in six days and the third of the season with 18 points, 10 rebounds and a career-high 17 assists as the Knicks climbed back to 0.500 at 21-21, matching last year’s winning streak. total (21- 45). He became the first Knick to score at least three triple-doubles in one season since Micheal Ray Richardson posted seven in 1981-82.
Burks moved into the starting lineup and scored 21 points with 10 rebounds, while Frank Ntilikina also started and finished with 13 points.
The usual starter, Reggie Bullock, also scored six three-pointers for 20 points in 36 minutes off the bench and in the final seconds scored an important steal for the Knicks, who face the first 76ers in the Garden on Sunday.
The Knicks led by as many as 16 points in the third half before a 19-2 Magic run gave Orlando a 75-74 lead, barely one minute into the final quarter. The Knicks regained the lead on Ntilikina’s triangle by 3:49, and Randle sank two jumpers as part of a 10-0 Knicks surge for a 92-87 lead with less than two minutes to play.
The Magic won a late jump ball after tying up Bullock and having the chance to win the game in their final possession, but Bullock intercepted the pace of Evan Fournier with 5.9 seconds left.
The Knicks faced the top two teams in the Eastern Conference standings earlier this week, and they dropped close games in Brooklyn and Philadelphia.
Of course, the Nets were without superstar forward Kevin Durant and the Sixers played without MVP candidate Joel Embiid. The Knicks did not miss anyone of that caliber in those games, but they did not have Payton (thigh muscle) or Rose (health and safety protocols), as well as the continued absence of starting center Mitchell Robinson (hand).
Quickley was added to the injury list on Thursday night, while suffering a single issue against the 76ers on Tuesday.
The Magic slide (nine consecutive losses) got Fournier (23 points) and Aaron Gordon (17) back from injury, but they were also thin on the points guard – without Markelle Fultz (knee), Michael-Carter Williams (illness) and the newcomer Cole Anthony (ribs).
“Next man up, and we’ll see how it goes,” Thibodeau said before the game about his team. “It simply came to our notice then. We have more than enough to win with, and we have guys who can play multiple positions. If you appeal, go out there and play well.
“Everyone has a task to do, and if we do the right things, we have a good chance of winning.”
Burks scored eight quick points in the first quarter, but a 15-2 run by the Magic put them up halfway through the ten runs.
Randle missed five of his first six shots, but he scored just seven points in the first quarter, surpassing his team’s best game average (5.8) for the season. Barrett nailed his last four shots of the quarter after missing his first two to help the Knicks close to one within 26-24.
Burks ran the point with Ntilikina sitting down to open the second, and he scored six of the Knicks’ first eight points as they regained the lead en route to a 45-44 lead at halftime.
Ntilikina spread 16 consecutive strokes spread over five games, but he nailed two three-pointers – while Bullock and Barrett drained one – early in the third quarter. The Knicks increased their lead to 16, but the Magic ended the session with a 10-0 run for a 72-66 game entering the fourth game.