The famous Garden wheel ceiling caused a leak when rain hit the roof on Sunday night, which delayed 14 minutes.
And for an unprecedentedly long portion of the second half, the Knicks defense also caused a leak. After rising 18 points early in the third quarter, the Knicks could do nothing right as the Raptors put up a 40-15 run and took five points halfway through the fourth quarter.
But this is the new Knicks, in a new era. Before they could choke on the game, they got up late and survived a cruel and ugly 102-96 decision over Toronto to lose a nine game against the Raptors.
“We found a way in the end,” Tom Thibodeau said. ‘I like that we have the mental toughness to work it through and finally pull it out. But I think we are able to play better than today. ”
More importantly, the Knicks probably clinched a spot in the playoffs. They moved six games ahead of the Raptors, who are in 11th place. The top 10 teams qualify for the playoffs or for a playoff spot.
The Knicks could not perform worse offensively in the second half, and at one point, 15 of 17 shots were missing, flying through the Toronto area. There was no teamwork or flow.
“There’s a trend if you go through it – we have guys who want to do what’s best for the team – but you have to do it together and not get out of it yourself,” Thibodeau said. “If you go too far one-on-one, it will hurt you.”
But if you play enough defense – as the Knicks have done all season – you can win any game. The Lakers can find out on Monday when they visit them alone.
Center Nerlens Noel scored four blocks. Reggie Bullock stole three. RJ Barrett beat another big 3 and Julius Randle hit the loose end of the clutch in the final seconds to get the Knicks back to .500.
It should have been a lot easier, but the Knicks were not easily built. Barrett said he was still “excited” about the win, no matter what it looked like.
“What I learned when I was in the NBA,” Barrett said, “is a long game. Anything can happen. ”
Toronto’s first possession of the night was sniffed by Snock, who intercepted a pass and slipped in for an essay. The last possession of the first quarter ended with Bullock’s double team, Pascal Siakam, snatching the ball away and again for a new setup.
In the first quarter, Knicks finished 24, Raptors 16. Toronto was no longer in Cleveland. The night before the Raptors scored 47 points in the first quarter.
Welcome to Tom Thibodeau’s Garden of Defense.
At halftime, the Knicks led 56-42. The Raptors shot 31 percent. The Knicks made a statement – though it got a little muddy in the second half in the rain.
Sunday was the third anniversary of Thibodeau’s Timberwolves breaking a 14-year rash drought.
Ironically, the Wolves’ star rookie and Anthony Edwards, the no. 1-overall pick, probably not caring about playing for Thibodeau, judging by his comments Friday about the Knicks defense.
Edwards, the rookie favorite of the year, was asked how the Wolves could become a better defensive team.
Unsolicited, he sounds like a way to quote Thibodeau’s Knicks and flood them with praise. The defensive stats show the most important progress, but it’s more important to hear that Edwards – without prejudice – praises the Knicks as he did.
“If you put in the effort, you have good defense,” Edwards said. “If you look at New York night and night, they do not have great defenders. Whatever their defensive game plan is, it’s great. They always play a good defense as a team. I like to see them play defense. I feel they are the best defensive team in the league. They play hard. They take you out of your stuff and push you. ‘
Even during the Knicks’ recent 1-5 slide, no one blamed their defense. In the five losing streaks, the Knicks allowed just 102 points per game.
Thibodeau may never win one of the NBA awards for the NBA coach, but it’s not like March winner Nate McMillan of the red-hot Atlanta is referred to as “Saturday Night Live” – as Thibodeau was this weekend . To be honest, members of the SNL cast have been on the celebrity order over the years, but that was not the payback.
Kid Cudi and Pete Davidson confided in a parody rap song called ‘Weird Little Flute’: “Learning can be hard … So I train hard like Thibodeau … And the only time I get really high .. “is when I play my piccolo.”
Utah’s Quin Snyder is not getting that SNL love anytime soon.
“He pushes me every day,” Knicks rookie Obi Toppin said before the game. “He challenges me every day to be better, not just offensive, but definitely defensive.”
It would be shocking for the Knicks to collapse now and drop the playoffs in 11th place.
Because their style is all built on defense (they allow the fewest points in the league at 104.5 per game), it’s not a club prone to a massive slide.
There was great concern about their offensive skills in the second half, and Alec Burks’ late turnover with a two-point lead could have been incredible if it had not been for Siakam’s double dribbling. A little luck. Lots of defense.
Thibodeau was excited much of the evening, but cracked one smile as he talked about the rain delay.
“I thought it was baseball,” he said.