Aristotle first coined the idiom, former Islanders head coach Barry Trotz reintroduced it to the Big Apple’s sports vernacular when the NHL team was making its two consecutive runs to the Stanley Cup semifinals, and now more than ever, it rings true with the New York Knicks.
The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
Translation: Those parts that look different can come together and create something special.
The Knicks appear to be on the precipice of something special — that feeling emboldening after Monday night’s dizzying comeback in the final moments of Game 2 of their first-round playoff series against the Philadelphia 76ers in which they overturned a five-point deficit with half-a-minute to go in regulation to stun Joel Embiid and Co., 104-101.
Jalen Brunson sparked the comeback with a friendly bounce off the front rim and in for a three-pointer to make it a two-point game, which was the biggest shot of the star point guard’s playoffs so far. The 76ers have understandably thrown everything at him with Julius Randle unavailable and he’s struggled. In the first two games of the series, he’s shooting 32.6% on two-point field goal attempts and 16.7% from beyond the arc. That included an 8-of-29 from the field in Game 2.
But with their centerpiece struggling, the Knicks’ depth shined and has been the difference in building a healthy first-round advantage — none more evident than after Brunson’s three to make it a two-point game with 27 seconds to go.
Josh Hart, who scored 21 points with 15 rebounds and has played 40 or more minutes in five of the Knicks’ last six games including all 48 on Tuesday night, teamed up with his Villanova compatriot Brunson to lock on to Tyrese Maxey as the 76ers tried to inbound the ball. Kyle Lowry’s pass was deflected straight up into the air only for Maxey to come down with it and fall to the court.
“He gives the team toughness,” Thibodeau said of Hart (h/t MSG Network). “It’s a big part of the fabric of this team and his teammates appreciate [that]… he gives his all on every play. He makes things happen. You need a steal, he gets a steal. You need a big rebound, he gets a rebound. Oftentimes he’s leading the break. Him too, if something doesn’t go his way, he comes back the next time and tries to make it better.”
As the ball popped loose and the rest of the Garden froze, Hart jumped on it and kicked it out to Donte DiVincenzo, the Knicks’ unabashed three-point machine cast aside by the Milwaukee Bucks and Golden State Warriors. But he missed an open look from beyond the arc with 19 seconds to go.
As they’ve done all season, though, New York’s blue-collar work ethic which embodies the city that adores it so, kept things alive. Flying in between three Philadelphians came Isaiah Hartenstein, the backup center turned invaluable big man when Mitchell Robinson went down with an ankle injury back in December. The same big man who has worked in a committee to dominate the glass in this first-round series while trying to shut down the hobbled Sixers’ star, Joel Embiid.
Securing the offensive rebound while falling to the floor, he got the ball out to OG Anunoby — the Knicks are 23-3 when he is in the lineup since being acquired by the Toronto Raptors in December — who kicked it back out to DiVincenzo.
Another Villanova product, DiVincenzo is one of just three players in the NBA this season to play at least 2,000 minutes, attempt over 15 three-pointers per 100 possessions, and convert them at a 40% success rate (h/t Dan Favale, Bleacher Report). His former Warriors teammates, the legendary Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, are the other two.
Needless to say, a second chance was all he needed, draining a straightaway three-pointer to put the Knicks up for good with 13.1 seconds remaining.
“He’s a pro’s pro,” Thibodeau said. “He’s a great teammate, too. All these guys are. Everyone wants to play, everyone wants to get their minutes and finish, but you have to sacrifice and put the team first. Some nights, it’s somebody else… and you have to support them.”
This is how the Knicks click regardless of the headlines Brunson rightfully deserved throughout the season.
New York has six players this series averaging double digits in points compared to Philadelphia’s three. Their bench is tied for third in the NBA this postseason with 29 points per game. Compare that to the Sixers’ reserves, which is averaging just 8.5 points per game.
“We needed it all,” Thibodeau said. “And we had a lot of contributions for a lot of different people… That’s what you need. You have to be a team and that’s what we are.”
