For the first 10 games this season, Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau has kept the same starting line intact, a testament to his belief in the quintet and the group’s ability to avoid injury.
It is believed that the Knicks did not have the same title for the first 10 games for at least 20 years.
The starting line ended on Monday in Charlotte, as well as any appearance of a good start to the game.
Reggie Bullock, who was the Knicks rock of a starting guard, came down with a painful hip and was scratched. Thibodeau picked Austin Rivers to slip into Bullock, and the Hornets sprinted 10-0 and 19-5.
When Thibodeau called on Immanuel Quickley and Kevin Knox from the bench, the Knicks rallied, although they eventually suffered a 21-point defeat. Knox finished with 19 points, hitting 5 of 12 3 points.
Bullock is expected to miss Wednesday’s game against the Nets. Could it finally be Knox’s time to start with a small forward attack with the ice-cold RJ Barrett?
The Knicks were brutal in the 3-point range (24 to 85, 28 percent) during their three-game losing streak.
With 3-point scorer Alec Burks nursing a sprained ankle, Knox could be an elixir to help heal the outside crisis, which helped the Knicks drop to 5-6.
Knox began much of his rookie season in 2018-19, but when Marcus Morris was signed as a free agent in July 2019, Knox returned to the bench – and remained there even after Morris was changed in February. last.
Last season, Knox started just four of 56 games after starting 57 of 75 games as a novice.
Knox now records the best 40% of his career in the 3-point range and averages 7.9 points in 21 minutes.
Knox has a history with the other four starters who played in the team last season. (Mitchell Robinson is Knox’s best friend on the team).
Rivers played well with the backup crew and hadn’t started yet. He may have been referring to himself when he said that the team’s chemistry is off, even though most of the rotation is up to the players.
“Our chemistry isn’t there yet, we’re still building,” said Rivers, who missed all pre-season and first four games. “That’s why I say you have patience because I know it will get better and better. I haven’t had a single practice this season. The first time I played with the team was against the Raptors [on Dec. 31]. So I still realize. ”
It may be wise to further decipher it from pine.
Taj Gibson, the starting center of last season and Thibodeau’s favorite, will be available to face the Nets after passing the COVID-19 protocols. Although sources say he is fit, it is unclear whether he will play without a team practice.
Gibson was signed last week to help deepen the front field and reduce Julius Randle’s hard minutes. In front of the Hornets, an exhausted-looking Randle finally had his first game off, scoring just 11 points and committing four turnovers.
But his statistics through 11 games should not be ignored. Randle joined Oscar Robertson as the only player in NBA history to score at least 200 points, 115 rebounds and 70 assists in their team’s first 11 games.
Last season, the Knicks and Nets shared the four games of the regular season.