The Knicks face a tough schedule after the All-Star break, with a trip to four games starting Thursday: Milwaukee, Oklahoma City, Brooklyn and Philadelphia. It’s a 1-3 journey waiting to happen.
That’s why Knicks fans have a week to enjoy their current 19-18 record. Because for the first time in the 2013-14 season, the Knicks will play significant games after the All-Star break.
The worst part of the seven-year playoff drought was eliminated by March 1 in the previous six seasons.
Here are four positive ads from the first 37 games of the season (one game has passed the mathematical midpoint of the 72-game pandemic program):
Shares are rising more than Knicks are looking at
The key to this alleged rebuilding season was the development of Kevin Knox, Mitchell Robinson, RJ Barrett, Dennis Smith Jr. and Frank Ntilikina. It’s a 3-2 win – with Knox and Smith slipping.
The Knicks could not change Smith fast enough in the Super Bowl on Sunday, after a mediocre preseason and an injury at the beginning of the season. In fact, they had good value, with the Pistons willing to adhere to Derrick Rose’s commercial desire for the Knicks.
Knox gave up Tom Thibodeau’s short rotation last month and is – in the coach’s dreaded vernacular – “situational”. , Thibodeau is of little use to him now and is a candidate for trade.
In terms of the register’s stock market, Barrett has progressed as a more efficient scorer, both with 3-point shooting and improved free throw. It’s even stronger than a slasher.
Before Robinson broke his right hand, the center had established itself as an elite rim protector capable of staying out of the wrong problems. Robinson will receive the evaluated hand on Wednesday, but he has taken steps.
Meanwhile, Ntilikina has changed her narrative in the last 10 days. Before February 25, the Frenchman had not played since the end of December, but now he is suddenly hotter than a French bistro and has sunk his last six triples. At the very least, the restricted free agent in 2021 has increased its commercial value.
“Watching him play, go through things, his versatility, he can play all three positions on the perimeter,” Thibodeau said. “And his footage really came.”
The new Dr. J
The transformation of Julius Randle from the bust of the free agent into a bona fide All-Star is one of the best stories in the NBA. Randle has 10 games with at least 25 points, 10 rebounds and five assists. This is the second highest for a Knick in an entire season. He also played in all 37 games – not a few things in the fragile era of the NBA. Now, when a limited number of fans participate in the games, he hears painful chants of “MVP”. Indeed, he has grown as a strong candidate for the Best Player Award.
The story of the two beginners
When the pre-season poll of NBA general managers appeared, Obi Toppin, the Knicks 2020 lottery, finished third in the debutant vote of the year. Rookie teammate Immanuel Quickley did not play in the pre-season opener, then scored eight minutes in the next game, looking like a late first-round pick who would have trouble finding time in a crowded back field . The narrative was overturned, with Quickley being a pillar on Thibodeau’s bench while. Toppin struggles to get minutes (12.7) and gain traction behind Randle. Quickley was not named in the Rising Stars list in the United States due to the stupid format of having to choose undeserved international recruits for the World Team. But he became a fan favorite with his fearless 3-point score (38.1%), the shine of the free throw (recording 94 of his first 100 free throws) and a float that until recently could not be missed. His selection removed the quality of Leon Rose from Toppin’s lottery, which is a 23-year-old project.
Coach problems
For the first 28 games before Robinson’s hand injury, Thibodeau stayed with the same starting line – all five remained at the bad club last season. And Thibodeau kept the Knicks around .500 all season, rebuilding a culture emphasizing the importance of winning. He coached Elfrid Payton, RJ Barrett and Randle. Thibodeau expertly managed a diverse coaching staff, which was handed to him by Rose and senior vice president William Wesley. The possibility of Thibodeau running out of players until May can never be reduced, but the first 38 games were as magical as a beach in the Turks and Caicos that he avoids. Larry Greer, a former Knicks senior researcher with Minnesota, wrote on Twitter on Thursday: “Ask many coaches what is the first thing you learned working with coach Thibodeau. This is “Culture is how you do everything,” Thibodeau said. “It’s not a specific thing, it’s how you do everything.” This can apply to any business !!! ”