The New York Knicks should be one of the more interesting teams to watch in the second half of the NBA season. While they’re in an uninteresting position standings-wise, they’re teetering on the fringe of legitimate title contention. They’re not quite on the level of the best squads in basketball, but they have proven that they’re close to reaching that status. New York also has multiple key players returning from injuries very soon, which will provide some thought-provoking discussions about playing time and rotations. Tom Thibodeau and his guys have a lot to figure out over the next 28 games but also have an opportunity that few teams get a chance at.
2 Bold Predictions for Knicks 2nd Half
1. Mitchell Robinson Will Become a Part-Time Starter
SNY’s Ian Begley reported that New York’s big man Mitchell Robinson practiced in full on Wednesday for the first time. With Robinson appearing ready to return to the court soon, Thibodeau suddenly has incredible lineup flexibility. He can go with his traditional starting lineup backed up by a full five-man bench unit. Another option is shortening the rotation to eight guys by removing Cameron Payne and Landry Shamet to go with his top eight players. Thibs will now also have a scary defensive lineup at his disposal when he needs a stop, with Miles McBride, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, Precious Achiuwa, and Robinson. There are a number of permutations available for the head coach to go to based on matchups.
All of the aforementioned combinations will be used at some point down the stretch, depending on the opponent. The change I want to pinpoint is Robinson joining the starting lineup for more than just spot starts. Once the seven-footer is back in game shape, the defensive-minded Thibodeau will be tempted to slide Karl-Anthony Towns to the four. Instantly, the Knicks would become the league’s best rebounding team and would improve drastically on the defensive side.
It’s likely that Thibs will stick with the current group, at least to start, as it’s been so effective so far. However, in certain matchups, I would suggest he consider at least giving Robinson huge minutes. In a series vs. Cleveland, Milwaukee, Philadelphia, and Orlando, New York needs the additional size and rim protection. Two years ago, Robinson single-handedly overwhelmed Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley as the Knicks easily took care of the Cavaliers. Last year, he shut down Joel Embiid in multiple fourth quarters to help NY advance.
Whether He Starts or Not, Robinson Will Get Huge Minutes
Against any team with size and at least one non-shooter, Robinson should effectively be a starter who also closes games. Whether or not he actually starts is up to Thibodeau, but the core five should become six in terms of minute distribution. Against Boston, Robinson’s effect is mitigated because their bigs are elite shooters, but he’ll still help cover for mistakes made by weak perimeter defenders. Josh Hart would likely be the casualty of Robinson starting, but he’s already mentioned his support of the idea.
2. Two Key Players Returning Will Make NY a Top-10 Defense
The Knicks have hovered somewhere between the 12th and 20th-best defense by rating for most of the season. Currently, they’re tied for 17th with a 113.9 defensive rating. NY’s offense is stellar, but a defense that porous will never lead to a championship. Luckily, they’ve shown flashes of their potential throughout the campaign and are now at their healthiest at the right time.
Anunoby and Robinson returning from injury is a blessing for this exact reason, as they’re arguably New York’s two best defenders. Anunoby was on the floor for 49 of the 54 games but wasn’t defending to his full capabilities. After three weeks of rest, he should be ready to ramp up the intensity to his past level. OG is New York’s most important and versatile defender. He’ll draw the unenvious matchup of Jayson Tatum when they likely meet Boston in the second round.
As for Robinson, he’s yet to play a single game this season. However, he’s a huge floor-raiser for this defense as New York’s security blanket. Gone are the days when opponents could abuse Towns and Jalen Brunson without being challenged at the rim. Additionally, Robinson’s rebounding presence will help close defensive stops for the Knicks.
Lastly, Thibodeau, having a full 10-man rotation to rely upon, should work wonders for an obviously exhausted team. We saw how well the Knicks defended when they went to a nine-man group in January. More rest should invigorate Brunson and Towns and lead to better effort from everybody involved. New York doesn’t have to be a great defense to win a championship, they just have to be good enough. These returning key players make them just that.
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