The final sprint begins Thursday. What’s needed before the real games begin?
The all-star break is almost over.
On Thursday, the Knicks take the floor to begin the second half of the season (even though the season is 2⁄3rds through) against the Chicago Bulls. At 36-18, the Knicks are third in the Eastern Conference and a whole 5.5 games clear of the Indiana Pacers. That said, they’re still a very imperfect bunch. For the final 28 games, there are a number of things they need to do to set themselves up for a deep playoff run. While some obvious goals can be like improving their perimeter defense, some goals are more tangible and don’t require a change in philosophy/scheme to accomplish. Here are five goals for the remainder of the season:
Get/Stay Healthy
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When the Knicks defeated the Atlanta Hawks in an…interesting first-half finale, they were without OG Anunoby, Mitchell Robinson, and rookies Tyler Kolek and Pacome Dadiet. To make matters worse, sixth man Deuce McBride missed the second half with a rib injury.
Now, I’m not going to be the boy who cried wolf. The Knicks are one of the healthiest teams in basketball. In my imperfect study last week, I determined the Knicks were the only team to have less than twenty games missed by starters. Keeping the starters healthy is paramount, and the coaching staff should look to be proactive in situations to keep their minutes from spiraling out of control. Anunoby and Towns, especially.
But the bench hasn’t been nearly as healthy. McBride, not counting the injury versus Atlanta, has missed ten games. Payne has missed six games. Shamet was cut for a preseason shoulder injury. Achiuwa missed the first 21 games. Not even counting Mitchell Robinson’s season-long absence and Shamet’s missed time after being cut, the bench has missed 37 games combined. An injured bench puts more stress on the starters, so making sure they have a full arsenal of depth is crucial for any nagging issues.
Get A *REAL* Signature Win
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There are three teams with a winning percentage of over .700: Boston, Cleveland, and OKC. The Knicks are 0-5 against that group of elite teams.
If you asked me what the current signature win of the season is, I’d probably say either the two wins versus Denver (who has been scorching hot since their defeat in MSG) or the blowout victory against Memphis in January. Other than those, the best wins are the blowout wins against Milwaukee, the recent win versus a hot Pacers team, and the grind-out win versus an injured and sliding Rockets team. It just feels hollow when you are tied for the fourth-best record in basketball.
The Knicks can’t get their get-back on the Thunder, as they were slammed twice in January and won’t see them again. However, there are four remaining games against the Cavs and Celtics combined, including two in a row this week. While going 1-3 obviously wouldn’t be ideal, winning a game against one of the league’s elite would go a long way for fan and team confidence. It’s a lot harder to visualize beating someone you’re winless against.
Obviously, it’s easier said than done. We haven’t seen the Cavs since October, and these matchups may be compromised by the health of NY’s best defenders against those prolific offenses. Regardless, it’s time to show you can beat these guys.
Get Mitchell Robinson healthy and ready for the playoffs
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The undisputed biggest X factor for the Knicks to make their first run to the Eastern Conference Finals since 2000 is Mitchell Robinson.
His timeline for return has been heavily delayed to the point where reporters and fans alike have assumed a setback has happened. Robinson has not yet been cleared for five-on-five despite being cleared for contact two weeks ago, so his return remains unknown despite Shams Charania’s report of him being likely to return this month.
Getting Big Mitch healthy is not the only objective. Having him available to play is one thing, but having him ready to step into a 25-30 MPG role if absolutely needed is another. Robinson has not played an NBA game in ten months and is due to be rusty upon return. Thankfully, he should have at least a month to get into game shape and ready to play. It’s crucial for him to be ready for multiple roles, including potentially starting alongside Towns for improved defense. If that lineup works, the ceiling for this team is much higher than we thought.
Fill The Final Roster Spot With A Guy Who Can Contribute in the Playoffs
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On February 28th, the Knicks are allowed to sign a 15th player to their roster. The player must have made less than $12.8 million on their initial salary if bought out. As of today, the options are not bountiful.
Players do get bought out closer to the playoff eligibility deadline on March 1, so the Knicks could have some options to choose from. There are, however, two players who are not on an active roster to watch for. The obvious one is Westchester standout TJ Warren, who has a ton of NBA experience and someone who would still be contributing on a bench somewhere if not for copious injuries. Warren is averaging 25.8 points and 5.8 rebounds on 48/38/83 splits in the G-League regular season and has the size at 6’8” to contribute as a backup wing scorer, even if his defense leaves a lot to be desired.
Warren seems like the most likely. Lonnie Walker IV was mentioned in various circles, but apparently he’s staying in Lithuania for the rest of the season (UPDATE: He signed with the Sixers?). Their choices will come down to who’s even available.
Lock Up Seeding Ahead of the Final Week
Let’s be honest, the Knicks aren’t passing the Celtics barring unforeseen disaster in Beantown.
Despite sitting 2.5 games back, Boston has shown they can reach another gear when needed, and the Knicks will almost certainly lose the tiebreaker. Oh yeah, Boston’s schedule is also really easy down the stretch.
The Knicks sit 5.5 games clear of Indiana despite their hot streak, 6.5 games clear of the Bucks (with tiebreaker), and 7.5 games clear of Detroit. It would take a collapse to fumble their top-3 seed.
That said, the Knicks do have the eighth-hardest remaining schedule compared to 18th and 19th by Detroit and Indiana. If the Knicks get some injuries and slow down, they could be in a dogfight for seeding in April.
There’s no telling how many wins will be needed for the three-seed, but if the Knicks get 51 that’ll probably be more than enough. The hope is that they lock it up with about a week left (entirely reasonable given the current gap) and can spend the final few games managing the starter’s minutes and giving the rookies more run. Who didn’t enjoy the game against Indiana in 2023 when Toppin, Grimes, and Quickley all dropped 30? More of that!