We’re less than two weeks away from the end of the NBA regular season. The Play-In Tournament starts on April 15th and the first round begins on April 19th. There are still several playoff spots up for grabs plus wild seeding races in both conferences down the home stretch. The Western Conference has one of the craziest logjams ever, with the second through eighth seeds separated by just five losses. There’s still a lot to play for with the top 20 teams in the league, while the bottom third of the NBA sprints to the bottom to tank for draft picks.
One of the few squads who has basically nothing left to gain or lose is the New York Knicks. NY is firmly situated in the East’s third spot, 3.5 games clear of Indiana with eight games remaining. Tom Thibodeau’s group also holds the tiebreaker with the Pacers, so it would be almost impossible to fall to fourth. Still, New York has some goals to accomplish before the playoffs begin.
Knicks Goals Over the Final Stretch
Continue to Integrate Bridges/OG Even When Brunson Returns
One silver lining of Jalen Brunson‘s injury was the room for opportunity for several other players. A big source of discontent within the Knicks during their midseason struggles was that Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby weren’t being used correctly/enough. New York expended enormous resources to get their wing tandem, with Bridges fetching five first-rounders and Anunoby costing NY RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley, and a lucrative max contract. You should never game-plan simply to justify an asset’s cost, but these guys were being underused in the Knicks’ offense.
In the 12 games since Brunson left the lineup, both Bridges and Anunoby have taken off. Bridges is averaging 22.2 points and 5.2 assists on 63.9% true shooting, while Anunoby is giving NY 22.8 points on 60% true shooting.
It was predictable that their numbers would increase with more chances, but the duo has looked extremely impressive doing so. Bridges has flashed his excellent playmaking as well as on-ball creation in pick-and-roll. His ability to create his own shot in the mid-range, where he’s one of the league’s very best, will be very valuable for NY come playoff time. When the game slows down in half-court postseason action, having multiple guys who can find space in the middle of the floor for mid-range jumpers is crucial.
Anunoby has gone out of his comfort zone in this stretch, generating more of his own on-ball offense. When Brunson was running the show, OG was primarily used as an off-ball marksman and cutter, which he thrives at. However, he can also weaponize his size and strength around the rim more, particularly attacking mismatches, which he’s done recently. He should receive more touches in the playoffs even with Brunson back, especially because he will likely be guarded by the opponent’s fourth-best defender.
Continue to Play a Team-Based Offense
Leon Rose brought in Karl-Anthony Towns, Anunoby, and Bridges with the idea of an egalitarian five-out offense. It has devolved at times into a Brunson/KAT show, and deservedly so. The duo is one of the league’s best, but New York is best when all five guys are consistently involved. Bridges and Anunoby have proven they’re more than good enough. Similarly, even when Brunson returns the Knicks should continue this team-based style of offense. In the playoffs, it will make them less predictable and harder to gameplan against.
Thibodeau Needs to Figure Out His Playoff Rotation
These final eight games are useful to Thibodeau as he determines which players will be featured in NY’s playoff rotation. Obviously, matchups dictate some of these choices, but I have a feeling the head coach would like to nail down eight or nine guys who will receive consistent minutes on the big stage.
He has 11 guys to choose from, assuming everyone is healthy. The starting five, Miles McBride, and Mitchell Robinson are locks as the top seven. Options for the final one or two spots include Cameron Payne, Landry Shamet, Delon Wright, and Precious Achiuwa. Throughout the season, it was assumed that it would be Payne, Shamet, and Achiuwa getting minutes depending on the opponent. However, with Wright’s strong play in his starting stint and excellent defense, he’s making a case to join the Knicks’ rotation. Thibodeau adores elite defenders, and Wright is capable of locking down opposing ball-handlers, a scarcity on this Knicks roster.
The last 12 days should give Thibs an idea of who he wants to go with come playoff time. I would strongly consider giving Wright spot minutes in the postseason because of his experience and defensive abilities. He’ll have eight more outings to prove he belongs. Whatever Thibs decides, figuring out what he has in the back end of his rotation is just another reason to give his best players ample rest down the stretch.
Photo credit: © Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
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