The New York Knicks have a clear bench problem. The lack of depth and inability to consistently score from the second unit has cost them winnable games this season and were big reasons they could not defeat the Spurs and Hornets in back-to-back games.
Knicks’ Tom Thibodeau not worried about lack of bench production
The team has ranked dead last in bench points for most of the season, and it will likely remain that way with just 13 games left on the schedule. Despite that, head coach Tom Thibodeau’s concerns extend beyond the bench.
“I don’t want to put it on the bench. It was everbody, it was all of us,” Thibodeau said after Thursday’s loss to the Hornets (h/t New York Basketball on X). “You win together, you lose together. Our margin of error is tight. We’re on a back-to-back and you have to get it done with your defense & rebounding and we didn’t. That’s where we fell short.”
With Jalen Brunson still out with an ankle injury, the bench has become even thinner as Miles McBride has taken over as the starting point guard. Against the Hornets, Mitchell Robinson sat out for injury recovery, leaving Cameron Payne, Precious Achiuwa, and Landry Shamet to hold down the fort.
The Knicks’ bench has struggled to produce positive results
The group did not deliver positive results, as they combined to score just seven points on just 3-for-16 shooting from the floor. Shamet, in particular, has zero points in his 19 minutes of action, highlighting the lack of overall production the Knicks have gotten out of their bench.
Many fans have called for some of the rookies to see the floor in hopes that that will create a spark, but with the season approaching the finish line, it is unlikely that Thibodeau will resort to the rookies a whole lot.
Therefore, the group that is currently in the rotation has to produce better results if the Knicks want to turn things around. They’ll have the opportunity to do so on Saturday when they take on the Washington Wizards back home at Madison Square Garden.