Should the Knicks Move On From Tom Thibodeau

Author: Frank Caggino

After Tom Thibodeau won coach of the year, it looked like the Knicks finally found their head coach. He is New York’s fifth head coach in the past decade. Tom, was also the first coach to have a winning record in almost a decade. However, with the Knicks’ struggles this season, fans are now questioning if he is the right man for the job. Thibodeau’s decision-making and unwillingness to change, has caused Knicks fans to be concerned.

When the Knicks struggled on offense in the postseason, it was clear they need some players that can generate their own shot. The Knicks signed Kemba Walker and while some fans were happy, it seems like Tom Thibodeau was not. This was clearly evident when early in the season, Walker was benched and it looked like he was going to be out of the rotation. Due to injures and players getting sick, Walker found his way back into the starting lineup and played well at the end of December. Kemba has not been able to string together consistent high-scoring numbers and now, is going to sit out the rest of the season. Tom Thibodeau is a defensive-minded coach and Kemba Walker is not a good defender, which is one of the main reasons why Thibodeau has decided to bench him. Unfortunately, this is not the only player that has been brought in that has not gotten the playing time the front office hoped for.

The only acquisition the Knicks made during the season was trading for Cam Reddish from the Atlanta Hawks. However, it took several games before Reddish received consistent minutes. Multiple reports came out that Thibodeau did not want the Knicks to acquire Reddish. This is another example of the head coach and front office not being on the same page. Regardless of who is the general manager, it is hard to see the coach remaining with his inability to adapt.

Some of the reasons why Tom Thibodeau is no longer coaching the Bulls or Timberwolves is because of playing his veterans too many minutes and not being creative on offense. Those same criticisms have held true this year, with the number of minutes players such as Alec Burks and Taj Gibson have gotten this season. The Knicks’ half-court offense, particularly late in games has been poor and has led to them having a losing record. Unfortunately, even if the Knicks move on from Thibodeau, replacing him will not be easy.

It took four different head coaches for the Knicks to have a winning season. Hopefully, it will not take four more head coaches for the Knicks to have another winning record. Luckily for New York, there are some quality head coaching candidates out there. One of the names that comes to mind is Kenny Attkinson, who coached a young Brooklyn Nets team to a playoff team. Because of their success, they were able to attract Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant. Atkinson has experience working in New York and working with a young team which is what the Knicks currently have. Kenny is also from New York, which helps when interacting with the media. Another name to consider is Mark Jackson who is also from New York but has not coached since 2014. If the Knicks are considering moving on from Thibodeau, now is the time while a coach such as Kenny Atkinson is still available. As great as Tom and the Knicks were last year, this year has been very different which is why the Knicks need a coach that is very different.

SPORTS ARE OUR UNIVERSE

The Eastern Conference Still Sucks

Author: Jack Gordon

It is time to stop declaring that “the East is finally as good as the West” in the NBA.

It’s not, and it never has been in my lifetime.

The West, for decades, has been just better than the East in a myriad of ways. There is virtually no disputing this - go back every year, and the level of all-star talent and the number of truly competitive teams is completely unbalanced. For anyone that follows the NBA, think no further than LeBron James and the narratives that followed him for a decade. James made nine Finals appearances in the Eastern Conference, including eight straight with the Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers. He was the King in the East - he was so dominant that for as long as he remained in the Conference, it was nearly a guarantee that his team would at least make the Finals. And it wasn’t just that he’s an all-time great player, but he was set up for success - he had almost no resistance. Who were his big rivals in the East after beating Boston in 2011 and 2012? The Mike Budenholzer Hawks? The Roy Hibbert Pacers?

When he signed with the Lakers in 2019, the narrative became that it would be harder for him to do what he had done; an obvious sign of acknowledgement from everyone in the media that the West was far more competitive than the East.

Some things just are the way they are. The truth is that the Western Conference has more desirable markets, including three teams in California (No, Sacramento doesn’t count). The big potential draw in the East other than Miami - New York, New York - hasn’t been a draw in over twenty years until KD showed up (and he didn’t even show up to New York City; he showed up to Brooklyn). And let’s be honest, if a player can make $40 million and do it in warm weather, it’s tough to turn down.

But for the NBA, this reality kind of sucks. What the league wants, as well as the fans, is for equal parody across the league. It would be awesome to be able to have conversations about teams no matter where they are. It would be awesome to be arguing about who might make it in the West, and then look over to the East and see a bunch of teams that might have equally compelling playoff matchups in the first and second rounds.

So every year for the past few years, people have been trying to talk themselves into the idea that the East has finally caught up with the West. People in the media are responsible for creating hype and interest around the season, and say this to trick people into watching. They want this to be true, and they point to the top-end talent in the East and argue that they match up as well, if not better, than the best in the West.

And every year, we quickly realize it not to be true. Because sure, in any given year the top three or four teams in the East might look really good. But that’s not the only thing that matters, and people know it. When we talk about the Western Conference being better than the East, a lot of times it has to do with not only the really great teams, but the teams in the middle class and even the teams just outside the playoffs. Almost every year, these teams in the West are solid, if not really good at least competent teams that can win on any given night. But in the East, we typically see a massive dropoff after the top teams, so much so that it’s impossible not to argue that the record of the top teams in the East are being inflated because they get to play so many horrible teams.

At the beginning of this season, we were hearing some of these same things. With the reigning champs in Milwaukee, a scary-looking Nets team, a beefed-up Miami team and a chaotic but lurking Sixers team, people early on were convinced that the East might be better than the West.

And then, the actual season played out, and once again this take became harder to support. As of the all-star break, a good but fairly old Miami team is the one seed in the East with a record of 38-21. The top three seeds in the West - Phoenix, Golden State and Memphis - all have better records. The Chicago Bulls, who have had horrible injury luck throughout the year, are still somehow hovering around the one seed and may even get it. The Sixers and Nets, who were supposed to be the best teams in the East, had major stress with their stars, which led to them trading for each others’ problems. The Nets have spiraled to the play-in game with Durant out and with Kyrie playing only road games, and who knows what will happen with Ben Simmons once we get to the playoffs. Embiid over in Philly has been dominant, but once again, who knows what Harden will look like, whether or not the two will mesh together, and if losing Seth Curry is a bigger deal than people realize.

The Cavs have come out of nowhere but does anyone actually think they’re a threat? Does anyone have any idea what will happen in this conference? Does anyone have actual confidence in any team other than the Milwaukee Bucks? Who is to say that the Celtics can’t make a run to the Conference Finals at this point if nobody else can figure anything out?

Here are probably the worst teams currently in play-in contention in the East: Atlanta, Charlotte, Toronto, Boston, Cleveland (sorry Cleveland I love Garland and Allen).

Here are probably the worst teams currently in play-in contention in the West: Portland, LA Lakers, LA Clippers, Minnesota… Utah? Dallas? Denver?

The point is, those mid-tier teams in the West are just better. The Warriors and Suns are really steady, while the top teams in the East are all floundering around. Yes, there are good teams and dramatic storylines in the East, but that’s not all that matters.

Ultimately, this is not an argument about which Conference will win the NBA Championship. It’s about the competition before the Finals and how difficult it is to get there. Every year, the West has been better than the East. Maybe this will change one day, maybe it will change next year. But until then, stop saying that the East has caught up to the West - because the East sucks, just like every other year.

SPORTS ARE OUR UNIVERSE

NFL Mock Draft 1.0

Author: Kiernan Fischer

Jacksonville Jaguars: OT Evan Neal Alabama

The Jaguars find themselves in a familiar spot drafting number one for the second straight year. Many have Aidan Hutchinson at this spot but I think that Neal will put on enough of a show at the combine to earn the top overall selection. His explosiveness is rare at 350 pounds with a 48-inch box jump. The Jaguars go their franchise QB last year and in this mock, they try to protect him. The pressure of being tied to Lawrence will be great but Neal is used to pressure playing at Alabama. I believe Neal is third in odds to be taken first and I think it is a good value.

Detroit Lions: Aidan Hutchison Edge Michigan

The hometown prospect stays in state here and goes number two to Detroit. He has size, athleticism, and the numbers to justify this pick. His 93.6 pass-rushing PFF grade this past season was the third-highest since PFF started tracking college back in 2014 behind Chase Young and Josh Allan. He lead the nation in pressures with 74, 15 of which came against Ohio State. Some will point to his lackluster game against Georgia but that was a result of Georgia running many quick screens and planning around his skill set. Lions fans should be excited about this.

Houston Texans: Kayvon Thibodeaux Edge Oregon

Going into the year Thibodeaux was considered the number one pick and although injuries did damper his 2021 season a bit he still earned a 91.3 pass-rushing grade according to PFF. He has all the tools to be an all-pro and this is a no-brainer if Houston can get him at 3. Houston has too many holes to list here so going with the best available player at a high-value position is their best bet.

New York Jets: Derek Stingley Jr. CB LSU

The Jets need secondary help and Stingley’s college resume is great enough to warrant this pick. People will point to injury concerns, he only played three games last season and he hasn’t replicated the dominant season he had as a true freshman. Still, the Jets having another top 10 pick means they can chase upside a bit more with this pick and try to get a shutdown corner. Where Stingley goes in April will depend on how he looks at the combine. I think he will test great

New York Giants: Charles Cross OT Mississippi State

The Giant need offensive line help very badly. It is clear that they are going to stick with Jones for at least another year so they get him the best available pass protector in Charles Cross. Cross only allowed 14 pressures this year in 719 pass snaps playing in the SEC West. He also showed he is a well-rounded lineman earning an 87.2 PFF run-blocking grade so it will help Saquon Barkley as well. Pairing Cross with Andrew Thomas could be a dangerous tackle duo.

Carolina Panthers: Ikem Ekwonu OT N.C State

Ekwonu is another great tackle prospect in a loaded tackle class. He is the best run blocker in the class and his pancake blocks are a sight to behold. His pass protection got better every year at N.C State. How the Panthers develop that aspect of his game will determine if he ends up as a pro bowl guard or a pro bow tackle. But either way, Carolina is getting pro bowler in my opinion at 6

New York Giants (Via Bears): George Karlaftis Edge Perdue

I could see my Giants getting another offensive lineman here as well, but I think they try to get a pass rusher here. Karlaftis is nicknamed the Greek Freak for a reason and teams were scheming around him similarly to how they game planned for Hutchinson in the Big Ten.

Atlanta Falcons: Kyle Hamilton Safety Notre Dame

Hamilton is 6’4 220 and has the sideline to sideline range to make an impact right away on defense. He has instincts that you can’t teach on defense that great ones like Troy Polamalu had. I am not saying he is going to be Troy but some of the plays he makes show flashes. He is easily the best safety prospect of the last 3 years.

Denver Broncos: Sam Howell QB North Carolina

You all know that the QB class isn’t as strong this year as it was last year. Moving past that fact the conversation then becomes when in the draft do these QBs start becoming valuable. The Broncos have one of the most complete rosters in the NFL and in my mind are truly a QB away from competing for a Super Bowl. Sam Howell lost his top four playmakers from a year ago to the NFL in Javonte Williams, Michael Carter, Dazz Newsome, and Dyami Brown. He still put p a great season at North Carolina despite the team not being as strong. Pairing him with his old running back from college doesn’t hurt either.

New York Jets (Via Seattle): Tyler Linderbaum C Iowa

Linderbaum has one of the highest range of outcomes in this draft not due to his talent or plays on the field but due to the position, he plays. The Center is a low-value position and it takes a special talent to overcome that and get drafted high. That is exactly what I think Linderbaum is. He can still pass protect at an elite level for Zach Wilson and could become the best center in the league quickly similar to Creed Humphrey in Kanas City. The Jets have a lot of holes and they are the perfect team to take the best player available regardless of position.

Washington Football Team: Kenny Pickett QB Pittsburgh

The Taylor Heinicke experiment was fun. But it’s time for Washington to seriously consider their future at the QB position and it is rare that at 11 you could still pick the second-best QB in a class. We all saw what Pickett can do at Pitt where he was a Heisman finalist and threw 42 touchdowns and only 7 picks. He has consistently improved his decision-making in his career at Pitt and was the highest-rated QB with a clean pocket this season (PFF).

Minnesota Vikings: Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner CB Cincinnati

Gardner didn’t allow a touchdown pass all season during Cincinnati’s historic run to the College Football Playoff. We were wondering if his tape would look as strong when he played Alabama and he showed out in that game as well. The Vikings need secondary help and this fit makes a lot of sense to me.

Cleveland Browns: Garrett Wilson WR Ohio State

The Browns desperately needs playmakers on offense. Wilson is a bit small for an NFL receiver but so was Donvanta Smith and he just had a great rookie year in Philly. The hometown prospect provides explosiveness to an offense that needs a number one receiver.

Baltimore Ravens: Drake London WR USC

The receiver goes back to back in this mock both to AFC North teams. Depending on if the AB rumors are true this pick could change but with his history, I still think it would be the right call. Drake London is 6’5 210 and is the best-contested catch receiver in this draft. His size could help him block in the Ravens’ run-heavy offense and give the Ravens another goal-line threat. He would also make their offense less predictable and his ability to create yards after the catch is one of the best in the class as well.

Philadelphia Eagles: Nakobe Dean LB Georgia

At one point in the season, it was looking like the Eagles would have three top 15 picks. They still have 15, 16, and 19 making mocking for them fun. The analytical front office of the Eagles usually stays away from linebackers in the first round but their linebacking core was one of the worst in the NFL last season and Dean is an athlete who dominated against great competition at Georgia. H would drastically improve that defense.

Eagles: Trent McDuffie CB Washington

McDuffie allowed just 16 catches on 36 targets for only 11 yards and no touchdowns last season. He is an incredibly smart and sticky corner whose only cause for concern is his size at only 5’11. He plays bigger than that though and has the technique to make up for it.

Chargers: Jameson Williams WR Alabam

Mike Williams is a free agent but even if they keep him they should still make this pick. Thy face a similar decision to the Bengals last year where they can opt to try and fix a bad o line or add to a receiving core that is a piece away from being elite. In this mock, they go with the latter.

Saints: Malik Willis QB Liberty

The Saints officially enter a new chapter in their franchise as they are without Drew Brees and Sean Payton. This roster is in salary cap hell and they need to get cheap at the games most expensive position. Willis is the most intriguing QB prospect in this class as he has the raw athleticism and arm talent to tempt teams into taking him and trying to develop him into a star.

Eagles: David Ojabo DE Michigan

The Eagles go with three defensive players in this mock draft. Ojabo is an NBA lottery pick type athlete who only started playing football at age 17. The breakout star at Michigan has shot up draft boards all season and may go higher than this in April based on potential. He is a boom or bust type prospect. The Eagles are a good fit because of the fact that they have two other first round picks.

Steelers: Desmond Ridder QB Cincinnati

The most pro ready quarterback in this class. Ridder has four years old starting experience at Cincinnati and improved every year. At 6’4 215 and mobility, he gives whoever drafts him a mobile quarterback to build around.

New England Patriots: Devin Lloyd LB Utah

While many Patriots fans will want a receiver here I just went with the best player available for their squad. Lloyd is a new age linebacker that can cover and make plays in space and will thrive under the greatest defensive mind of all time.

Las Vegas Raiders: Chris Olave WR Ohio State

Perhaps the fastest straight-line receiver in this draft the raider get the deep threat they missed since losing Henry Rugs. His route running is also elite and he scored 13 times at Ohio State showing he has a nose for the endzone.

Arizona Cardinals: Kenyon Green OG Texas A&M

An athletic 325-pound monster Greene is the most versatile lineman in this class as he can play guard or tackle on both sides of the line. The cardinals need help protecting Murray, especially in the interior of their line and this is a perfect fit.

Dallas Cowboys: Bernhard Raimann OT Central Michigan

The Cowboys’ legendary line of the past decade or so is falling apart and in a deep tackle class, the Cowboys begin to rebuild it. Raimann may go higher than this in April. Two years ago Raimann was a tight end and he has since developed into one of the best pass blockers in the country and athletes at the position.

Buffalo Bills: Andrew Booth Jr. CB Clemson

The Bills need to slow down the elite offenses in the AFC to accomplish their goal of winning a Super Bowl. While their secondary is already solid they bolster even more here.

Tennessee Titans: Jermaine Johnson II DE Florida State

The Florida State defensive end was one of the biggest risers of the senior bowl consistently winning one on one drills in the two-day event. Johnson firmly put himself in the first-round discussion and maybe drafted higher than this come April. His arms are only 32 inches which may cause him to fall a bit but his tape cannot be ignored. The Titans add to a unit that despite sacking Joe Burrow 9 times still needs reinforcement.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Kaiir Elam CB Florida

A long (pause) physical corner that played against the best receivers in the SEC. He has a bit of a problem with penalties getting 7 in this past season in the college game where they call less than in the NFL. Still, he only allowed 18 catches out of 33 targets for only 136 yards this past season playing against a lot of NFL talent on offense. The Bucs built their Super Bowl winner by spending high draft capital on the secondary and they continue that trend here.

Green Bay Packers: Treylon Burks WR Arkansas

Burks has a combination of size and speed that makes him an intriguing NFL prospect. He could be used as a versatile Deebo type player in the right system. The Packers finally take an offensive player that can make an impact right away in this mock and get Rodgers another weapon assuming he stays.

Miami Dolphins (via 49ers): Trevor Penning OT Northern Iowa

PFF’s highest-graded tackle in 2021, although some of that comes from the competition level he faced at Northern Iowa, Penning is a very physical run blocker that moves people with ease. Protection for Tua with this pick is provided.

Kanas City Chiefs: Roger McCreary CB Auburn

McCreary is an ultra-smooth corner who was battled tested playing in the SEC. The Chiefs’ secondary got cooked vs the Bengals and Bills and the bolster with this pick.

Cincinnati Bengals: Zion Johnson OG Boston College

We all saw the Super Bowl. The Bengals need offensive line help and while some might argue for a more valuable position like tackle they take the best available lineman here in Johnson.

Detroit Lions: Jahan Dotson WR Penn State

Rounding out the first round is Jahan Dotson. Dotson is one of the most difficult receivers to stick within the class. While he has some size concerns at only 5-foot-11 and 184 pounds, Dotson played through contact more than enough to make it not that worrisome. He dropped only two of his 93 catchable targets this season.

SPORTS ARE OUR UNIVERSE