Are the Knicks Finally on the Right Path?

Author: Dylan Nijankin

Editor: Mark Awadallah

What a Win! The Knicks had an awesome second half against the Pacers last night. After struggling in most of the first half the Knicks were able to make a late 2nd quarter run, highlighted by Derrick Rose’s buzzer-beater shot.

Similar to the rest of the Knicks, Julius Randle had a slow start in this game, but by the end, he had another amazing game: 28 PTS, 6 AST, and 10 REB. He had a much better game than Domantas Sabonis, who was also in the race for the all-star game, even more securing his spot in the all-star game.

Just another exciting game, that has now taken the Knicks to the .500 mark, which they have not been at since 2016. If the Knicks win tonight, they will be over 500 going into March for the first time since 2013.

Although there is a lot of excitement around these Knicks, the Knicks cannot lose focus. Below are five areas that the Knicks need to focus on in order to solidify themselves as playoff contenders this season.

1. Big Man, Big Issues

Center Mitchell Robinson’s hand fracture is a huge blow to the Knicks. He was one of their brightest players, and a big piece of their frontcourt, tipping in buckets and blocking shots with ease. With him gone for the next handful of weeks, Nerlens Noel will have to do some heavy lifting. Taj Gibson will also be getting more minutes. This is not a good thing, as centers in the league have easily shown their ability to power past both of these players. The Knicks have to make a move at the center position; even when Mitchell Robinson comes back, he will need help. Tom Thibodeau should immediately be scouting the league to buff up the team at the five. This will also help with what we’ll talk about below.

2. It’s a Matter of Time

Thibodeau has been criticized throughout his career for his management of players’ minutes, going back to how much he played Derrick Rose while with the Bulls. This season, the Knicks’ minutes are all over the place. Julius Randle has been averaging 36 minutes per game, easily the highest on the team. He also has been playing night in and night out. Signing a big new man will help free up Randle’s frontcourt duties, but that is just one of the many issues that need to be addressed. Thibodeau needs to fix the minutes across the entire team. Obi Toppin hasn’t seen a lot of on-court action, which is disappointing. He would be of great help to the Knicks frontcourt in taking the load off Randle. Additionally, Elfrid Payton has been playing better, but he gets a considerable number of minutes and takes away playtime from Immanuel Quickley and Derrick Rose, who have an interesting dynamic together. Oftentimes, Tom will play two of these players at once, affecting RJ’s minutes. The mismanagement of minutes between these players shows another problem the Knicks have:

3. Guards Galore

The Knicks have an overabundance of players in the guard positions, which creates problems beyond just minutes. Chemistry is hurt by the constant rotation of backcourt players. Rose was brought in to mentor the younger players but can’t play his natural point guard position if Quickley starts there. With Payton often paired alongside Barrett, RJ doesn’t have as much development with Quickley. RJ can also pair with Rose, but if Quickley is in with Rose, RJ can’t be in. It’s just a mess of combinations. This also goes without mentioning Reggie Bullock, who plays a considerable number of minutes at shooting guard. The Knicks really need to have a set team with clear minute scheduling, night in and night out. Once this is figured out, the Knicks can address:

4. Keeping Consistent

If the Knicks want to fight for a playoff spot, they’re going to have to play solid basketball every night. The win against the Timberwolves was a win, but it was barely a win. The Knicks can’t be in control of an entire game and then see the other team fight back, win or lose. The team seems to get very streaky. Sometimes all their shots drain, sometimes none. They’ll win three in a row, only to lose four. At least the losing streak was prevented with the win against the Timberwolves, but the performance still showed how inconsistent the team can be. If they want to continue to win, the Knicks have to maintain consistency. Once this is achieved, the Knicks can focus on the last piece of the puzzle, which is…

5. Finding a Face

The Knicks currently have a solid group of players. Randle has been playing at an All-Star level, Quickley has been incredibly impressive, and Barrett is finally finding comfort in his role with the team. Although these players’ performances shouldn’t be underestimated, help is still needed. The Knicks need someone to be centered around. Someone who can take a leadership role while playing incredible to match. Most superstars have lost interest in the Knicks lately, with the franchise’s foolish mistakes costing them valuable contracts with some of the league’s biggest stars. Times are changing though. The future bright for the Knicks, led by the aforementioned players. It is time for the Knicks to make the move for the big player, who will lead their young players to stardom. The team is decent right now, but it is evident that it is lacking a core. A trade, or even a quick signing, can solve this problem.

New York still has a long way to go until they are a consistently successful NBA franchise. On the bright side, where the team is right now isn’t a bad start. The building blocks have been put in place, between the rising young stars and Thibodeau’s energetic coaching. Key areas in the team still need to be worked on before the Knicks can really break through. Once the Knicks can address these issues, the Garden might see some good basketball. All in all, Knicks fans shouldn’t start getting excited about the team just yet but should deservedly be hopeful for the team’s future.

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