Fan interest always explodes when their team is on a roll … and the Knicks are on a roll.
I have been asked how I like the Knicks lately, whether it’s on Twitter, at sports bars (Clubhouse Cafe here at Cliffside Park, NJ), or at work. Knicks fans have been on my case for not giving them credit. The reason is that the Knicks have won eight in a row and fourteen of sixteen after a 118-103 victory over the Utah Jazz Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden. Their 14 wins in January were their most wins in a month since going 14-0 in March 1994 and just one shy of their most ever when they were 15-3 in December 1968.
So, when asked about the team, here are some answers.
What did I think of Julius Randle injuring his shoulder on Saturday in a game that was all but over? One of my problems with Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau is that he is so stuck in his ways. He always plays his starters so many minutes, even if the game is out of hand, whether the Knicks win or not. It reminded me of when he was once the Bulls head coach, and he played Derrick Rose in a Bulls playoff game that was already decided with 1:22 left, and the Bulls were on their way to a playoff victory against the Philadelphia 76ers. Rose suffered a torn ACL in his left knee, and he was out for the season, and the Bulls’ championship hopes died as they went down in six games against the 76ers. Rose’s career was never the same, and the Bulls front office was understandably angry at Thibodeau for playing the Bulls point guard in a blowout. Eventually, Thibodeau paid the price for his mistake by being fired years later.
The point is that Thibodeau should have known better than to play Randle when the outcome was all but over in the Knicks’ favor. The Knicks led by 17 with 4:22 to go, and Randle barreled to the hoop and suffered a hard fall that had injured his shoulder. He should have rested his starters there. There was no way the game would be tied with how the Knicks were going. This is where the Knicks head coach has to be smart. He must be aware when the game is out of reach and take out his stars. It was reckless to play Randle or any of his starters with the game already decided. Thibodeau seems hellbent on playing his guys just for the sake of competitiveness. For instance, he wants the Knicks to either lose by a few points or win by 20 or 30. It’s such stone-headed thinking. It does not make sense. It was stupid. Fortunately for Thibodeau and the Knicks, Randle doesn’t need surgery and could return in a few weeks.
Do I think the Knicks are an NBA championship contender? As great as they have played in January, it won’t matter much come springtime. In other words, you will not get an answer until the playoffs. Remember, teams don’t go full throttle like Thibodeau’s teams tend to do in the regular season. They actually pace themselves, so these Knicks wins can be skewed here. Also, it could be that it’s not who you play but when you play them. For instance, the Knicks beat the Denver Nuggets, who were about to finish their East Coast trip. The defending champions looked like a team that was ready to go home, so the Knicks played a team that maxed out.
The Knicks deserve credit for beating the Nuggets and Miami Heat. The more they win against those teams, the better habits they form and the more confidence they get against them, so there’s some value in it, but it does not define them. I look at the Knicks as a great regular-season team right now and nothing more. Until Thibodeau shows he can be a better postseason coach, I can’t get excited about his 31-41 postseason record.
Is Jalen Brunson a superstar? Absolutely! Look at how the Knicks have transformed with him as a point guard since last season. That should be proof in itself. Also, he is a player who always comes through in the clutch when the Knicks need him the most. He has been the Knicks’ best player since Patrick Ewing.
Is Brunson a top-10 player? He is not, but he plays like one, which should be good enough for the Knicks. There are so many elite players in the NBA that it is easy to pass Brunson. That’s okay. I would put him in the top 15, which is pretty good in itself.
How do I like OG Anunoby now? It’s hard to deny what he has meant to the Knicks. They have only lost twice since he was acquired. He has the highest +/- on the team, so that should tell you something. We know his defense is good. I always wondered about his offense. So far, it’s better than I thought. I did not think much of the trade at the time, but right now, it’s been a boon.
Do the Knicks make one more trade? Yes. They need to get a scorer to complement Brunson and Randle to keep up with the Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks.
What do I think of Tom Thibodeau as a head coach? It has been well documented that I savage him often on Twitter and in op-ed columns. I find him to be a blowhard and too smart for his own good (i.e., playing Randle in a blowout). His postseason record leaves so much to be desired. I look at him as a great regular-season coach, but he did not get hired to do just that. He was hired to have the Knicks contend for a championship. He hasn’t won many postseason games, for me to think highly of him. In other words, he is no Pat Riley. I look at him as Mike Woodson. A nice coach, not a championship coach.
Does the Knicks’ success prove Leon Rose doesn’t need to talk to the media? What success? Can the Knicks get to the Eastern Conference Finals first before we can say Rose has succeeded here? Even then, this does not absolve him from not talking to the media. It’s part of his job description. Every general manager or president of basketball operations talks to the media a few times a year to give the state of the team address or talk about the moves he makes. It’s a way to talk to the fans through the media. For Rose to not do this is an act of arrogance.
How far can the Knicks go? It depends on matchups and seeding here. It would be better for the Knicks to get a third seed than a fourth seed here because this would increase their chances of going to the Eastern Conference Finals. Their ceiling is in the second round and nothing more.
Can the Knicks go 35-5? It would be nice to dream, but no.
