The Knicks face an uphill schedule following the All-Star break with a four-game road trip starting Thursday: Milwaukee, Oklahoma City, Brooklyn and Philadelphia. It is a 1-3 trip waiting to happen.
That’s why it’s sweet Nix fans have a week to impress their current 19-18 record. Because for the first time since the 2013–14 season, the Knicks will play meaningful games after the All-Star break.
The worst part of the seven-year playoff drought was over by March 1 in the last six seasons.
Here are four positive takeaways from the first 37 games of the season (one game past the mathematical midpoint of the 72-game pandemic schedule):
Stocks more than fall on Knicks prospects
The key to this rebuilding season was the development of Kevin Knox, Mitchell Robinson, RJ Barrett, Dennis Smith Jr. and Frank Nitilina. It is a 3–2 win – knocked out by Knox and Smith.
The Mintocre couldn’t trade the Knicks Smith fast on Super Bowl Sunday after a preseason and early season injury. He got a really good price, ready to accept Derrick Rose’s desire to trade with the Pistons.
Knox broke out of Tom Thibodo’s short rotation last month and is “” situational “in Koch’s dreaded Vernacular. “Knox has played 3 and 4, but has improved his 3-point shooting (38.9 percent) though. , Thibodo is no longer of use to him and is a business candidate.
On the manufacturer’s bull-market side, Barrett has progressed as a more efficient scorer in both his 3-point shooting and free-throw shooting. He is also strong as a slasher.
Before Robinson breaks his right hand, Kendra establishes himself as an elite rim keeper, able to stay out of trouble foul. Robinson will evaluate his hand on Wednesday, but has made progress.
Meanwhile, Nitleena has changed her story in the last 10 days. Before 25 February, the Frenchman had not played since late December, but now he is suddenly hotter than a French bistro, and has sunk his final six 3-pointers. At the very least, the 2021 restricted free agent pumped up his trade value.
“Watching him play, his work through things, his versatility, he can play all three positions,” Thibodo said. “And their shoot has really come together.”
The New Dr. J
Julius Randle’s conversion from free-agent bust to Bona Feel all-star is one of the NBA’s best stories. Randley has 10 games with at least 25 points, 10 rebounds and five assists. This is the second highest for the Knock in the entire season. He has also played in all 37 games – no small feat in the NBA’s fragile era. Now that a limited number of fans are participating in the game, he is reciting the “MVP” chant. For real, she has risen as a strong Most Improved Player Award nominee.
Tail of two rookies
When the NBA general manager’s Presidency Survey came out, the Knicks finished third in the 2020 Lottery pick Obi Toppin Rookie of the Year voting. Fellow crook Emmanuel Quickley did not play in the Presiden opener, then got eight minutes into the next game, like a late first-round pick who would have trouble finding time in a crowded backcourt. The narrative is turned upside down, while Quickly a mainstay from Thibodo’s bench, while. Toppin is struggling to get the minute (12.7) and follows behind Randley. Quickley was not named in the Rising Stars roster for the United States due to the silly format of selecting Ricky overseas for the World Team internationally. But he has become a fan favorite with his fearless 3-point markmanship (38.1 percent), free-throw brandance (making a record 94 of his first 100 free throws) and a floater that was not missed recently. His selection has ousted Leon Rose’s Toppin’s lottery pick, a 23-year project.
Coaching Matters
For the first 28 matches before Robinson’s hand injury, Thibodo stuck with the same starting lineup – all of them from last season’s substandard club. And Thibodo has kept the Knicks up to around 500 in all seasons, remembering a culture emphasizing the importance of victory. He has coached Elfried Payton, RJ Barrett and Randall. Thibodo expertly managed a diverse coaching staff assigned to him by Rose and senior VP William Wesley. The possibility of Thibodo finally wearing his players out until May can never be discounted, but the first 38 games have been as magical as the Turks and Caicos beach that he runs away from. Larry Greer, formerly a Nux Advance Scout with Minnesota, tweeted Thursday, “Asking many coaches what the number one thing you’ve learned to do with coach Thibodo. It’s “culture how you do everything,” Thibodo said. “It’s not a particular thing, it’s how you do everything.” It can be applied to any business !!!
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