Reality Bites

Thibs goes with an 8-man rotation on the second night of a back-to-back... Where was Tyler!?... Knicks continue to get killed from downtown

Final Score: Clippers 105 - Knicks 95
Record: 40-23

Playing mere hours after Jalen Brunson limped off the court in Thursday’s overtime loss to the Lakers, the Knicks fought hard and stayed within striking distance for most of Friday’s matchup with the Clippers.

It would have been understandable if the troops had been demoralized and deflated after discovering that their Captain would miss at least two weeks (more on that in a bit), but New York competed and defended well enough to keep the game close. After limiting Los Angeles to 19 points on 32% shooting in the third quarter, the Knicks trailed by a single point heading into the final frame.

However, the visitors fell flat in the fourth quarter. They looked exhausted, settling for long jumpers (they attempted only one free throw in the final 12 minutes) and missing all seven of their three-point tries. New York didn't register a single steal or block in the fourth quarter and committed five turnovers. 

With Brunson sidelined, the Knicks desperately needed Karl-Anthony Towns to carry the offense, especially down the stretch. KAT put up 23 points Friday night and grabbed 10 rebounds but scored just two points on 1-of-5 shooting over the game’s final seven minutes. OG Anunoby was even worse, going scoreless in crunch time and missing all four of his 4th quarter FG attempts. Miles McBride, who started at point guard, also laid a goose egg in the 4Q. 

Mikal Bridges certainly stepped up, tallying 22 points (on an efficient 8-of-12 shooting performance), five assists, four rebounds and a block. And you can’t say enough about Josh Hart, who ripped down a career-high 20 rebounds to go along with 14 points and six assists.

Yet, considering the workload they endured, New York’s two iron men can only be asked to do so much. 

Despite being on the back end of a road/road back-to-back, head coach Tom Thibodeau decided to play just eight guys vs. the Clippers. Thus, seeing the Knicks run out of gas down the homestretch wasn't surprising. 

This has been a common theme throughout the season. Despite having the sixth-best Net Rating in the NBA (+4.0), New York ranks 20th in fourth-quarter NetRg this season (-3.5). And that’s with Brunson being the league’s best clutch performer, often single-handedly carrying his team to victory. 

Josh Hart logged 44 minutes Thursday vs. the Lakers. Less than 24 hours later, he was on the floor for 46 of the game’s 48 minutes vs. the Clippers. This is the same man who missed the first two games after the All-Star break due to patellofemoral pain syndrome in his right knee.

Bridges played “only” 43 minutes on Thursday and Friday. 

Both Hart and Bridges played the entire 4th quarter last night. 

We’ve knocked Thibs for his minutes distribution previously, and we’ve become somewhat numb to unprecedented playing time for specific players, but that doesn’t make it right or reasonable. 

Only three players in the NBA have played more than 43 minutes in consecutive games this season: Hart, Bridges and KAT. 

Yes. All three are Knicks. Bridges has done it three times. Hart has done it twice.

Over the last calendar year, dating back to March of 2024, there have been nine instances of a player logging 44+ minutes in consecutive contests. All nine instances have been by a Knick.

Over the last 15 years, Hart is just the second player over 30 to log 44+ minutes on both nights of a back-to-back.

Per NBA tracking data, Mikal Bridges has traveled 957,849 feet this season (181.4 miles). That’s 80,000 more feet than any other player in the NBA (Josh Hart ranks second at 877k).

Many of Thibodeau’s acolytes dismiss accusations against the head coach, claiming that critics are “haters” and members of the uncool “minutes police.”

Thibs' dedicated defenders assert countless players logged 40+ minutes a night in the halcyon days of yore - without acknowledging that today’s game is played at a much faster pace and involves more distance traveled.

Those folks would have you believe it’s just loudmouths on Twitter or idiots with a Substack that disagree with Thibodeau’s MO. 

To that, I ask, why is Thibs the only coach in the modern NBA to administer his unique approach? 

Thunder coach Mark Daigneault and Cavs head man Kenny Atkinson (two favorites for the NBA Coach of the Year award) employ ten-man rotations. Cleveland doesn’t have a single player on their roster averaging more than 31 minutes per game this season. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, OKC's best player and the likely league MVP, has not logged more than 40 minutes in a regulation game this entire season. Donovan Mitchell has played more than 37 minutes just once.  

Are Daigneault and Atkinson (or any of the other 29 NBA coaches who are not named Tom Thibodeau) secret members of the Minutes Police?  

Some will argue that Thibs uses a short rotation because the Knicks lack quality reserves to bring off the bench. 

However, we can’t state that definitely because those players have not been given an opportunity. 

Jaylen Wells has started 58 straight games for the Grizzlies, who are 15 games above .500 and sit fourth in the West this season. The 21-year-old Wells was drafted with the 39th pick in the 2024 draft, five spots ahead of Tyler Kolek, who will turn 24 later this month. 

Are we sure Kolek, the former Big East Player of the Year who led the country in assists each of the past two seasons, can’t hold his own for roughly eight minutes a night for a team missing their starting PG and with only one other true PG on the roster? Are we sure about that?

New York’s first-round pick in the 2024 draft was Pacome Dadiet, a raw 6’7” wing out of France. Are we positive the kid can’t provide a spark off the bench (and let Hart or Bridges catch their breath) if called upon? 

Speaking of their two healthy rookies, the organization needs to provide details/clarity on why they weren't with the team last night.