The Kids Save The Day (but it's too late to save the season)

IQ, McBride, Grimes and Sims spearheaded an incredible comeback. Obi Toppin is averaging 16.5 points (on 67% shooting) and 9.5 rebounds in two straight wins. If that's not "earning minutes," what is??

The 2021-22 NBA season tipped off on October 20th. That was 157 days ago. Heading into the final frame of the Knicks-Heat game Friday night, New York had played a total of 295 quarters this season.

Never once over the last six months and 72 games had both Immanuel Quickley and Miles "Deuce" McBride played an entire quarter alongside each other. Not in the entire month of February. Not after Derrick Rose's first ankle surgery. Not after Kemba Walker was sent packing. Not after Derrick Rose's second ankle surgery. Not after it was proven time and time again that 30-year-old SG Alec Burks wasn't quite capable of handling the starting PG position. Not after blowing fourth-quarter leads on a nightly basis for the better part of two months. Not after New York dipped 13 games below .500 three weeks ago, effectively eliminating them from playoff contention 

Nope, it wasn't until the fourth quarter on Friday that IQ and Deuce finally played 12 consecutive minutes together (something some of us *cough cough* had been requesting). 

And what happened in that fourth quarter last night, you ask?

Well, the Knicks outscored the Miami Heat - the team with the best record and most wins in the entire Eastern Conference - by 23 points (38-15). 

New York entered the 4Q trailing the Heat by 15, but Quickley, McBride and rookie Quentin Grimes combined for 34 points on 10-of-18 shooting over the final 12 minutes. IQ scored 20 himself and, in the process, became just the second Knick to score 20+ points in a 4Q over the last decade, joining Carmelo Anthony. Jericho Sims, New York's other 2021 draft pick, patrolled the paint and successfully protected the rim in the final frame. 

Instead of the Knicks wilting under pressure in crunch time (as the vets have done often in 2022), New York's youngsters squashed repeated comeback attempts from Jimmy Butler, Kyle Lowry, Bam Adebayo and company. 

These are the type of confidence-building victories that can catapult the Knicks into the offseason with momentum. However, one can't help but think that New York might still be fighting for the playoffs had coach Tom Thibodeau been less stubborn and more willing to infuse youth into his rotations.

Coming into last night, the four-man unit of Grimes, Quickley, McBride and Sims (who are all 23 or younger) had logged a total of 16 minutes together this entire season. Those four played ten minutes in the fourth quarter on Friday, and the results left fans wanting more. 

The 5-man lineup of IQ, McBride, Sims, Barrett and Obi has played a grand total of three minutes together. That's simply unconscionable, especially considering the Knicks' poor record. 

The three-person lineup of IQ, Obi and Deuce have scored an average of 135.5 points per 100 possessions while allowing only 77.9 points per 100 possessions. That sums to a mind-boggling Net Rating of +57.7. Yet those three have shared the floor for only 60 minutes this season.

After the game, Thibs used his post-game press conference as an opportunity to push back against the "social media narrative" that he relies too heavily on his veterans. "Everyone has all the answers right after a game," Thibs said. "But when you actually do study it, and you watch the game again, and maybe a 3rd time, you actually know what transpired," adding that social media has the potential to "eat away at the fabric of the team."

The reality is every professional sports team is judged by wins and losses. He's been around long enough to know this. If the Knicks were ten games above .500 instead of ten games below, nobody would be bellyaching for rookies to get more time. However, it became clear that the approach that paid off in 2020-21 wasn't working in 2021-22. After playing with fire and intensity and defensive commitment last season, Randle too often moped and lollygagged his way through this year. Thibs declared minutes had to be earned but didn't adjust his rotation based on results. 

As Thibs was ranting against ignorant fans and journalists, I couldn't help but wonder: If he had his full complement of healthy players Friday night (Randle, Rose etc.), how many minutes would the Baby Knicks have seen in the second half? And would New York have won that contest? 

Also, the head coach didn't have an issue with fans and folks on social media singing his praises when he was hailed as a hero last season, guiding the team to home-court advantage in the playoffs and returning respectability to MSG. You can't have it both ways. 

With just eight games remaining this season, it will be fascinating to see how Thibs allocates playing time. Besides the fact that there is nothing to gain from trotting Burks out as the team's starting PG anymore this season, Thibs can't use the excuse anymore that players such as McBride haven't "earned" their minutes. 

With Randle sidelined by a quad injury these last two games, Obi Toppin has averaged 16.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.0 made three-pointers, while shooting 66.7% from the floor and 50% from downtown. And the Knicks have won both contests. If that's not the definition of earning more playing time, what is? 

The three Knicks with the highest plus/minus this season are IQ (+220), Toppin (+127) and McBride (+120). 

Deuce has played more than 15 minutes in five games in March. The Knicks are undefeated in those contests. (He was +16 in NY's win over Miami, a game-high among all guards/wings in this game.) 

Over the last two months, the Knicks are 5-0 when McBride logs more than 15 minutes. They are 5-21 when he plays fewer than 12 minutes.