The Knicks are playing themselves into a position not many believed they’d be in at this point of the season.
34 games in, the Knicks are in unfamiliar territory.
After knocking off the Indiana Pacers, Saturday night at the Garden, the Knicks caught a late flight to Detroit. According to the MSG Network telecast, the team landed in the Motor City at 2am, Sunday morning, for their 8pm tip off against the Pistons.
In that game against the Pacers, the Knicks needed every minute to pull out the victory. R.J. Barrett (34 minutes), Derrick Rose (38 minutes), Nerlens Noel (41 minutes), and Julius Randle (42 minutes) all logged heavy playing time. All key players on the roster.
Could the Knicks maintain their energy level for the second half of a back-to-back? And, by the way, they’re without Taj Gibson (sprained ankle) and Elfrid Payton (hamstring).
Well, they brought the energy – and some.
Randle led the way with 25 points as the Knicks blew out the Pistons, 109-90, to avoid a trap game and move one game over .500.
At 18-17, the Knicks are currently fourth in the Eastern Conference standings.
Yes – fix your face! You read that right! There wasn’t a typo, I read it twice before moving forward.
The Knicks, a playoff team? It could happen, it’s seriously looking that way.
In a season where expectations were low, head coach Tom Thibodeau has restored the feelings for long-time fans.
First, the Knicks have themselves an All-Star
Julius Randle has taken monumental steps this season in his career development. Those steps led to his first selection to an All-Star Game. Yes, he’s averaging a career-high 23.4 points per game. But he’s elevated his overall game too, averaging 5.5 assists and 11.0 rebounds, also career highs. He’s not only getting his points; he’s also making his teammates better.
Thibodeau brings credibility
His reputation is of a tireless, workaholic, passionate about the game, and coaches defense like there’s no tomorrow. The team has brought in as they’re a top-ranked defensive team.
“I think the first unit is really finding some chemistry together, and I think they’re reading the game well, they’re playing off each other well,” Thibodeau said after the win in Detroit. “They’re playing very unselfishly. They’re tied together on both sides of the ball. So, defensively we’re a little bit ahead and offensively when we share the ball, we’re hard to guard. I think the way they’re playing now is very good.”
When Detroit went on a 7-0 run early in the first half, Thibodeau quickly called a time out. There’s no waiting around when mistakes are being made, there’s a time out and then there’s accountability. Thibs has hit on all the right buttons with this Knicks team.
Defense, defense, and more defense
You know with a Tom Thibodeau-coached team, the conversation begins and concludes with defense. Randle and Barrett are excelling on one-on-ones. Noel, known for his defensive strengths, stepped into the starting lineup and picked up where the injured Mitchell Robinson left off as a rim-protector. This team has brought-into playing solid team defense and, because of this, are the best in the league rankings.
I can go on and on about the Knicks, but…
The fact of the matter is this, there’s a handful of reasons to list for what’s gone right for the Knicks. From my observations, the most important one is the fact this team’s finding a way to get it done every night.
It’s the intangibles, I believe, that completes a team. It’s what you don’t always see on the stat sheet. New York’s win over Detroit was an example of this. They overcame possible fatigue from the night before, a shorthanded roster, and came away with the win. This is what playoff teams do.
The Knicks play two more games before the All-Star break, then there’s an entire second half of basketball to play. It’s important for fans to remember this is still very much a work in progress, and there will be hurdles ahead.
Meanwhile, enjoy the ride. This team’s bringing the energy that’s been missing from the Garden for a long time.
