Now that the hangover from last season is over, it’s time to look forward to what’s ahead. In the offseason, the Knicks went the route of continuity in free agency. The decision was made to re-sign the core that helped them reach the playoffs as a surprise fourth seed in the Eastern Conference.
The road back to the playoffs for the Knicks will not be a smooth one. Significant roster upgrades were made in Miami and Chicago. Atlanta, the team which knocked the Knicks out of the playoffs last season, will look to build on momentum which propelled them to the Conference finals.
With the return of Julius Randle, Derrick Rose, Nerlens Noel, Alec Burks, and Taj Gibson – the Knicks bring back a veteran core which head coach Tom Thibodeau heavily relied on throughout his first year in charge.
The veterans not only brought grit and toughness to the court, but they also mentored emerging up-and-comers RJ Barrett, Obi Toppin, and Immanuel Quickley.
Offseason additions Kemba Walker and Evan Fournier project to be significant upgrades for the Knicks — on offense.
“I feel like we gotta keep growing as a team,” Rose said. “Defensively, we were great last year. I think our staple was defense. Now that I feel like we got better on the offensive side of the ball, it’s about adding little things. Last year, we only shot 30 threes [per game]. This year, now we have three-point shooters. We gotta get up to 37-40 attempts.”
But let’s be clear – this is still a Tom Thibodeau production. For the Knicks to build on their success from last season, it starts and ends with their commitment to defense.
Last season, the foundation for success was defense. Under Thibodeau’s guidance, the Knicks were a top-five team on defense. They went from the 23rd ranked defensive team in the league to fourth.
On the defensive side, the Knicks will miss Reggie Bullock and Elfrid Payton, however the return of a healthy Mitchell Robinson to the frontcourt should help keep Thibodeau’s group afloat.
“There’s the challenge of being strong on both sides of the ball,” Thibodeau said. “So, we feel that we have to make that same commitment. Defensively, it was one of the best in history in terms of points allowed, field-goal percentage, and 3-point percentage. Maybe the commitment goes away and we can’t be that. I think one of the things that really helped us last year was our commitment to play for each other.”
We doubt there will be any slippage on defense from a Thibodeau-coached team. And with the way the east is shaping up, that’s imperative for the Knicks to continue their progression.
