The struggling New York Knicks, currently nine games under .500 are searching for answers in the midst of the 2022 NBA Allstar break. A combination of injuries and lack of coaching roster adjustments has derailed the Knicks season thus far. An avalanche of New York City pressure from both media and fans has potentially put Tom Thibodeau on the hot seat after winning NBA Coach of the Year just one season ago. Thibodeau hasn’t spread the wealth minutes-wise resulting in improper management of young depth the Knicks roster possess. Now Thibs has this Allstar break to head back to the drawing board and execute his potentially last chance to change his roster rotational approach. Basically, Thibs must begin playing the young talent a fair amount of minutes in order to nurture more development which could help his beloved vets at the end of games.
There Continues to be Disconnection With Reality.
Tom Thibodeau’s approach shouldn’t be the same all the time. The inability to be flexible in accordance to the roster he’s been given will be detrimental to his coaching career. In Thibodeau’s eyes, If a player doesn’t have it, he must practice and sit until his time comes. Most NBA players need playing time in order to develop, it’s rare for a player coming out of college to be NBA ready. Nurturing the player with minutes would only benefit especially if the team isn’t contending at the moment.
Blown Leads Could be a Result of Players Getting Gassed.
The New York Knicks have blown three 20-point leads in the last seven games. Many instances, opposing coaches made adjustments, however, Thibodeau becomes even more predictable as the game lengthens, especially offensively. Often Thibs talks about playing with toughness and heart, however, if a player is gassed from doing exactly that, how can the intensity continue? Thibodeau must fuel success by leaving the bench in against opponents when the starters don’t have maximum energy. Rewarding the bench while they’re successful will only take pressure off the starters down the stretch of games. Leaving the starting unit in games for an entire quarter can be as costly as leaving RJ Barrett in the game as the Knicks are getting blown out with very slim chances of winning the contest.
Questions Circulate about the Legitimacy of Tom Thibodeau’s Coaching Success.
Is Tom Thibodeau a fraud coach with a winning record due to Derrick Rose? Fans are wondering if it’s only because of Derrick Rose why Thibs looks good occasionally. Taj Gibson is an extension of Thibs on the floor as well. The two guys Thibs trust will always be in his locker room anytime he’s an NBA coach. It’s only a bad thing if Thibs runs them into the ground, otherwise it’s great for a young roster in terms of influence.
The Direction Must be Clear After Recess.
Tom Thibodeau, Leon Rose, Scott Perry, and World Wide Wes must express some signs of directional clarity moving forward toward the second half of the season. The Knicks can’t continue trying to win while continuously losing to teams that aren’t necessarily “trying to win”. Knicks are blowing leads to opposing tank commanders and it’s extremely embarrassing for the fan base. If a buyout of a veteran player is needed in order to make time available for a hungry young talent, then that’s the move to make. Will optics continue to hinder the Knicks? Or will the organization as a whole continue moving forward organically in order to become contenders again?
