The Knicks have yet to define who they are. After undergoing significant changes to their front office, coaching staff and roster over the past 11 months, the franchise is in the beginning stages of a reconstruction. What has already been clearly revealed 15 games into their season is the Knicks are grinders, devoid of a star that can carry them through offensive struggles.
Their seven wins have been achieved primarily by playing with a high level of effort under hard charging head coach Tom Thibodeau, whose reputation for demanding maximum effort from his players has translated into the Knicks mitigating some of their offensive shortcomings. They are 7-8 going into tonight’s (Jan. 21) game versus the Golden State Warriors, the first of a four-game road trip that will cover six days.
The Knicks will also have the Sacramento Kings (tomorrow), a meetup with Carmelo Anthony and the Portland Trailblazers (Sunday), and a game versus the Utah Jazz (Tuesday) on their schedule before returning to Madison Square Garden next Friday to host the Cleveland Cavaliers followed by a visit from the Los Angeles Clippers to MSG next Sunday.
After losing five in a row, the Knicks reversed course and shockingly annihilated the Boston Celtics on Sunday on the road by 105-75. Less than 24 hours later, they scratched out a 91-84 win over the Orlando Magic in the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day game at Madison Square Garden to start their long road stretch with some momentum and confidence.
As the Knicks continue to grapple with their offensive struggles, they have had to rely on activity and execution on the defensive end of the floor to be competitive. The Knicks ended their game against the Magic ranked 29th out of 30 teams in the NBA in scoring at 100.6 points per game. Conversely, they were first in opponents’ points allowed at a stingy 102.7.
However, it is irrelevant to Thibodeau how the wins are being achieved. “I love winning, so low-scoring, high-scoring, medium-scoring, it doesn’t matter,’’ he said in the face of his team shooting just 35.6 % and a dreadful 5-27 on three-point attempts (18.5%) versus the Magic.
“I just want to win. Whatever we have to do to find a way to win, improve every day, I want to be playing our best down the stretch.”
A potential concern for the Knicks is the extensive minutes being logged by two of their top three scorers, forward Julius Randle and guard RJ Barrett.
As of Tuesday, Randle was No. 1 in the NBA in total minutes played with 557 and second in minutes per game at 37.1. Barrett had played the second most minutes, accumulating 556 and was fourth in average per game at 37.05.
The rigors of playing back-to-back games under a full day apart and an extensive workload appeared to have taken its toll on Randle on Monday. He labored through the 12 p.m. tip-off start and shot just 5-19, although the 26-year-old, seven-year veteran registered 21 points and 17 rebounds. For the season Randle tops the Knicks in scoring at 22.8 points per game on 48.4 shooting. He is also the team’s leader in rebounds (11) and assists (6.1).
Barrett, who is third on the team in points per game at 17.1, paced them with 22 against the Magic but is shooting only 39.5% and 21.5 from behind the three-point line. Guard Alec Burks, who has been limited to three games this season due to a left ankle sprain, is second on the Knicks in scoring average at 20.7.