The Knicks are taking a long-term view of the NBA regular season, which has four months remaining.
They were 15-9 and winners of five of their previous six games before hosting the Atlanta Hawks in the quarterfinals of the Emirates NBA Cup last night at Madison Square Garden (MSG). The Knicks began the week with a 113-108 win over the Toronto Raptors on the road on Monday. Center Karl-Anthony Towns was back in the lineup after missing last Saturday’s 120-111 loss at the Garden to the Detroit Pistons due to a sore right knee.
Towns led the Knicks with team highs of 24 points and 15 rebounds. Forward Mikal Bridges had one of his better offensive games this season, with 23 points. Point guard Jalen Brunson had 20 points and 11 assists. The return of forward Precious Achiuwa from a left hamstring strain, sustained in the Knicks’ final preseason game on October 18, has added depth and flexibility to head coach Tom Thibodeau’s lineup.
Achiuwa made his season debut last Thursday at MSG in a 125-111 Knicks victory over the Charlotte Hornets, playing 12 minutes and registering a plus-11 plus-minus. Thibodeau eschewed a gradual increase in Achiuwa’s playing time, keeping him on the floor for 28 minutes versus the Pistons in his second game back. Achiuwa responded by leading his team with 10 rebounds.
After Achiuwa went 16 minutes against the Raptors, posting seven points and six rebounds, Thibodeau was reserved in his assessment of the forward’s first week back. “Some good, some rust,” he said. “Each game, a little bit better.”
After Achiuwa tallied seven points, seven rebounds, and two blocks against Toronto, his teammate OG Anunoby, who has performed like an All-Star this season, had a more glowing view. “He made a big impact,” said Anunoby, who came to the Knicks along with Achiuwa last December in a trade that sent RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley to the Raptors. “He’s a really talented player — a special player who can do it on both ends. The more opportunities he gets, the more he’ll thrive.”
The Knicks’ starting lineup has solidified with Towns, Brunson, Josh Hart, Bridges, and Anunoby. The bench is still a work in progress. Guard Deuce McBride is the only reserve averaging more than 20 minutes per game, as he was at 25.7 before facing the Hawks, while guard Cameron Payne was at 17.6 in three games before last night. Achiuwa was playing an average of 18.7. Center Jericho Sims was the only other Knicks sub in double-digits in minutes played, at 12.9 in 23 games.
The Knicks are hopeful that center Mitchell Robinson, who had left ankle surgery last May after re-injuring it versus the Indiana Pacers in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, will return next month. He initially suffered a stress fracture to the ankle last December, underwent surgery, and surprisingly came back in March.
Before being sidelined in December, Robinson had established himself as debatably the best offensive rebounder in the league and was on a trajectory to be an NBA All-Defensive team selection.