Tom Thibodeau Hints at Big Changes for Knicks

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Head coach Tom Thibodeau huddles with his players during a timeout.

The modern-day NBA is a game predicated on fast-paced play and an emphasis on the three-point shot. And while the New York Knicks may be known as one of the slower, more “old school” clubs from over the last few seasons, there could be some serious changes on the horizon for the team.

During an October 23 media session, head coach Tom Thibodeau was asked by a reporter about what differences he sees in how his team plays, particularly on the offensive end, this year when in comparison to his two previous seasons with the franchise.

In response, he noted that their increased pace of play and overall offensive approach is heavily influenced by the personnel they have at their disposal, and, in his eyes, this has always been the case throughout his tenure in New York.

“We were older [in 2020-21] and so, to me, the pace that we played at was the right pace and it gave us a chance to win every night,” Thibodeau said. “Last year, [it was] the same thing.”

When hit with a follow-up by a reporter who questioned whether he believes they’re playing “completely different” basketball now in 2022-23, Thibodeau pulled back on the reigns a bit, though did state that there are already some apparent changes to their offensive style and even went as far as to say that he wants to see a few more things added into their arsenal.

“I don’t know if it’s completely different. It’s probably a little bit faster,” Thibodeau said. “I still would like to see us take more [three-pointers] than we’re taking. And so I think there’s more for us, but [I also don’t want us to lose] the balance of being great on defense, and that’s the challenge. You have to be strong on both sides of the ball.”

Through two games played, the Knicks find themselves ranked 19th in pace of play and 10th in three-point attempts, though fall to just 23rd in converting on such attempts.

Knicks Looking at League’s Three-Point Race

During the media session, Thibodeau went on record saying that, while things like layups and free throws are “value shots,” it is the long-range aspect of the game that has the biggest impact on the outcome of a contest.

“When you look at [three-pointers] it’s a race,” Thibodeau said. “Every day I check to see who’s averaging how many three’s because I know, mathematically, we have to be at a certain number in order for us to have a chance to win.”

Thibodeau would continue by saying that how they can create easy looks from deep is by attacking the glass on offense for second-chance opportunities, pushing the pace on the break, and forcing a defense to double-team.

So far this season it’s evident that the Knicks have done a fine job with the initial two areas mentioned, as they currently find themselves ranked fifth in both points off of fast breaks and offensive rebounds, and, in turn, they place within the top-10 of three-point attempts, so there certainly seems to be some merit to their head coach’s sentiment.

Now all they have to do is try and stay the course and hope their long-range shots start to fall.

Toppin ‘X-Factor’ for Knicks

When it comes to this year’s New York Knicks team, there are a plethora of talents who could wind up having a major impact on their ultimate season outcome. However, according to Bleacher Report’s Grant Hughes, third-year big man Obi Toppin is the club’s biggest “x-factor.”

Citing his rim-running abilities and innate desire to get into the paint and attack the basket, Hughes wrote in his October 22 article that he believes the power forward could wind up being a true difference-maker within New York’s rotation if given an expanded role, even touching on his impact on the club during last year’s campaign.

“When he was on the floor, the Knicks ran 2.7 percent more often. That may not seem significant at first, but the boost Toppin provided to New York’s transition frequency ranked in the 95th percentile at his position,” Hughes wrote.

“Very few players in the entire league juice their team’s tempo as Toppin can, and the overall results are hard to ignore. With the springy, speedy forward on the court, the Knicks offense produced an extra 4.1 points per 100 possessions.”

Through the team’s first two games of 2022-23, Obi Toppin is posting averages of 9.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and half a block on 53.3% shooting from the floor and 40% shooting from distance.