Tom Thibodeau Hints at Major Changes to Knicks’ Scoring Approach

Getty Head coach Tom Thibodeau talks with Jalen Brunson of the New York Knicks.

The 2021-22 iteration of the New York Knicks seemingly struggled across the board when it came to their in-game play. From their limited ball distribution to their lackluster scoring punch, Tom Thibodeau’s squad had a hard time establishing any semblance of effective flow and much-needed chemistry.

However, after an offseason chock full of retooling, the Knicks come into 2022-23 with the hope that they can write off last year as a mere fluke.

When looking back on their underwhelming campaign, it’s evident that the bulk of New York’s struggles fell on the offensive side of the ball. By year’s end, the team placed unfavorably in virtually every aspect of this area of the game.

During a post-practice media session on October 16, a reporter touched on the Knicks’ struggles on the offensive end last season, specifically highlighting that they had ranked dead last when it came to “points off of cutting.”

When asked if it was a “concern,” Thibodeau hinted that considering the state of his current roster, they could be much improved in this department during the upcoming season.

“Well, a lot of it is dependent on who you have on the floor,” Thibodeau told the reporter. “Like, a primary scorer, if you command a double team, the idea is anytime you can get two [defenders] onto the ball, that’s going to lead to good offense because you’re forcing the defense.

“You’re four on three on the backside, so you’re going to get cutting, you’re going to get open shots. And, so, I think we have more guys now that will probably command the blitz or the double team in the post, which should open things up.”

By the end of their 82-game slate, the Knicks boasted per-game averages of 6.5 points off of cutting and ranked within the 27.6 percentile.

Robinson Lone Knicks Player to Rank in Top-100

Of all the players who logged minutes for the New York Knicks last season, Mitchell Robinson was the only relevant cutter for the club.

Placing 53 overall in cutting frequency (19.8%), the 24-year-old is the only Knicks player to be found within the top 100 in said category. The next highest-placed player was Obi Toppin, who ranked 108 with a frequency of 13.0%.

Luckily for New York, free agency acquisition Isaiah Hartenstein was quite active in this department in 2021-22, as he finished 29th in frequency (24.1%), so his arrival to the roster could help spark an uptick in cutting efficiency during this upcoming campaign.

Knicks Big Hobbled Leading Into Season

While fans are excited to see this new-look Knicks squad take to the court during their October 19 tip-off against Memphis, it seems that there’s a chance one key contributor could be questionable to suit up for the contest.

During New York’s post-practice media session on October 16, head coach Tom Thibodeau mentioned that third-year big man Obi Toppin was held out of practice on the day, though he noted that this decision was largely due to precautionary reasons.

“Obi [Toppin], we wanted to play it safe with him so he was out. They did a little on the side, [but] that was about it,” Thibodeau told reporters.

During the Knicks’ final preseason outing on October 14 against the Wizards, Toppin rolled his ankle midway through the fourth period, resulting in him sitting out the rest of the contest. Though Thibodeau did not specify what ailment held the big out of practice, one could likely infer that it may have something to do with the injury sustained against the Wizards.