Getty Immanuel Quickley of the New York Knicks and head coach Tom Thibodeau of the New York Knicks talk late in the fourth quarter against the Toronto Raptors.
After a highly active offseason filled with a bevy of roster-bolstering transactions, the New York Knicks are looking to put themselves back into the conversation of being a potential playoff contender in the Eastern Conference.
With top-billed free agent point guard Jalen Brunson teaming up with franchise centerpieces RJ Barrett and Julius Randle, New York’s starting lineup is seemingly shaping up to be a much-improved unit when in comparison to 2021-22.
However, when it comes to the entirety of their rotation, one area that seems to still be lacking is the team’s second unit.
Last season, New York’s bench struggled mightily in a multitude of areas on both ends of the floor, as they ranked 18 in points per game (36.8), 16 in assists per game (6.1), and 17 in defensive rating (55.8).
Now, though the Knicks did make some key additions this summer and went 3-1 in the preseason, it seems that while their talent pool as a whole may have improved, their second team still seems to be a bit underwhelming from a production standpoint.
In an October 16 post-practice media session, a reporter broached the subject to head coach Tom Thibodeau, asking him whether the bench unit’s poor play during the preseason was concerning to him.
In his response, the veteran headman noted that while the production has been lackluster, to him there are clear reasons why this has been the case thus far.
“It was choppy but, [it’s] part one we have to do better. They gotta get to know each other [and] that sort of thing. And also, it’s part, like, we’re playing a lot of different combinations,” Thibodeau told the reporter.
Thibodeau would continue by saying that, despite their struggles, there have been notable bright spots found coming off the bench, and mentioned two players, in particular.
“I like what Isaiah [Hartenstein] brings to that group, you know. I’m not worried about [Immanuel Quickley] making shots. I know he’s going to make shots,” Thibodeau said.
He would also mention that having Derrick Rose, who missed 56 games last year due to an ankle ailment, and Quentin Grimes, who played all but one game this preseason, back in the lineup would likely help improve the second unit’s overall efficiency and production moving forward.
Knicks’ Second Unit Played Poorly in Preseason
Though Thibodeau spoke with confidence about how New York’s bench will likely improve as we enter the 2022-23 regular season, it does not negate the fact that they were truly an underwhelming group during this past preseason.
Through four outings, the Knicks’ second unit found itself ranking near the bottom of a plethora of statistical categories, including three-point percentage (ranked 21 at 31.7%), points per game (ranked 22 at 49.3), field goal percentage (ranked 25 at 41.0%), and plus-minus rating (ranked 26 at -0.3).
Even the team’s lone loss was largely due to their bench’s shortcomings and less-than-stellar production, as New York gave away their 54-48 lead to the Indiana Pacers after halftime whilst the reserves saw the vast majority of playing time.
From the midway point on, the Pacers outscored the Knicks 61-46, which included an all-out drubbing of New York in the fourth where Indiana outscored them by 11 points (32-21) while holding New York to just 36% shooting from the floor and a putrid 15.4% shooting from deep.
Knicks Could Cut More in 2022-23
Tom Thibodeau recently hinted at possible changes within the Knicks’ offensive approach heading into the upcoming season.
In the team’s October 16 post-practice media session, when asked by a reporter if it was a “concern” that New York finished dead last in points off of cutting last season, the head man stated that considering the state of his current roster, they should be much improved in this department during the upcoming campaign.
“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 last season, the Knicks boasted per-game averages of 6.5 points off of cutting, ranking them within the 27.6 percentile, while Mitchell Robinson served as the only player on their team to finish within the top 60 in cutting frequency, placing 53 overall at 19.8%.