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The Knicks‘ final week of regular-season play is full of potential postseason previews.
In those games are a look into Mike Brown’s first postseason rotation — and it’s different from what the Knicks have displayed in prior years.
Brown deployed nine players in Thursday’s 112-106 win against the Boston Celtics — a potential Eastern Conference playoff series down the road. The first-year Knicks head coach also used the same amount — and same exact players — in a potential first-round series preview in Monday’s 108-105 victory on the road against the Atlanta Hawks.
As the final days of the regular season wind down, coaches narrow down who they’ll rely on for each crucial minute in the postseason. The signs show that the Knicks will finally add extra bodies to relieve much of the workload from the team’s core — a concept that was nonexistent under previous head coach Tom Thibodeau.
“Those guys are probably our top-9 and when you’re talking about the playoffs, it’s hard to play more than nine guys,” Brown said prior to tip-off on Thursday. “And so trying to find a way to get those guys on the floor with the right combinations at the right times is something I’m messing around with. But it’s close. There might be a few things I might change.”
For now, it looks like Miles McBride, Mitchell Robinson, Landry Shamet and Jordan Clarkson will be coming off the bench behind the usual Knicks core.
For now, gone are the days of a seven-deep Knicks rotation under Thibodeau that forced Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby and Josh Hart to log heavy minutes.
And for now, it seems to be working as New York is 2-0 against potential postseason matchups as the regular season closes. Brown and the Knicks have two more potential postseason previews before the regular season is over: Friday against the Toronto Raptors and Sunday against the Charlotte Hornets.
Time will tell if Brown sticks with this group or if changes will be made.
There are candidates on the bench to still crack the postseason rotation if needed, too.
Jose Alvarado was a frequent presence in the lineup immediately after being traded to his hometown, but McBride’s return from injury has kept the Brooklyn native sidelined. The less experienced Tyler Kolek’s playing time decreased as well as the squad returned to full health.
Mohamed Diawara, who has shown flashes as an impact player on both sides of the floor, now doesn’t see much playing time either.
That depth, though, at least gives Brown a security blanket in case of an injury or poor performance from a rotation guy.
Continue reading...
In those games are a look into Mike Brown’s first postseason rotation — and it’s different from what the Knicks have displayed in prior years.
Brown deployed nine players in Thursday’s 112-106 win against the Boston Celtics — a potential Eastern Conference playoff series down the road. The first-year Knicks head coach also used the same amount — and same exact players — in a potential first-round series preview in Monday’s 108-105 victory on the road against the Atlanta Hawks.
As the final days of the regular season wind down, coaches narrow down who they’ll rely on for each crucial minute in the postseason. The signs show that the Knicks will finally add extra bodies to relieve much of the workload from the team’s core — a concept that was nonexistent under previous head coach Tom Thibodeau.
“Those guys are probably our top-9 and when you’re talking about the playoffs, it’s hard to play more than nine guys,” Brown said prior to tip-off on Thursday. “And so trying to find a way to get those guys on the floor with the right combinations at the right times is something I’m messing around with. But it’s close. There might be a few things I might change.”
For now, it looks like Miles McBride, Mitchell Robinson, Landry Shamet and Jordan Clarkson will be coming off the bench behind the usual Knicks core.
For now, gone are the days of a seven-deep Knicks rotation under Thibodeau that forced Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby and Josh Hart to log heavy minutes.
And for now, it seems to be working as New York is 2-0 against potential postseason matchups as the regular season closes. Brown and the Knicks have two more potential postseason previews before the regular season is over: Friday against the Toronto Raptors and Sunday against the Charlotte Hornets.
Time will tell if Brown sticks with this group or if changes will be made.
There are candidates on the bench to still crack the postseason rotation if needed, too.
Jose Alvarado was a frequent presence in the lineup immediately after being traded to his hometown, but McBride’s return from injury has kept the Brooklyn native sidelined. The less experienced Tyler Kolek’s playing time decreased as well as the squad returned to full health.
Mohamed Diawara, who has shown flashes as an impact player on both sides of the floor, now doesn’t see much playing time either.
That depth, though, at least gives Brown a security blanket in case of an injury or poor performance from a rotation guy.
Continue reading...
