ny knicks

Knicks: Julius Randle and Tom Thibodeau have opposite views of defensive quality

by
knicks, julius randle

One of the Knicks‘ biggest concerns this year has been defensive efficiency. They currently rank 23rd with a 111 defensive rating, far below their 4th place ranking during the 2020–21 season.

The dramatic falloff was a result of Reggie Bullock and Elfrid Payton leaving the team in free agency, a move that everybody assumed it would be positive after adding more offensive weapons. However, Kemba Walker has been a liability, providing nonexistent defense and spotty offensive production, and Evan Fournier has produced a similar result.

The Knicks needed their All-Star power forward, Julius Randle, to step up and have another elite season, but he has struggled on both ends of the ball, watching his three-point percentage plummet to 33.5% at his defensive rating elevate to 113.2 from 106.8 last year.

Randle believes he’s playing great defense, though, the opposite message Tom Thibodeau conveyed regarding everybody on the team.

“I feel like I’m playing pretty good,” Randle said regarding his defense, via the NY Post. “Being able to switch, guard perimeter players and post players. Versatility, being able to do that. So whatever coach asks me, whatever he needs me to do, I’m going to go out there and do it 100 percent. But yeah, I feel like I’m pretty good on that end.”

Thibodeau indicated that everybody needs to contribute more, not just a singular individual. Communication, energy, effort, and positioning have all been negative factors leading to a sub .500 team.

“We gotta get more from everyone,” Tom Thibodeau said regarding Randle’s efficiency. “It’s not an individual thing. It’s a team thing, so we gotta get everyone playing better.”

Randle currently hosts a -7.5 net rating, his lowest since the 2016–17 season with the Los Angeles Lakers. His offensive production has improved since then, but he has fallen away from his previous All-Star form. He connected on 40% of three-point shots last season, making him a more efficient scorer and adding a different element to his game.

At this point in the year, though, it is evident that the Knicks lack a star player to pair with a Randle. He, unfortunately, does not possess the quality to dominate at a level that puts his team in a position to win on a nightly basis. He’s not a Kevin Durant or James Harden level player, who the Brooklyn Nets have just a train ride away.

The players need to start taking responsibility for their performances, indicating in previous days that their energy hasn’t been completely present. It seems as if they may lack a motivating leader behind the scenes to help elevate the squad.

Knicks hopeful to gain back key piece before taking on league-worst Detroit

by
obi toppin, knicks

The New York Knicks are gearing up to take on the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday night, but they are still without several key players due to COVID-19 protocols.

With Quentin Grimes, Immanuel Quickley, Miles McBride, and RJ Barrett all still on the Covid list, one player that is capable of returning is Obi Toppin. Suppose Toppin is not experiencing any symptoms from the virus after the 10-day required quarantine. In that case, he will be able to play against Detroit, a good opportunity for him to gain some momentum moving forward.

Toppin was just picking up steam before catching the virus against Toronto, posting 19 points and 10 rebounds in the loss on December 10. In fact, he had strung together two consecutive games of double-digit points, earning 12 combined rebounds.

While the second-year forward has struggled with his three-point shooting this year, hitting just 19.6% of his shots, he’s finally been activated as an electrifying transition player — needed energy off the bench. The effort he displays on both sides of the ball makes him a valuable asset, increasing the pace and forcing teams to make premature decisions, leading to mistakes.

Considering Detroit has won just five games this year, a league-worst record, the 23-year-old forward, could return with a bang, which is exactly what he needs as New York prepares to take on Washington on Thursday and the Atlanta Hawks on Christmas day.

Aside from Toppin, the Knicks are also anticipating the return of RJ Barrett, clearing the 10-day quarantine on Wednesday. They could have him for Thursday and Saturday’s game, giving them an important starter back. Barrett had suffered from a stomach bug before contracting the virus, so getting back into form is a necessity if the Knicks want to push for a playoff spot the season.

Currently, the Knicks are on a seven-game road skid, featuring a 13-17 record. In the Eastern Conference, they are 1.5 games back from a play-in spot for the postseason. The Toronto Raptors currently hold the last play-in seed, but the Knicks have plenty of time left to fight their way back into contention. New York’s schedule lightens just a bit in the coming days, with Detroit, Washington, who is about a .500 team, and the, Hawks who will likely be without Trae Young, having been placed on the Covid list as well.

Do the Knicks have a Julius Randle problem? | What do the stats say?

by
knicks, julius randle

The New York Knicks have completely adapted to the analytics age, making decisions based on probabilities and expectations due to numerical values. However, their statistics have led them down an interesting path, one that has backfired tremendously after signing Kemba Walker and Evan Fournier this past off-season to contribute more offensive production.

At this point in the season, Walker has already been benched due to lack of defense, and Fournier is wildly inconsistent on both sides of the floor. However, they likely didn’t anticipate Julius Randle taking such a massive step backward in his progression.

During Randle’s All-Star campaign in 2020–21, he posted incredible defensive and offensive metrics. Over 37.6 minutes per game, he recorded a 106.8 defensive rating paired with a 109.8 offensive. It was the first time he recorded a positive net rating in his career, logging career highs in assist/turnover ratio and the lowest turnover ratio in his career.

Via his advanced statistics, he had the highest Player Impact Estimate (PIE measures a player’s overall statistical contribution against the total statistics in games they play in) over his first six seasons in the league at 15.8. Altogether, he was contributing elite play on both ends of the floor, which justified the Knicks extending him on a four-year, $117 million deal.

Randle was capable of dominating by himself last season, thanks to incredible defense and effort. This season, though, everything has fallen apart as the communication with the starting five has degraded, and the trust of his teammates has also been reduced to a minimum.

A bit of natural regression was expected after posting incredible stats last season, shooting 45.6% from the field and 41% from three-point range, averaging 24.1 points per game. This season, his average points have fallen to 19.6 per game and is shooting just 33.5% from three-point range, a massive difference despite maintaining his 5.5 attempts.

In fact, Randle is connecting on just 25.5% of wide-open 3-PT shots this season, when he was hitting 40% last year. That’s purely a confidence metric.

A drop-off of nearly 8% in three-point hit rate is astronomical, showing that Julius simply isn’t converting shots at the same pace he did during his All-Star season. He is still managing to score at an adequate rate despite his fall in shooting efficiency. It is his defense that stands out as a primary liability, something that analysts aren’t talking enough about.

It seems a lack of focus and energy has been a culprit for Randle’s struggles, or maybe even the team’s free-agent moves. He’s allowing 10.7 opponent fast-break points per game, the highest number since 2017 with the Los Angeles Lakers. He’s also giving up a career-high 9.5 points on opponent second chances. In other words, his defensive rebounding has taken a step back, which wasn’t expected.

One statistic that stands out is a career-high 34.1% percentage of teams turnovers. He is turning the ball over at such a significant rate that he represents more than a quarter of the team’s entire number in the category.

Whether it be a lack of focus or just natural regression, it is clear that Randle isn’t capable of leading a team as a No.1  player. The Knicks desperately need to find him a partner in crime to help elevate his game, something everyone acknowledged during the off-season, and the front office failed to do. The pressure seems too much for a leader that seems to be exerting more energy yelling at the referees than motivating his team.

Marc Berman of the NY Post backed up that claim, with a source saying the locker room may be getting murky:

One source believes locker-room leadership has started to become an issue. Randle is not a born leader, self-admittedly the quiet type, as is Derrick Rose.

Randle is not known for his leadership qualities, so maybe the Knicks are dealing with a mentality and identity crisis without a vocal leader behind the scenes and on the floor.

Do these numbers indicate a Randle is a bad player? Absolutely not.

In fact, Julius is still an incredible scorer that has simply witnessed a dramatic drop-off in defensive quality. The reason behind his 3-PT drop-off seems more based on shot selection and confidence. These are mostly effort and positioning-based variables, so clearly, the change in starters with Kemba and Fournier impacted him in some way. The presence of Reggie Bullock and Elfrid Payton were mostly defensive boosters, and it’s clearly having some strange impact on Randle’s performance.

What do you think of Randle’s season so far? Why do you think he’s experienced such a massive drop-off in quality? Comment here!

The Knicks have a tough question to answer with Kemba Walker after dominant outing Vs Boston

by
knicks, kemba walker

When the New York Knicks initially signed veteran point guard Kemba Walker to a two-year contract, fans and analysts alike gushed about the addition. The supposed injection of elite scoring potential projected to be a major catalyst for the Knicks’ success heading into the season, but Walker’s lackluster defense and spotty shooting forced head coach Tom Thibodeau to make a change in late November.

Walker, who was well received by New York fans, has been benched since his last performance against the Phoenix Suns on November 26. In that contest, Walker posted 17 points over 23 minutes.

Walker’s return to the spotlight against Boston was the last resort, though, representing a cry of desperation for Thibodeau, who lost six players this past week to Covid health protocols. The team entered Saturday night against the Boston Celtics, Kemba’s former team, without Kevin Knox, Quentin Grimes, RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley, and Miles McBride.

McBride woke up on Saturday expecting an opportunity of a lifetime to string together a third impressive performance after dominating in his first two major assignments with the Knicks. Nonetheless, it was Walker that ended up taking the spotlight, posting 29 points on 45.5% shooting from three-point range, six rebounds, and three assists.

Despite the Knicks dropping five of their previous six games, Walker’s performance offered a  glimmer of hope into his value, even after being exiled.

“I want to play,” Walker said. “I don’t know. So it is what it is.”

He added: “I don’t know what the future holds, you know? I do feel like I have a lot to give still. I don’t know. That’s up to these guys.”

The future is undoubtedly murky for the former All-Star, who represents a professional scorer that simply disappears on defense, leaving his team vulnerable. After all, that was the primary reason Thibodeau elected to bench him in the first place. When Kemba was on the court, the Knicks ranked dead last in defensive efficiency per 100 possessions.

“I know I should be playing, so no question. It feels great,” he said. “But whatever situation I’m in, I’m gonna stay locked in, stay prepared. Whatever the team needs from me, I’ll be there for them.”

With multiple players still on the Covid list, Walker has a solid opportunity to justify his worth for the remainder of the season. Reports have indicated that teams aren’t interested in acquiring him via trade, so the Knicks may have no choice but to either dump his salary or continue to utilize him in specific scenarios.

Ideally, his only value doesn’t come as a last resort due to Covid overload.

Celtics 114, Knicks 107: Kemba Walker returns with a vengeance in loss

by
knicks, kemba walker

Despite a resilient effort missing several key players, the New York Knicks fell to the Boston Celtics on Saturday evening 107-114.

The Knicks were missing Kevin Knox, Quentin Grimes, Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett, and Miles McBride in the contest, utilizing a depth trio of Wayne Selden, Taj Gibson, and Mitchell Robinson off the bench.

The loss of McBride came in the early portions of Saturday, despite the Knicks planning to rely on him as their primary point guard to open the game. However, they were forced to recall Kemba Walker from the bench, who had an illustrious performance after being benched on November 26.

Over 37 minutes, Walker scored 29 points, including three assists, six rebounds, and shooting 5 of 11 from three-point range. The last time Walker performed was on November 26 against the Phoenix Suns, recording 17 points on 50% shooting from three-point range.

While his impressive outing against Boston, his former team, won’t convince head coach Tom Thibodeau he’s worthy of more playing time, it was undoubtedly an inspiring performance that will confuse Knick fans moving forward.

As a team, New York shot 36.1% from three-point range and 43.8% from the field, tallying 42 rebounds and 18 assists. Boston posted a 37.8% three-point percentage, recording 45 rebounds and 23 assists.

Boston’s starting unit performed adequately, as Jayson Tatum logged 25 and Jaylen Brown recorded 23. However, it was reserve piece Josh Richardson that showed up with 27 points and five rebounds, hitting 5 of 7 shots from deep.

Unfortunately, the Knicks were unable to escape with a victory in this contest, despite a resilient effort from the starters. Evan Fournier also had a fantastic offensive game, recording 32 points, five rebounds, and shooting 40% from three-point range over 43 minutes.

Alec Burks contributed 19 points and Julius Randle 20 points, but their defense wasn’t strong enough to hold up in the contest. Losing so many depth pieces was simply unsustainable for Thibodeau’s squad, but they will look ahead to the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday night as a rebound.

Knicks lose 6th players to Covid measures, this time it’s Miles McBride

by
miles mcbride, knicks

New York Knicks rookie point guard Miles McBride woke up with the opportunity of a lifetime on Saturday morning, but it took just a few hours before he entered Covid health protocols as well with five other teammates.

McBride has been on a tear in the last two games, providing stellar offensive production and adequate defensive efficiency. In his first legitimate assignment against the Golden State Warriors, McBride posted eight points, hitting 2 of 4 shots from deep and recording four rebounds.

Against the Houston Rockets, McBride posted 15 points and nine assists, displaying not only productive offensive playmaking but also facilitation for his teammates. He helped snap a four-game losing streak that had been haunting New York.

Head coach Tom Thibodeau was excited to continue utilizing McBride in a more prominent role, but after testing positive/coming in contact with someone who did with Covid, he will be placed on the 10-day list retro-active on December 28 at the very minimum.

McBride will join Obi Toppin, Quentin Grimes, RJ Barrett, and Immanuel Quickley, who were also placed on Covid reserve due to health protocols. With a thin team gearing up to take on the Boston Celtics on Saturday night, they are at a massive disadvantage. Boston has lost four of their last five games but given their depth compared to New York, things are getting a bit murky for the Knicks’ outlook.

The loss of McBride is a big one, especially after posting back-to-back stellar performances on both sides of the ball. The Knicks needed a leader at point guard with some energy, and his loss will be felt with the only other capable point guard being Alec Burks on the roster. Veteran PG Derrick Rose is day-to-day with a sore right ankle, so there’s no guarantee he will be available for the game either, leaving the team extremely shorthanded.

Report: Knicks’ Kemba Walker gaining ‘no interest’ on trade market

by
knicks, kemba walker

With several Knicks players being ruled out due to Covid health and safety protocols, there was potential for head coach Tom Thibodeau to activate Kemba Walker off the bench and utilize him this week.

However, Walker has remained motionless, as Thibodeau relied on rookie Miles McBride over the veteran who signed a two-year, $17.9 million deal this past off-season.

The Knicks once viewed Walker as an essential piece in their starting five, contributing elite offense to help take them to the next level. After November, that consensus has been forgotten. The analytical masterminds behind the scenes decided he was too much of a liability on defense to continue utilizing him. He shot just 29.6% from three-point range and 39% from the field. The Knicks featured the worst defense per 100 possessions with Walker on the floor. Without him, they had a top-five unit per 100 possessions, showcasing his polarizing style of play.

With McBride dominating in his past two performances after being called up from the G-League, the Knicks will likely try and trade Walker in the coming weeks. The trade market doesn’t seem to be interested in Walkers’ services, noting his troublesome knees.

According to Matt Moore of The Action Network, the Knicks are having trouble finding a suitor for Kemba Walker:

There is no interest league-wide in taking on Kemba Walker according to multiple sources. Walker was benched to try and kickstart the Knicks, a move that has failed, but the league consensus is that Walker’s knees represent too much of a risk even if his play with New York and Boston was more about situation.

Given New York have him on a two-year deal, letting him ride the bench for the majority of his contract is problematic. They would likely try to dump his salary on a needy team, just as the Boston Celtics did with the Oklahoma City Thunder before they ultimately released him.

The Knicks have been connected to a myriad of players this off-season, including Myles Turner of the Indiana Pacers and Ben Simmons of the Philadelphia 76ers. Walker will not be the focal point of any prospective trade given the value differentials, but finding a way to trade him and his contract allocations would be ideal.

In fact, the contract Evan Fournier earned this past off-season from the Knicks’ front office is also seeming like a net negative. He inked a four-year, $73 million deal.

Fournier has been extremely inconsistent on both sides of the ball this season. This month, the French native shot 31.4% from the three-point range, a spot he is supposed to be proficient in. The Knicks have played eight games during the month of December, and Fournier has produced single-digit point production in five of those games.

It is seeming like the front office struck out in agency this past off-season, meaning they will try to make up for their mistakes at the trade deadline, which is risky business.

Knicks’ Thibodeau may have stumbled upon electrifying guard duo

by
immanuel quickley, knicks, miles mcbride

The New York Knicks snapped a four-game losing streak on Thursday night against the Houston Rockets, courtesy of young guards Miles McBride and Immanuel Quickley.

Scoring 116 points has been a difficult reality for the Knicks over the past month, but seven 3-PT shots from Quickley led the team to victory. However, his partner in crime, McBride, recorded 15 points in a career-high 36 minutes of action.

Against the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday, McBride seized his first significant assignment by the basketballs, playing 20 minutes and garnering eight points and one assist. However, he unleashed his facilitation capabilities against Houston, recording nine assists as the team’s primary point guard off the bench.

With veteran PG Derrick Rose leaving the game with a sore right ankle, McBride picked up his playing time and ran with it effectively. Not only was he a phenomenal offensive threat in this game, but he played lockdown defense, posting a +19 +/-.

Head coach Tom Thibodeau might have stumbled across an electrifying duo of guards in this contest with Quickley and McBride. They played well off one another and created opportunities for the players around them, something the Knicks struggled to do in recent days without a true and tried starting facilitator.

After the victory over Houston, Quickley dropped a few words of leadership, not only indicating he’s growing on the court but as a leader behind the scenes.

“We needed it big. Through the tough times, I feel like we’ve stuck together pretty well”

Thibodeau went on to provide a mode of confidence with his young players, stating he sees it every day in practice and that once the opportunity came to fruition, they would be ready to take advantage.

“They’re killer workers, I see it every day in practice. I always feel that when they get their opportunity, they’re gonna be ready to roll.”

It was quite easy to see that McBride was ready to make the jump to the big leagues after dominating in the G-League. McBride averaged 26.8 points per game with Westchester, shooting 40.5% from three-point range and 48.2% from the field. The West Virginia stand-out has proven he can dominate from range but also contribute inside driving to the rim.

Pairing all of these positive attributes with vision and facilitation makes him a viable prospect to be the Knicks’ long-term starter at point guard down the line (or at the very least a great depth piece).

The question is, when McBride hits a wall and has a poor game, can he bounce back and shake off the negativity without skipping a beat? That is what separates good from great, and so far, he’s justifying more minutes alongside Quickley, with the pair combining for 39 points and 13 assists on Thursday.

Knicks rule out 4 players ahead of clash with rising Houston Rockets team

by
new york knicks, rj barrett

The New York Knicks are staring a significant challenge right in the face as they prepared to take on an elevating Houston Rockets team on Thursday night. On the back of four consecutive losses, the Knicks are desperate for a win, watching their record drop to 12–16, good for last place in the Atlantic standings behind Toronto, Boston, Philadelphia, and Brooklyn.

If the postseason started today, the Knicks wouldn’t even be a play-in team, but they have plenty of time to make up ground and string together a few wins to build confidence.

However, their matchup against Houston got a lot more difficult on Thursday, as the team announced reserve forward Kevin Knox will be out due to health and safety protocols.

The Knicks will roll on without Knox, RJ Barrett, Quentin Grimes, and Obi Toppin. Barrett and Toppin are expected to make a return in the coming days as they inch toward the 10-day minimum for Covid related suspension.

In the Knicks’ most recent lost Golden State, they heavily relied on reserves like Miles McBride and Knox, who posted 20 minutes in the loss. They may have to bring Kemba Walker back into the lineup with so many players out, despite head coach Tom Thibodeau trying his best to avoid that situation, given the optics.

However, giving Walker a chance to redeem himself and showcase better efficiency could be a reasonable way to spark the team and provide a different element that Houston isn’t entirely expecting.

Houston is coming off a blowout loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, allowing 124 points. Their primary players are Christian Wood, Eric Gordon, and rookie Jalen Green.

The last time Houston faced off against New York, they fell 106–99, watching Alec Burks post 20 points and hit 6 of 7 three-point shots off the bench. They will have a far more advantageous situation given the Knicks’ depth situation at the moment. In addition, since they lost to New York, Houston has won eight of their last 11 games but have dropped three of their last four. Their most recent victory against the Atlanta Hawks was a masterclass of offensive production (132 points).

Despite New York’s inept defense this year, Houston ranks even worse in defensive rating at 25th compared to New York’s 23rd. In addition, they are the 21st ranked three-point shooting team and 24th ranked team in field goal percentage.

Knicks may have something special in rookie point guard

by
miles mcbride, knicks

The New York Knicks may be on a four-game losing streak, but they have plenty of things to be optimistic about. Whether it be the 27-point performance from Quentin Grimes against the Toronto Raptors or Miles McBride bleeding confidence on the floor against Golden State, the Knicks have a few spark plugs.

Grimes was projected to take a more prominent role before being ruled out due to Covid health and safety protocols. The Houston product showcased aggressive defense with superb shooting from range, setting a Knicks rookie record with seven three-point shots made.

However, in McBride‘s first legitimate action of the season, he proved he could stand on his own 2 feet without much support. An electrifying step-back jumper from three-point range in the first half stood out as his highlight of the evening, contributing eight points and four rebounds. He hit 50% of his shots from deep and connected on 37.5% from the field.

McBride has been working diligently off the court to prepare for this moment, dominating in G-League performances to prove his value.

“We see it in practice, when he’s had opportunities in the G-League, he’s played really well there as well,’’ Thibodeau stated after the loss to Golden State. “He played well in the summer league. It’s good for him to have an opportunity like that. All the things that he’s working on every day and then to get into a game situation and to see it unfold, it’s good, it’s positive. Our young guys are really hard playing and they’re coming along.’’

Even veteran point guard Derrick Rose spoke to the confidence of McBride and how great he looked against Golden State, stating, “hopefully Thibs gives him the time.”

During G-League play, McBride is averaging 26.8 points per game on 40.5% shooting from three and 48.2% from the field. His 57.1% effective field goal percentage is fantastic, and he’s  73.2% of his attempts unassisted, indicating play-making ability.

The West Virginia standout primarily focuses on shots from less than 5 feet (22 of 85 attempts) in accordance to the rim and between the 25–29 foot range (28 of 85 attempts). While he doesn’t have much of a pull-up jumper game or mid-range, he’s highly efficient from beyond the arc and close to the basket.

Against legitimate NBA talent, those numbers will undoubtedly level out, but seeing his sustainable success in the G-League is motivating for his future. In addition to his scoring proficiency, McBride is also a stellar defender with a sleight of hand attribute. He is incredibly quick to intercept passes, notably having the biggest hands of any guard in the most recent draft class.

Given the team continues to deal with Covid related absences, McBride is deserving of another opportunity to showcase his skill set. Against a struggling Houston Rockets team, Thibodeau should provide him with added minutes.