Knicks fans eager to see change seven games into the season are going to need to be patient.
Tom Thibodeau doesn’t sound ready to make any alterations to his starting lineup yet despite the unit’s early struggles.
“We’ll see how it unfolds,” the Knicks’ coach said, when asked how much of a sample size is needed before considering a change. “So, you wanna make sure that you get a good look at everything.”
When the starters issues were pointed out, that the quintet of RJ Barrett, Jalen Brunson, Mitchell Robinson, Evan Fournier and Julius Randle has a minus-9.2 rating per 100 possessions and a defensive rating of 116.9, which would be 27th in the league, Thibodeau pointed out how well the group started in Wednesday’s loss to the Hawks. The team’s third straight defeat, in which a 23-point, second-quarter lead became a noncompetitive 13-point loss, he felt was on everyone.
Tom Thibodeau is not rushing to shake up the Knicks lineup. Getty Images“It’s hard to just put it on one particular group,” Thibodeau said. “There’s mixing and matching that goes on also. So, you win as a team; you lose as a team. So, there’s things we have to shore up.”
Thibodeau came out in support of Robinson, who has struggled in the Knicks’ four games against projected playoff teams, averaging 5.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.7 blocks in 18 minutes amid foul trouble. He is still planning to use Quentin Grimes on a “situational” basis, which means the popular second-year guard, who made his regular-season debut on Wednesday in garbage time after missing the first six games due to a left foot injury, needs time before he is ready to command a significant role.
Thibodeau’s bigger concern is the Knicks’ lack of consistency. Sunday against the Cavaliers, they followed up one of their best quarters with a dreadful one in blowing a nine-point lead in the final stanza. They raced out to that 23-point lead over the Hawks and proceeded to fall apart, committing nine turnovers during a dismal third quarter in which they were outscored by 22.
“Obviously, if you’re building a 23-point lead, you’re doing some good things. And then we gotta play tough with the lead, and that’s probably the biggest thing,” Thibodeau said. “You go back and look at Cleveland; we’re up [nine] going into the fourth. … That’s where we have to tighten up.”
Atlanta slaughtered them on the offensive glass, producing 18 second-chance points on 17 offensive boards. In the previous game, the Cavaliers had 19 offensive rebounds. The Knicks want to run and create transition opportunities, but that only can happen if they are able to control their defensive glass. Thibodeau has liked their half-court defense. The Knicks are second in the NBA in field goal percentage defense at 42.6 percent. But they have to finish those possessions.
Mitchell Robinson has struggled through foul trouble early this season. NBAE via Getty Images
Quentin Grimes is still working his way back from a foot injury. Noah K. Murray-NY Post“We got to get the rebounds first, and then get out,” Barrett said. “I can definitely rebound a lot more than I am right now. I got to figure out a way to get more of them. … As a team, we got to do better. We got to do more, even though we did win the rebounding battle [against the Hawks].”
How long it will take, and how many more losses before Thibodeau is ready to make a change, remains to be seen. Grimes’ health could accelerate that process. So could the recent standout play of reserves Immanuel Quickley and Obi Toppin. But last season, it wasn’t until the 20th game of the year that Thibodeau benched Kemba Walker with the Knicks off to a 10-9 start. Four games later, Robinson was replaced in the starting lineup by Nerlens Noel.
Basically, Knicks fans, it’s too early to expect lineup changes barring something unforeseen.
