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- Knicks Pulse Check Part I: Growing Pains
Knicks Pulse Check Part I: Growing Pains
Welcome to Part I of the Knicks Pulse Check for the 2024-2025 season, where we update the fans with the continuing trends of the New York Knicks.
Ten games into the 2024-2025 NBA season, the New York Knicks have looked every bit like a team trying to incorporate multiple new players into their rotation. And yet, despite sustaining early-season injuries to Precious Achiuwa and Cam Payne and the long-term absence of Mitchell Robinson, the orange and blue have provided excitement in stints with an offense that, at full strength, will be one of the best in the league.
Outside of developing chemistry, this small sample size suggests that the Knicks’ new-found groove on offense might come at the expense of what was once thought of as a pillar of their defensive identity: controlling the boards. More on that later.
A look at the advanced metrics: the Knicks are sitting at .500 (5-5) and ranked fourth in the Eastern Conference, behind the Orlando Magic and just in front of the Indiana Pacers. Currently, the Knickerbockers have the fourth-best offensive rating in the league, rank 18th in defensive rating, and are eighth in overall net rating.
Thus far, the mercurial Knicks have notched impressive wins against the Pacers, Milwaukee Bucks, and Miami Heat. However, true to their inconsistent form, they’ve also dropped games against the Atlanta Hawks and Houston Rockets and got absolutely stomped on opening night versus the Boston Celtics.
October 22nd - November 12th: 5-5, 4th place in the East
Team Chemistry
It’s early, but so far, Karl-Anthony Towns has confirmed his status as one of, if not the best, shooting big-man of all time. Towns is off to a hot start, averaging 24.5 points per game and 12.4 rebounds per game with silly shooting splits: 51.1 percent from three, 87.0 percent from the free-throw line, and a true shooting percentage of 64.6 percent.
Karl-Anthony Towns DOMINATED Giannis & the Bucks tonight! 💪
🔥 32 Points
🦾 11 Boards
👀 5 AssistsWhat do you grade KAT's performance?!
— Knicks Fan TV 🏀🎥📺🏁 (@KnicksFanTv)
3:23 AM • Nov 9, 2024
On the defensive end, Towns still has a ways to go, but I’ve been impressed with his effort, specifically on the glass. Currently, the former Kentucky man has amassed a total rebounding percentage of 22.0 percent, the highest of his ten-year career. Furthermore, of all players that play at least 30 minutes per game, Towns is ranked second, just below Anthony Davis, in contested rebound percentage (47.7%).
For Mikal Bridges, the story is more of a mixed-bag. Bridges initially experienced criticism with his shot and silenced those critics briefly. But overall, he looks anything but comfortable in this offense with the exception of when he plays with the second unit. In 10 games, the former Villanova-man is averaging 15.3 points per game, 3.6 rebounds per game, and 3.4 assists per game. Bridges is currently shooting 46.7 percent from the field and 31.7 percent from the three-point line. He has missed 19 of his last 22 shots from the three-point line.
Stephon Marbury on Mikal Bridges' defensive struggles thus far in the season: "His tenacity has to be more nasty. He has to get up on the basketball and know that 'if I get beat my, my teammates are gonna help' cause right now he's playing defense like not to get beat but he… x.com/i/web/status/1…
— Knicks Fan TV 🏀🎥📺🏁 (@KnicksFanTv)
6:32 PM • Nov 12, 2024
With the current set of injuries, head coach Tom Thibodeau has not been able to run out the typical second unit he’d prefer. As a result, prior to Cam Payne’s injury, Thibs was leaving Bridges and Anunoby in with Payne, Deuce McBride and Jericho Simms. In this lineup, Bridges looked so much more comfortable, as he was able to initiate offense and operate with more touches than when he plays with KAT and Jalen Brunson.
The Knicks have oscillated between periods where they play seamless free-flowing basketball, with frequent passing and good spacing that leads to open shots. On the other hand, they’ve also been stuck in periods where it looks like certain players are being passive, going against their first instincts, and still trying to find out where they fit in this offense. Time will tell, but the concerns are valid and this bears monitoring.
Lack of depth/Thibs do something please
When the Knicks traded Donte DiVincenzo and Julius Randle for KAT, fans knew what it meant. We sacrificed depth for a starting five that could, in theory, compete with the Celtics. The idea is that your starting five are going to play the majority of minutes in the postseason, and that’s where the majority of your production needs to come from.
Injuries have forced Thibs, to some degree, to play a modified version of a second-unit staggered with various combinations of players from the starting five.
KFTV Caller Andre from Cape Cod is CONCERNED after the Knicks' loss to the Rockets! 😳👀
Rate Andre's Call:
1 = 🚮
5 = ✅— Knicks Fan TV 🏀🎥📺🏁 (@KnicksFanTv)
4:31 PM • Nov 5, 2024
The results so far - rough.
Per NBAstats.com lineup statistics, the Knicks starting lineup, which has played the most minutes collectively, is a -2 in plus/minus, and four out the five players in the starting lineup (Bridges, Hart, OG Anunoby, and Jalen Brunson) are ranked within the top 50 for minutes per game.
Normally, I wouldn’t freak out about this, but with a player like OG (playing 36.5 minutes per night), it feels like it’s only a matter of time before he gets hurt, and Thibs needs to find trust in the bench to make sure his top guns make it to the postseason healthy. Whether this means going small, and playing Tyler Kolek with Deuce at the guard positions, finding more minutes for Pacome Dadiet, or even temporarily promoting TJ Warren from the Westchester Knicks, something needs to change.
Rebounding/changing of the guard
Finally, one concerning trend that might be here to stay, is the way in which the Knicks have been struggling to win the rebounding battle when it matters most. Although the orange and blue have outrebounded their opposition in seven of their first ten contests, when it comes to offensive boards and overall rebounding, the Knicks have faltered.
Last season, through the first 10 games, the Knicks ranked second in the NBA in offensive rebounds per game (14.2), and fourth in overall rebounds per game (47.7). This year, the Knickerbockers rank 20th in offensive rebounds per game (9.8) and 23rd in overall rebounds per game (42.1).
It’s possible that this will change when Mitchell Robinson returns from injury, but if the Knicks continue to play KAT exclusively at the five, this may be par for the course. However, the front office might be gambling on the fact that a more efficient offense will decrease the need for offensive rebounds. Still, concerns on defense will remain.
The Pacers EXPLODE in the fourth quarter and leave the Knicks in the DUST! 🤦♂️
@CPTheFanchise gives his Rapid Fire Reaction to tonight's loss!
What was your biggest takeaway from the game?!
— Knicks Fan TV 🏀🎥📺🏁 (@KnicksFanTv)
2:29 AM • Nov 11, 2024
And the majority of the blame/responsibility should not lay at KAT’s feet.
Like I mentioned earlier, KAT is doing well on the boards. In fact, every other starter, with the exception of Brunson and Bridges are either exceeding or at their previous season’s rebounds per game mark. Thibs always preaches a ‘gang rebounding’ mentality, and while I’m never going to expect double-digit boards from Brunson, Mikal Bridges has to do better, in multiple facets of the game.
The upcoming schedule features two games against the Brooklyn Nets, and contests against the Washington Wizards and Charlotte Hornets. The Knicks need to take care of business, build chemistry and stack some wins. Knicks Pulse Check: Part II will be out in early December.
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