Five things Knicks fans were robbed of due to the suspended season
Wednesday night, the NBA suspended its season for what appears to be at least until June, due to the Coronavirus outbreak. This likely means the last we've seen of the 2019-2020 New York Knicks, as a belated close to the season could skip right to the postseason. Though the organization wasn't going to sniff a run at the eighth seed, there was a good month and change of basketball left, and the seeds of potential exciting developments were ripped out of the soil before they got a chance to grow.
Here are five things Knicks fans were robbed of with the season's suspension:
1. More Mitchell Robinson dominance
What a post-All-Star Weekend tear from the sophomore center/Knicks franchise player. His first half of the season was a bit bumpy, marred by injuries and foul trouble. Something clicked in recent weeks however, and Robinson became an absolute force whenever he touched the court.
In 25.8 minutes per game since the break, Robinson swatted 2.5 shots a night, shot 79% (!) from the floor and actually impacted the team's success. New York allowed 10 (!!) fewer points per 100 possessions with Robinson on the floor vs. off since mid-February, resulting in a 4-6 record in games Mitch played. At that 109.1 defensive rating, the Knicks would have been an above average defense on the year.
Robinson was quite simply emerging as a star before our eyes. But that was cut short, and 16 games of continual excitement over his rise are now gone. It would be a surprise to see Robinson in Vegas Summer League for a third time considering how well he performed in his second year, so Knicks fans will likely just have to hang tight until October 2020 to catch more of their high-flying, stretchy, Marcus Camby-in-training.
2. Frank Ntilikina figuring it out
Was Frank Ntilikina finally figuring it out? After an up-and-down third year which many fans hoped would be a breakout campaign for the French Prince, Ntilikina came out much more aggressively in March, hunting for gaps to the lane, attacking and playmaking out of them. Not all of his performances were all that great during this stretch, but a major hurdle for Ntilikina has been the mental one: he has tools in his bag, will he grow the confidence to try and utilize them?
We saw a glimpse of what that fully realized Ntilikina looks like against the Wizards , New York's second-to-final game of pre-hiatus 2020. He scored a career high 20 points and racked up 10 assists in under 30 minutes, making highlight plays and a case for an extension.
His March numbers clocked in at 9.5 points and 3.2 assists a game on 44% shooting from the field and 35% from deep, with lockdown defense throughout. He shut down Russell Westbrook's game-winning attempt and garnered praise from Donovan Mitchell.
Unfortunately, Knicks fans won't get to see what he does next for some time. Ntilikina was only but a glimmer of hope in his rookie year, rarely stringing together solid outings, until the final two months of the season, when he started balling out under less pressure against tanking and resting opponents. It does not look like he'll get that chance this time around.
3. R.J. Barrett breaking down the rookie wall
There was a weird stretch of this season where it almost felt like RJ Barrett, the Knicks' third-overall pick and latest hope for a young star, dissipated into the backdrop. He missed nine games due to an ankle injury just before All-Star, but his presence was lacking even prior. His hot start melted away, bad shooting numbers took its place, he saw less of the ball and the court, especially in December.
Once he returned, Knicks fans remembered why they were excited about him in the first place. Barrett hasn't put up single digits in scoring in two weeks - and hasn't shot fewer than 10 times in four. As has been the trend with Robinson and Ntilikina, Barrett was another one of New York's prospects leading a charge in recent games. In his last ten outings, he's put up 17.2 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.2 assists on 45.7% shooting from the field and 36.6% from deep.
Barrett may have been overshadowed by the likes of Ja Morant and then Zion Williamson, but he spent the last month reminding us of his potential. It's a shame it was cut short - had his responsibility grown as veterans lost minutes and touches near the end of the season, Knicks fans could have witnessed a clearer picture of what kind of star Barrett has a chance of becoming.
4. Mike Miller staking his claim
Remember when the biggest Knicks news was the firing of Steve Mills and replacement by Leon Rose? Ensued by the near-yearly tradition of speculating who the next head coach will be? Good times.
In all likelihood, Mike Miller won't be that guy. This despite his 17-27 record, a .386 winning percentage that would have translated to a 32-win season, compared to David Fizdale's 4-18 start.
A late-season run led by blossoming young talent may be the only thing that could have made enough of a statement for Miller to remain as head coach. At the time of the NBA's suspension, the Knicks won four of their last seven games, and as mentioned, Robinson, Ntilikina and Barrett (and even Knox) were growing in the meantime.
Miller won't get to ride out what might have been the most exciting stretch of this lost season, and make a better case for himself as head coach. If the revamped front office blows it with their coaching search this offseason, Knicks fans will be left wondering what might have been.
5. Ignas Brazdeikis NBA burn
The Knicks' 2019 second-round pick saw just 53 minutes of action this season, the majority of which coming in garbage time, despite his tear of a G-League year. Brazdeikis put up 20.9 points, 7.2 rebounds and 3.1 assists a game on over 50% shooting from the field in 24 games for Westchester. These included more than a few 30-point double-doubles.
It would have been nice to see the southpaw, longtime friend of Barrett get some real NBA minutes during the doldrums of the season. The Knicks were out of postseason contention and there was little incentive not to hand some of Wayne Ellington's or Taj Gibson's minutes to Ignas. Fans and coaches alike could have a taste of what his NBA aptitude was after a season toiling in the developmental league, but with the season suspended, they will just have to wait for Vegas.
