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Knicks Must Avoid Burnout to Win Title

The New York Knicks must pace themselves and utilize their depth next season.

Jeremy Brener

May 2, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) in game six of the first round for the 2024 NBA playoffs against the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
May 2, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) in game six of the first round for the 2024 NBA playoffs against the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports / Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
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The New York Knicks are one of the league's best teams and they made a deep playoff run this past season, but they struggled with depth down the stretch.

Those struggles ultimately cost the Knicks in their seven-game series loss to the Indiana Pacers in the second round of the playoffs.

Bleacher Report writer Eric Pincus believes that needs to change if they want to make a deeper run this season.

"The Knicks look like they're poised for a strong season, but can Tom Thibodeau manage his players' minutes so they're not burnt out and injured in the playoffs? Historically, he can't seem to help himself—he's a great coach, but he tends to grind his players down with a heavy workload," Pincus writes.

Thibodeau will have more options to work with as he crafts his rotation for the upcoming season. Namely, Mikal Bridges' addition to the lineup will help out tremendously. Bridges has yet to miss a game in his six-year career so far, so the Knicks can depend on him for a good chunk of minutes at multiple positions.

On top of that, the Knicks added veteran point guard Cam Payne, who will be able to eat up some minutes throughout the regular season. He may not be a huge factor when the Knicks get to the playoffs, but he has the chance to be a valuable piece to the puzzle.

The Knicks will also look to upgrade their roster and add some pieces throughout the regular season.

Injuries are a definite in the NBA. Some teams get stung by the injury bug more than others, but every team has to deal with it in some regard. That means that it will ultimately come down to how the Knicks handle these injuries that will determine how far they go this season.

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several On SI sites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid and resides in Central Florida. He graduated from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener.

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