Happy Knicks-Giving! 3 Things to Be Grateful For
The Thanksgiving season has always been a time of counting blessings and expressing gratitude. Even in the fourth week of November, those have always been depressingly short conversations for fans of the New York Knicks.
Though far from the heights a New York City-based franchise are expected to attain, the latest chapter of the Knicks' seemingly eternal rebuild has begun on a surprisingly optimisitc note. Sure, there are many reminders of exactly why the Knicks aren't ready for a key to the Eastern Conference's six-team penthouse.
But the early stages of this season have not featured the typical brands of silliness and debauchery normally associated with new-century New York basketball, which sits on relatively comfortable ground at the brief Thanksgiving break: if the season ended unexpectedly, the Knicks (9-9) would host the upper half of the East's Play-In Tournament and one game behind earning one of the automatic top six spots.
As the Knicks and their fans give thanks, they should keep several aspects of their beloved team in mind ... along with family members' company and health, of course ...
Jalen Brunson
Expectations increase fortyfold when you go to New York as is, but the burdens upon Brunson more than doubled with a $104 million contract bestowed to him despite never being a top option in Dallas.
Brunson himself has downplayed the idea that he's any sort of hardwood savior and it'll take more than 18 games to fully confirm that he was worth the dedicatiion. For all intents and purposes, however, he has like been the most reliable name on the Knicks' roster, statistically standing as their most efficient player (21.72 PER).
"(He) gives everybody confidence. He’s been unbelievable," teammate Cam Reddish said of Brunson's early impact after a 27-point, 13-rebound showing in an October win over Charlotte. "Obviously, he’s made some big shots, but I think it’s bigger than that. He’s a great leader, great person to be around.”
Whether its responding well to the pressures of his first major contract or if he's simply raised the Justin Bieber volume, Brunson has responded to every challenge presented in front of him, solving the Knicks' point guard issues and making them a more free-moving team that's handling the fundamentals (Brunson's 3.9 assist-to-turnover ratio is tied for 10th-best in the Association). It's hard to deny he's been worth every penny.
Surprise Starters
If there's one thing that Knicks fan can agree upon when it comes to head coach Tom Thibodeau, it's that he has been notoriously stubborn when it comes to lineup changes. Even as things became increasingly dire for the team last season, Thibodeau allowed four players to make at least 60 starts last season. In comparison, the Knicks' Western equivalent (the 11th-place Los Angeles Lakers) had only one in the same category.
While Thibodeau has still been under fire for some early decisions ... even with Quentin Grimes dealing with foot issues, some are annoyed that he still struggled to pick up minutes ... he hasn't been afraid to tinker this time around. Some switches have been made out of necessity (i.e. Jericho Sims getting extended minutes in place of Mitchell Robinson), but Thibodeau has apparently declared open tryouts for the primary shooting guard role that seemed to belong to Evan Fournier.
Reddish, playing in a contract year, has taken full avantage of his minutes, developing a reputation as a strong defender. Sims has kept the Knicks' rebounding numbers up while Robinson heals and Isaiah Hartenstein settles into a more traditional center's role. With Reddish likewise hurt, Grimes has started to get his professional legs back as he gets time at the starting two. Time will tell if Thibodeau sticks to what he's found ... Sims could become expendable if he sticks to the plan of keeping two centers in the rotation ... but it's helped the Knicks establish a little room between themselves and another full-on postseason absence.
The Bench
The Knicks' success has been upon the antics of depth stars. Even when they're not in the starting lineup, they've provided solid minutes and are learning new ways to add to their respective box scores.
Fans have been grateful for the way Immanuel Quickley has evolved his game: whhile he's struggled in his trademark shooting department, he has made huge gains in the defensive (1.3 steals) and rebounding (4.6) departments. Obi Toppin remains a showstopping, high-flying prescience. While struggling with maintaining a more Robinson/Sims-like facade, which has potentially cost him the spark of his playmaking abilities discovered last season in Los Angeles, Hartenstein has nonetheless provided effective minutes.
Of course, the Knicks' expanding depth will only go as far as Thibodeau's provided minutes will take them. That's another issue entirely, but watching the way they've stepped up has been inspiring and has helped stabilize a team in desperate need of a paved path forward.
Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags
To The Garden and beyond! Get your Knicks game tickets from SI Tickets ... here!
Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Knicks? Click Here.
Follow AllKnicks.com on Twitter.
