Welcome to the Basketball Hangover. I write about what’s happening in the NBA daily, even when COVID has ravaged the league.
Tom Thibodeau has the Knicks at .500 44 games deep into the season.
(PHOTO CREDIT: Sarah Stier/USA Today.)
We’re almost 2/3 into the season and we have the Knicks in the Top 8 of the Eastern Conference. At one point, they were at the fourth spot. My point is that the Knicks are fighting and we really couldn’t say that for much of the last 8 years.
It was almost like their coaching hire went under the radar. Nobody really jumped for joy when the Knicks hired Tom Thibodeau, who had some success at Chicago and was the man that helped steer the Timberwolves to their first postseason appearance in 14 years three seasons ago. Some have said that maybe the game has passed him by. So we really didn’t blink when New York got him. After all, James Dolan tends to meddle with the team that he has ownership of. And they have been pretty much the laughingstock of the league.
A funny thing happened, though. Thibodeau made sure to put his stamp on the roster. He proved that he can still coach today’s players. Sure, he plays his guys more than you would like him to. But he preaches about the little things, the “not-so-fun” aspects of basketball, and to never let up.
Sometimes, never letting up can bite him back. He got a ton of criticism for leaving Derrick Rose in too long when the Bulls had the Sixers beat in Game 1 of their first round series in 2012. That was when Rose famously tore his ACL, the first of his multitude of injuries.
I’m not defending Thibs here but he really wants to make sure that the game IS won. That you never know what could happen with a 10-point lead with 90 seconds left. But Thibs has been learning to lean on his role players. Julius Randle is still averaging over 37 minutes but he’s got 8 other players averaging 20 minutes per in his rotation. Immanuel Quickley has been a revelation for New York. And remember that Thibodeau helped groom Jimmy Butler (both the Bulls and the Wolves) into the player that he is now.
Thibodeau is definitely a leading candidate for Coach of the Year. He’s showed that he’s still got it. Heck, make him coach of the decade for getting the Knicks out of this quagmire.
Bullet Passes
Draymond Green said that he is the best defensive player EVER in the NBA.
It’s fine to think that way. I get it. But also remember that the players and rules have changed over the course of time.
His defense certainly wasn’t enough against the Sixers, who have won three in a row.
Hey, James Harden went for 17 assists. Maybe he’s not such a ballhog after all (that narrative has to stop).
It’s scary to think how far the Lakers could go down without their two stars. I also think this is the time where Kyle Kuzma has to become their #1 option. He fits that mold more than Markieff Morris, Montrezl Harrell, or Dennis Schröder.
By the way, former Laker Brandon Ingram poured in 36 against them.
Those Suns are really starting to run away with the #2 seed with the Clippers being inconsistent and the Lakers hurt. They can catch the Jazz, right?
Nikola Jokic went for 28-15-10 against the Magic. This is his 12th triple-double. Ya know, I don’t see how he can’t be in the conversation for Most Improved Player.
NBA Scoreboard
Mar. 23, 2021
Watch This Play
Mitchell Robinson throws down the oop.
(VIDEO CREDIT: SKYWALKER.)
Like we said, Knicks are at .500, y’all.
Everyone, please take care of yourselves during this pandemic. And that goes for everyone involved with the NBA as well.
You can find Rey-Rey on Twitter at @TheNoLookPass.
You can also check out Rey-Rey’s podcast, Rey-Rey Is Fundamental, for more basketball content and, really, whatever else.
R.I.P. Nala.