Jalen Bluntson wrote:Clyde_Style wrote:Nostrand Ave wrote:
No no no and no.
This is wishful thinking after a win.
We have a very thin bench and a coach who just plays his "guys." Very bad combination.
Second round team at best.
OKC = DEEP
Houston = DEEP
Celtics = DEEP
CAVS = DEEP
These are the top 4 teams in the league. A key player can get injured on the roster and they have someone to step up and contribute. We dont have that.
Lose 1 or 2 starters and it unravels very fast because Thibs has not built up the talent on the bench the FO gave him to nurture. There is only one guy there who can probably step in cold and fill their role competently and reliably and that's Kolek. But Hukporti and Dadiet are not learning on the job and won't be ready when someone goes down. Waiting on Mitch is not the answer.
Thibs isn't playing rookies in their first year right away. Might not even play them at all in the regular rotation. The fact that we haven't had a healthy bench all year should have made room for a rookie or two to get some burn but, Thibs.
Payne/Deuce/Shamet/Precious was the projected bench until Mitch gets back. They have all missed time. Significant time. We have had all four healthy for a total of 5 games this year. We won all 5 of those games I believe.
Yesterday we ran an 8 man rotation. Payne/Deuce/Precious played 32 minutes in the first half and scored 20 pts. That's what we need from the bench. The starters were all fresh for the second half as a result. We cruised to victory. This is the bench production we need to keep from breaking down or losing steam in the 4th qtr.
If/when Mitch gets back we will be deeper. Thibs will have too many options to run players into the ground but, whether or not he uses them will be the question. The team, needs to stay healthy and even then, we do not have the continuity or chemistry that CLE/BOS/OKC has. It will be a tough run to win a chip but, it's not entirely out of the question. We just need to keep developing the chemistry up amd down the roster and to avoid serious injuries.
You just scripted the perfect sequence of events which never manifests that way under Thibs management. The Knicks are grinding themselves into a hole they won't get out of. Not priming the rookie talent. Last year's playoffs was all grit and short-handed heroics. That is not the scenario we should want, but it is exactly what it is shaping up to become. It will lead to an early exit. Under Thibs guidance we will never be a true contender.


















