Thibs flaws include grinding his vets into dust and not developing rooks.
Win now is good, and it will be nice to see the Knix in the playoffs.
But it'd also be nice to keep Randle fresh and healthy so we can do well in the playoffs. And have ObiT gain experience and improve.
Need to balance short, medium and long term goals.
Harden was leading the NBA in minutes played. Then his hammy went whammy.
Julius is averaging a league leading 37.1 mins per game (tied with Harden, but Harden has played 13 fewer games).
So Julius leading the league in total minutes played.
Is this wise?
Years past, HOU Harden used to play huge minutes, put up big numbers and bag W's in the regular season ... and then be worn down when the playoffs rolled around.
Lotta times Randle looks gassed in the 4Q, which doesn't help for that game and ups the risk of injury. Compressed season doesn't help.
FVV 3rd in minutes per 36.1 -- out with a hip injury.
Jamaal Murray 10th with 35.5 mpg is crippled in the hospital.
The RECEIVED WISDOM which holds that Thibs does not develp youth, is most definitely a cannard.
One might even suggest it is HORSESHIT.
Does he lean on his vets and force feed them minutes? You bet.
However, in terms of PLAYER DEVELOPMENT, be it youth or simply youthful, he developed Jimmy Butler quite nicely, let alone Noah...Gibson....Derek Rose.
On the Knicks?
Yes, all of the puppies are on a very short leash. Particularly Obi [23], let alone Kevin [21] and Frank [22] and Jared [23].
However, R.J. [20] has made great strides as a soph, and Quickley [21] is a rotation player as a rookie. Mitchell [22] was stepping up to the next plateau in terms of rim protection, shot blocking and self control vis a vis foul trouble, when he got hurt.
And again, there are YUTEs and then there are YOUNG PLAYERS, so puppies are NOT the only aspect of player development.
Julius [26]
Nerlens [26]
Elfrid [27]
Playing better now than they were in December?
You bet. Playing better under Thibs than past coaches? Mmmmm, there's a discussion there.
Have Bullock [30] and Burks [29] raised their games?
Class?
As for the graybeards, Rose [32] & Gibson [35], Thibs has created a safe house for them to make a significant contribution, even in the autumn of their years. And Pelle [31] looks like he can give us some good coverage.
We are seriously competing in the playoff scrum, when the Vegas geniuses had us slotted for the bottom of the Lottery. HELLO.
Yes Thibs is stubborn. Yes he leans too much on his top tier players. And while a case can be made as to dust grinding, in case you haven't noticed, D'Antoni got a pass for 7-8 man rotations, while Thibs has gone 10-Deep since day one.
So in closing, Thibs IS surely developing youth, HAS instilled accoutability, and restored DEFENSE--not only back, but to a top tier level.
THIBS IS A WINNER, and he has gotten the roster he was handed to buy into his passion, and put the work in to take it to the next level.
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