FOOTNOTE: All Of Our Ongoing Threads Of Analysis & Criticism May Very Well Be Very Moot AND Very Soon.
Okay, with that out of the way...
I have a number of issues with Thibs, not to mention Leon Rose [James Dolan's number has been retired.]
But Given The Unexpected Presents We Have All Discovered Under Our XMAS Tree, Owing In Part To The Principle Of
NEXT MAN UP...
I think it is worth pointing out that while the jury is still out, we can look balefully with 20/20 hindsight on some of the front offices Free Agent moves.
But our draft class of Quentin Grimes,[Rokas Jokubaitis], Miles McBride and Jericho Sims, when thrust into play, given the exigency of the moment, have MANNED UP AND THEN SOME.
We have also seen, their ups and downs fully acknowledged, significant growth from Knox, Mitchell, RJ, Obi and Quickley.
I count
8 Knicks player under the age of 23 that are all under development. When was the last time in historical memory, we could point to THAT as an ongoing reality.
Okay...
AND THIS FROM A COACH WHO IT IS ALLEGED DOES NOT DEVELOP YOUNG PLAYERS. Hello. I believe, given TT's rep for being vet happy, and his alleged marriage to what many of us would consider a very stodgy, old school offensive style, I think in all fairness we should acknowledge that there appears to be an ongoing spitirual/stylistic joust between the VETERANS and THE BREAKFAST CLUB, with Julius crossing over to both.
The evidence before us, is that all season long, the starters have been wildly up and down, and the bench has saved our bacon time and time again, and given us a style of play with the kind of pacing and tempo and ball movement and tenacity that Thibs keeps touting in his pronouncements to the media.
It is worth noting given the dramatic impact of our rookies and our puppies, that COVID willing, we are at a crossroads in Thibs' journey and in the evolution of this team, given the exile of Walker, the up and down struggles of Fournier and Burks, and the Jeckyl & Hyde nature of Randle's games.
Which brings us to...
Monica McNutt
Not only is this former Georgetown baller tall, tan and terrific, with the most be still my heart chops this side of the eternally funky Millie Jackson...
But she is also personable, engaging, funny
and a terrific basketball analyst, and Monica's breakdown last night of DEUCE ON THE LOOSE, and the energy and smarts he brought to both sides of the ball, was Dead ON.
Monica and Alan Hahn made a very strong case for promoting the puppies, and making them a first unit, and our veterans the second unit, pointing out that given the puppies' success, that THIBS has some decisions to make, and soon.
Just off the top of my head, I would think that RJ would be a much better fit with some combo of Deuce-IQ-Grimes, where the ball is moving, and people are in motion, than with Fournier and Burks, hanging out in the corner, watching Julius pound the rock.
The challenge for Thibs [and Julius] is how to best mesh with our Yute and our Vets, and how to thus field players on the court and distribute minutes.
The sheer ENERGY and PACE we get from players like Obi and IQ, Grimes and McBride, has to be accounted for. Or some combination therein.
When we put away the pesky Rockets [Kenyon Martin's son was a MF] in the final quarter last night, as memory servies, this was the team we had on the floor.
Mitchell
Taj
Burks
IQ
Deuce
Thibs noted that they had a really nice run, and so he decided to leave Julius on the bench to get some extra rest [WHAT A FUCKING CONCEPT]. The ball was moving, the offense was not static, their was defensive energy, and the pace and tempo was lively.
As Hahn and McNutt made clear, THIBS HAS SOME DECISIONS TO MAKE.
Poll
