Elephant
I agree that the response to OKC was important.
We caught a break when that seven foot beanpole ALEKSEJ POKUSEVSKI, with his three point range, was unavailable, but then, we were without Reddish and Rose, so...
As for Thibs, well Thibs is Thibs.
Still, while accounting for the Knicks treating Mitchell's knee gingerly, while Thibs has said a two man rotation is likely at center, Jericho Sims is making his presence felt. As is Thibs' willingness to pair Randle-Toppin together, as C-PF, or was I hallucinating, for a brief spell, with Sims-Randle-Toppin.
So, progress of a sort, as is the ascension of Reddish AND Grimes.
Not serving youth?
Well, let me see.
Thibs has been nurturing both Quickley AND Reddish AND NOW Grimes, dropping vet Fournier out of the rotation. Which minimally, should inspire Facil to concoct some more trades.
IQ has become a noticably better facilitator, has been rebounding and defending much better, and is starting to dial in his three.
Addressing the rotations some weeks ago, Thibs pointed out how, no, some people who deserve minutes, have to wait their turn, mentioning McBride specifically. We know from Westchster that McBride can score and hit the three, though he has yet to find consistency on the big time level, BUT GodDamnnnnnnnnnnnn, does he ever compete on the defensive end. Anticipating, even with a few days off before our next game on Friday, that the Knicks are going to be cautious with Rose's big toe, we should see more of Deuce. Likewise, caution with Reddish's groin, another tweaky bad boy, not unlike Grimes' plantar fascitis.
So IQ, Toppin, Grimes, Reddish, Sims.
How is that NOT serving youth?
As for Julius, we--INCLUDING ME--are going to inevitably micro-analyze his every move and decision, and while I might yell at the TV Screen myself--though not with the feral frothing of LesterDawg--there is a reason why he gets more rotational minutes than Obi, and it is not that Thibs is a dick, but that Randle is a better player than Obi. Period. And I LOVES ME some Obi, even though he has gone through a relatively inept stage these past few games. Which, like RJ's struggles, might be laid at the footstep of flu-like symptoms ripping through the entire roster.
RJ leaking oil? Randle not as good as Toppin? Sims ahead of Mitchell and Isiah?
Clearly Thibs does not share this point of view, and while we are heaping one game praise on our big three of Brunson-Randle-RJ for bounceback games, I think Thibs gets some credit for the team scheme inresponding to a tough young team on the rise [scary to think where they will be when they've worked Holmgren into the rotation, given his skillset as a facilatator and shot blocker, let alone long range sniper, with a an Alexander-Giddey backcourt and all them damn first rounders they be sitting on].
The portrayal of a hidebound Thibs? Factoring in the exigency of injuries...
Who'd have imagined both Reddish AND Grimes swallowing up all of Fournier's minutes, and leaving him as the odd man out rotationally, though I suspect we will see him in due course.
And of course, what Knicks forum would be complete without writing off both Julius AND RJ.
YES, issues of consistency and decision making abound, as do turnovers.
But the notion that RJ & JR are to be written off, or that Thibs is on his way out the door.
Well...the rejoinder
HEH springs to mind.
We are a work in progress, to be sure, and making the playin, let alone the playoffs, is not a given.
But we are evolving. Even Thibs, hard as that might be to accept, and our Puppies are evolving under his tutelage. Overly reliant on the starters, such as RJ? Overly married to certain offensive schemes? Julius our own Dr. Jekyll-Mister Hyde.
Absolutely.
But writing off a brutal road trip where we went 3-2, and come back home at 9-9, 4-3 at home and 5-6 on the road, as a Nothing Burger?
Poll
