Drew Maresca Articles - Page 6

You’ve probably heard, but the New York Knicks have been uncharacteristically banged up since February. As a result, they’ve done what any team in their position would do, played their role players more. And instead of being celebrated for maintaining the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference playoff race despite the injuries, the Knicks are […]

The New York Knicks appear to be getting healthy at exactly the right time. We’ve heard positive updates from coach Tom Thibodeau about the health of Mitchell Robinson and Julius Randle, but neither’s return will take place in the coming days. OG Anunoby, on the other hand, is listed as active for Tuesday’s game against […]

It’s a special time of year. The NBA season is winding down and the 2024 NBA Playoffs are fast approaching. For most playoff contenders, that means it’s time to lock in. It also means hoping for some luck regarding injuries for the New York Knicks. But the Eastern Conference is unusually competitive this season, and […]

Tom Thibodeau signed a five-year contract to serve as head coach of the New York Knicks in the summer of 2020. Thibodeau has been mostly successful through three and a half years. Still, there is a vocal minority amongst Knicks fans who fault Thibs for overplaying stars and causing injuries, with many of those fans […]

It looks like the New York Knicks dodged a bullet. Jalen Brunson left Sunday night’s game against the Cleveland Cavaliers after their first offensive possession with a knee contusion, leaving fans understandably worried. Thankfully for the Knicks, X-rays were negative and the former Villanova Wildcat is listed as questionable for Tuesday night’s game against the […]

The New York Knicks need Isaiah Hartenstein back and completely healthy, that much is clear. Hartenstein has done an impressive job of filling in for Mitchell Robinson as the Knicks’ starting center since Robinson underwent ankle surgery in December. But the seven-footer injured his Achilles tendon at some point in February. If he doesn’t get […]

One or two weeks doesn’t sound like too long. But injuries and an increasingly tight playoff race mean every game matters for the New York Knicks. And in such a postseason race, a few more weeks without key players can make a tremendous difference. Presently, only 1.5 games separate the fourth-seeded Knicks and the eighth-seeded […]

The New York Knicks’ OG Anunoby has missed 12 consecutive games after undergoing a procedure to remove a loose body from his right elbow. But on Tuesday afternoon, an encouraging update regarding his return date made waves, which followed an exciting report on Saturday about Anunoby’s rehab schedule. Annunoby’s injury was never expected to cost […]

The New York Knicks — like every other NBA team — need a center. And given Mitchell Robinson’s injury, Isaiah Hartenstein stepped into the starting center role and immediately became one of the most important players for the Knicks. Hartenstein has become far more than a fill in. The center has surprisingly grown into a […]

Precious Achiuwa played a big role in the New York Knicks’ Thursday night win over the Philadelphia 76ers. But it wasn’t too long ago that Achiwua was merely an afterthought in a trade that was primarily about adding OG Anunoby. Being underestimated must be frustrating to NBA players, all of whom are all elite at […]

The New York Knicks started the post-All-Star break portion of their season without OG Anunoby and Julius Randle. But the show must go on. And while their upcoming schedule might be tough, Thursday night’s win against the Philadelphia 76ers should make everyone affiliated with the franchise breathe a sigh of relief…sort of. Despite almost blowing […]

The New York Knicks limped into the 2024 All-Star break, which — from their perspective — couldn’t come soon enough. They suffered a number of challenging injuries that brought them back to Earth after a wildly successful January. Granted, most teams have more than one thing to figure out at this stage of the season, […]

The New York Knicks made a flurry of moves before the 2024 NBA Trade Deadline. And they are a much better team as a result. But while their trades clearly improved the roster, they made one major mistake — they failed to add a back-up point guard.  *Watch NBA games LIVE with fuboTV (click for […]

The New York Knicks were exceeding virtually all expectations as of late January, but then the injury bug hit in February. Despite losing four straight games entering the NBA All-Star break, New York is 33-22 — meaning they’ve won 60% of their games played thus far. So, let’s give out our Kincks’ midseason grades on […]

The New York Knicks were robbed of an opportunity to win a game on Monday night against the Houston Rockets by NBA-assigned referee Jacyn Goble. And while the Knicks filed a formal protest with the league over the call and its impact on the outcome of the game, the real injustice is about much more […]

The New York Knicks have lost two straight games and three out of their last four, and much of that has to do with injuries. But last Thursday’s trade that landed Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks in New York should result in a Knicks team that is better prepared to tread water before their stars […]

The New York Knicks completed one of the bigger trades on the final day before the NBA’s trade deadline. The Knicks added Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks for, essentially, nothing. To complete the deal, New York sent Quentin Grimes, who recently fell out of the Knicks’ rotation to the Detroit Pistons. They also sent back […]

Leon Rose and the New York Knicks’ front office just made another smart trade. They may have waited until nearly the last minute to do so, but they got it done. New York sent Quentin Grimes, Malachi Flynn, Evan Fournier, and Ryan Arcidiacono to Detroit for Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks. The Knicks also sent […]

New York Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau is normally not one to admit defeat. That is still very much the case. But he sounded at least a little defeated before Tuesday night’s game against the Memphis Grizzlies. And, skipping ahead to the punch line, the reason for his defeatist tone should also motivate the Knicks […]

The New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers aren’t that similar. However, both teams are prime Eastern Conference contenders. Due to their success, the Knicks and Cavs may be on a collision course, again. After losing out to Cleveland in the Donovan Mitchell sweepstakes in the Summer of 2022, New York eliminated the Cavaliers over five […]

Prior to the New York Knicks’ Thursday matchup with the Indiana Pacers, it was revealed that Julius Randle’s dislocated shoulder would be re-evaluated in two to three weeks. No final decision has been made regarding in-season surgery, but all reports so far indicate it is probably unnecessary. The operative word here is “re-evaluated.” With the […]

Losing your best (or second-best) player is never a good thing. And that’s exactly what happened to the New York Knicks on Saturday, when Julius Randle took a nasty spill on his right shoulder.  Randle’s injury was officially diagnosed as a dislocated shoulder on Saturday night. The good news is that Randle’s time out will […]

New York Knicks management has been incredibly patient in how they’ve approached team building, taking time to amass an impressive war chest of draft capital ahead of the 2024 NBA Trade Deadline while remaining financially flexible. Still, New York can’t help but salivate when playing against the Brooklyn Nets’ Mikal Bridges. While New York has […]

The Knicks-for-Clicks narrative is played out. It’s that simple. If you follow basketball closely, you know that the New York Knicks have built a legitimate and hard-nosed team that is becoming a shoo-in for the playoffs.  But the team isn’t the only recipient of low blows. All of its players are evidently fair game for […]

If you’re waiting for the New York Knicks to make another trade, you’ll have to wait a little longer. However, that is not the case for the Miami Heat and their fans. On Tuesday, Miami traded Kyle Lowry and a 2027 first-round pick to the Charlotte Hornets for Terry Rozier III. Rozier was among the […]

Reunions are always bittersweet, and that’s exactly what Saturday will be for the New York Knicks. Saturday’s matchup with the Toronto Raptors marks the first time the Knicks will face former franchise cornerstones RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley since they were involved in the trade that landed OG Anunoby in New York. And what makes […]

The New York Knicks should have been passively engaging teams in hopes of adding another piece via trade before Wednesday. But situations evolve quickly in the NBA. Watching the Indiana Pacers land Pascal Siakam in a deal with the Raptors, the Knicks interest in adding to their roster via trade almost certainly increased a few […]

As the end of January approaches, the NBA is rapidly nearing two major events in its immediate future — the All-Star Game and the NBA trade deadline. While the former is predominantly a form of entertainment, the latter has very real consequences for teams that engage, as well as teams that don’t. For the New […]

Health and availability are important attributes of success in the NBA. The New York Knicks and their fans are becoming increasingly familiar with this fact, especially after Monday’s loss to the Orlando Magic. Still, the schedule plays a role, too. Granted, teams receive an even split of home and road games. But how those games […]

The Isaiah Hartenstein signing was an admittedly underwhelming moment in New York Knicks history. But that could change if he continues playing like he has over the past 13 games. Prior to joining the starting lineup, Hartenstein was an incredibly efficient back-up center. But to most, Mitchell Robinson was clearly the starter. And that was […]

Julius Randle has been named to two All-Star teams in nine complete seasons. This season is his tenth in the NBA, and he’s having potentially the best one of his career. But personal success does not guarantee a spot on the All-Star team. The All-Star Game is equal parts merit and a popularity contest. It […]

The New York Knicks are on a roll thus far in 2024. They are 5-0 since New Year’s Day with an impressive +102 net score across those games. After a difficult start to the season, the 22-15 Knicks have benefited from a softer schedule of late, with wins against the Chicago Bulls, Washington Wizards, and […]

The New York Knicks are probably still on the hunt for another trade piece to bolster their bench in hopes of making a playoff run this season. Well, there are plenty of options for the Knicks to choose from including Dejounte Murray and Malcolm Brogdon. But that’s not all. Bojan Bogdanović and Bogdan Bogdanović could […]

Much like Dejounte Murray, Malcolm Brogdon could be an addition the New York Knicks decide to pursue ahead of the 2024 NBA trade deadline. Despite winning the 2016-17 Rookie of the Year award and the 2022-23 Sixth Man of the Year award, Brogdon has never received the acclaim he deserves. At 6’4”, he’s a pretty […]

A lot of people around the NBA were perplexed by the Atlanta Hawks-Dejounte Murray trade. It was a big gamble on two lead guards sharing a backcourt. In a vacuum, the idea of two creators makes a lot of sense. But in reality, only one can be the true floor general. And it’s probably created […]

Miles “Deuce” McBride is a cool customer. If he feels any sort of pressure to prove himself with the opportunity to solidify the back-up point guard role, you’d never know it from speaking with him. “I can’t decide who’s given what minutes and who’s going to step into what role,” McBride told ClutchPoints. “But I […]

With the OG Anunoby trade removing two important pieces from the New York Knicks’ rotation, there are some obvious holes that remain. Interestingly, the Chicago Bulls are in town to for a Wednesday night matchup, and they have some guys who the Knicks would presumably like to add to bolster rotation.  Chicago is 15-20 on […]

The New York Knicks kicked off 2024 the right way, with a 112-106 win against the Minnesota Timberwolves. This is especially important for two reasons. The Knicks were previously bad against the NBA’s best teams (which includes the Timberwolves). More importantly, it was the first game for OG Anunoby as a member of the Knicks. […]

After years of criticism over a lack of moves, it finally happened. The New York Knicks completed a blockbuster(ish) trade, sending RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley to Toronto in exchange for OG Anunoby, with a few other pieces involved in the deal as well.  Knicks followers greeted the news with a lukewarm reception. But that’s […]