New York Knicks guard Evan Fournier makes a bold claim about his game that Head Coach Tom Thibodeau would definitely love to hear.
Basketball fans are familiar with Tom Thibodeau's approach to coaching. He has received some flak in the past for overworking his star players during games. Nevertheless, his teams such as the Knicks and Bulls, usually produce good defensive stability.
The Knicks acquired Fournier from the Boston Celtics through a sign-and-trade deal. The French guard is known for his scoring ability, providing points through different areas on the floor. In losing Reggie Bullock and Elfrid Payton, the Knicks may have less defensive options throughout the year.
With a scorer like Fournier, adapting within Thibodeau's unique system can be a challenge.
Via The New York Post
“What’s different is that I’m doing the running now,” Fournier joked after practice
All jokes aside, the scoring guard claims that he can be effective on the defensive end— something Coach Thibodeau needs for his system to work.
“I think I’m a good defender, for sure. You can talk to coach Cliff[ord] about it,” Fournier said, referring to Steve Clifford, his former coach with the Magic. “I consider myself a guy that competes really hard, so I’m not concerned about the defense at all. Even as a unit, we’re gonna be good defensively. No doubt about that.”
The Knicks shocked many fans last year by making the Playoffs as the 4th seed. Together with Julius Randle's All-Star season, fans saw a determined and hungry Knicks squad with significant defensive capability. However, the team's offense was the missing piece. The arrival of Kemba Walker and Evan Fournier should fill that void. The question is, can they defend consistently?
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