After a huge 2020-21 season that saw them make the playoffs, the New York Knicks were largely expected to make a step forward in their bid to return to title contention. After all with an All-Star in Julius Randle and rising stars in the likes of RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley and Obi Toppin, it looked like the ‘Bockers were primed for a breakout.
Unfortunately, that was far from the case this campaign. Randle continues to struggle and produce inconsistent numbers, while the rest of the team just can't seem to figure things out. As a result, they are out of the playoff picture with time running out to turn things around.
So what happened to the Knicks that caused their major downfall? Is it because of Randle's poor play? Or is Thibodeau's team management to blame? According to former head coach Larry Brown, it's a matter of their key absences that have a major impact on the way they are playing.
Brown specifically pointed out the absence of Derrick Rose as a major blow to the team with everything he provides–from scoring and playmaking to leadership.
“Last year was such a dream. They lost some people, but you can’t explain how important Derrick Rose was to that team. He was such a big part. They lose their best defensive guard [Reggie Bullock] and Thibs is such a stickler for having a defensive presence,” Brown said, per Marc Berman of the New York Post.
While a lot has been going wrong for the Knicks, Larry Brown is right in saying that Derrick Rose a big part of what they do. He is a steady force for the team off the bench, and New York is really missing that.
Rose has been sidelined since December of 2021 due to an ankle issue that needed surgery. He was initially expected to be out for eight weeks, but another minor procedure last February might have pushed him back in his recovery. There is still no timetable for his return, though he did hint recently that he's aiming to still play this 2021-22.
Brown, however, pointed out that it is still not too late for the Big Apple franchise to make the playoffs. They are currently 12th in the standings with a 28-29 record, 4.5 games behind the 10th seed for the play-in spot. However, they have shown signs of life in the past four games with a 3-1 record, and if they can keep stringing wins together, they still have a shot–albeit small.
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