There have been a number of stats floating around about the New York Knicks' starting lineup since their loss to the Charlotte Hornets on Friday.
Take your pick:
- The starting lineup of Kemba Walker, Evan Fournier, RJ Barrett, Julius Randle, and Mitchell Robinson has played the second-most minutes of any five-man unit in the NBA (205) and posted the second-worst net rating of any five-man lineup to have played 120 minutes or more this season (-14.4).
- In total raw plus/minus, the starters have posted the second-worst mark in the NBA at -64, second only to the rebuilding Houston Rockets (who also hold the mark for worst net rating).
- The starters' defensive rating (119.3) is worst in the league of lineups to have played more than 120 minutes by almost five points.
This has led to speculation that a lineup change could be in the cards. SNY's Ian Begley, who is generally as in the know as anyone, speculated as much last week:
But if the starting unit continues to trend the wrong way, I don’t think he’ll stick with his starting five as long as he did last season.
Tom Thibodeau was coy Sunday after Knicks practice, even if Derrick Rose noted that the starters looked improved.
“My thing is focus in on what we have to do to win tomorrow,” Thibodeau said of a starting lineup change. “So we’ll see.”
But he then added an extra little jab, adding, “the greatest right I have is the right to change my mind.”
Recent history would suggest that Thibodeau isn't likely to change his mind, however. Despite a vocal commitment to analytics, Thibodeau has proven to be quite stubborn with his starting lineup in New York.
Last season, the Elfrid Payton/Reggie Bullock/Barrett/Randle starting four (along with whoever was available of Robinson, Nerlens Noel, or Taj Gibson) started every game that they were all healthy, despite the Noel version of that lineup being the only five-man lineup in the NBA last year to post a negative net rating in greater than 450 total minutes (-4.6 in 554 minutes). Payton on his own made the Knicks 9.3 points worse last season per on/off stats available via Basketball-Reference.
The Thibodeau era in New York hasn't been without evolution that he was previously believed to be incapable of, however. He was accused of being married to his ICE system on defense, but he has switched to an approach that funnels opponents into the paint. He was accused of being resistant to the 3-point game, yet, for better or worse, the Knicks are top-10 in the NBA in 3-point attempts this season.
Whether Thibodeau is willing to break his traditionally rigid starting and bench lineups could just be the latest trend of his to keep an eye on for potential change.
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