Subscribe
Follow Us
The New York Knicks have gained newfound success in the early stages of the 2020-21 season. They are currently riding a three-game winning streak while sitting in the sixth spot of the Eastern Conference with a 14-15 record. Given the weaker competition in their conference, the Knicks are expected to be at least a play-in team and eventually vie for a playoff spot if they can continue to perform at this pace.
A major factor that boosted the team's turnaround this season was the arrival of head coach Tom Thibodeau. Although he still hasn't won a title in his head coaching career, his experience of being around tenured individuals and bringing teams to the playoffs over the years will certainly come in handy for the Knicks later on.
Thibodeau's mentorship could've also played a part in allowing Julius Randle to unleash his potential and play at an all-time high this season. The 26-year-old forward is currently averaging career-best numbers of 23.1 points, 11.0 rebounds, and 5.6 assists through 29 appearances.
His stellar play as of late is also making a strong case for him to land the first All-Star selection of his seven-year career. Randle's production will certainly be leaned upon by the entire team when they aim for a playoff push in the latter stages of the regular season.
Sophomore swingman RJ Barrett has also been providing a lift for the Knicks this season as well. He is tallying 16.5 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 3.1 assists in 29 games played. However, he would be harder to guard if only he can develop a more consistent three-point shot as he is only recording 30.3% from beyond the arc.
Another valuable contributor who emerged for the Knicks this season is rookie point guard Immanuel Quickley. The late first-round draftee is continuing to prove that he should've been picked higher back in mid-November. He is recording averages of 12.5 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 2.7 assists in 19.3 minutes for the Knicks while playing off the bench.
Perhaps another underlying storyline for the team this season is the return of veteran playmaker Derrick Rose. He won't necessarily score 20+ points each game but his leadership on and off the court will definitely benefit the young players on the team in the long run.
In my opinion, Rose will see more minutes if the Knicks get to barge into the playoffs where he is projected to handle a similar role that Rajon Rondo played for the Los Angeles Lakers last season.
Mitchell Robinson, Elfrid Payton, Obi Toppin, and Alec Burks are also expected to play their respective roles as the team's supporting cast as the season progresses. As of the moment, the Knicks are still lacking in overall playoff experience as a unit which is an extremely valuable asset for any squad that is aiming for a long postseason run.
However, Tom Thibodeau and his staff have managed to lay the foundation that they will get to build upon in the years to come. Luckily for them, they are settling in a subpar Eastern Conference that was known to banner lackluster playoff squads over the years.
Having a shallow competition for the top eight spots will definitely be advantageous for the resurgent Knicks. They may not be vying for the championship just yet, but they can certainly surprise a team or two in the early stages of the postseason if they can manage to continue playing at this pace moving forward.
