The New York Knicks have been one of the more inconsistent teams in the NBA to kick off the 2021-22 season. They have been a backward team thus far, as some of their stats and splits make little sense.
They are 8-7 but have a record of 3-5 at Madison Square Garden. Two of those losses at home have come against the Orlando Magic, who have only four total wins on the season. New York gets up for games against teams with winning records but cannot keep the switch turned on against teams with losing records.
It is a troubling trend, as losses to some of these teams will come back to bite them in what is shaping up to be a competitive Eastern Conference. The biggest issue that they have to figure out right now is the starting five.
New York’s entire starting lineup, Kemba Walker, Evan Fournier, RJ Barrett, Julius Randle and Mitchell Robinson, have negative splits. The team is not getting many positive results from the starting five and are being bailed out on an almost nightly basis by the second unit.
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It is a total 180 with the second unit. Everyone coming off the bench, Derrick Rose, Immanuel Quickley, Alec Burks, Obi Toppin, Nerlens Noel and Taj Gibson, all have positive splits.
Something will have to give eventually. Tom Thibodeau will have to figure something out, as things are not clicking right now. One suggestion that has been brought up is adjusting the lineups. Some people would like to see Rose inserted into the starting lineup for Kemba Walker.
While Derrick Rose has been producing at a better clip, this isn’t a change that will come any time soon, if at all. Thibodeau stuck with Elfrid Payton for the entire 2020-21 regular season as his starting point guard. If he was willing to do that, it is hard to imagine Walker getting benched any time soon.
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A change to the starting five could also disrupt what the second unit has built. Thibodeau and his staff will have to figure out how to scheme some better production for the starting five because breaking up the second unit could do more harm than good.
There is no reason for the New York Knicks to mess with that formula, as things are working extremely well for the bench mob. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. The staff has at least acknowledged the gap in production, as Derrick Rose and Quickley are playing more in crunch time than Kemba Walker and Fournier. What matters is who closes games, not starts them, and right now, it is the second unit getting the opportunity to play when it matters most.
This is something that should continue as the New York Knicks’ starting five works out the kinks. The success of the second unit is not overly surprising, as this is a group that has plenty of experience playing together.
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It is the same group of players who spent the second half of the 2020-21 regular season and postseason building chemistry. They mesh well and it shows on the court with how well things click.
The starting five does not have the same luxury, as they are acclimating two new players in Walker and Fournier, while roles are changing for Barrett and Randle as well. It is frustrating to see the same lapses occurring but some patience needs to be shown as they grow and build chemistry.
