The Knicks traded a first-round draft decide greater than two weeks in the past for Cam Reddish, however the former lottery choice largely has remained exterior coach Tom Thibodeau’s enjoying rotation since his arrival from Atlanta.
Reddish didn’t get off the bench once more within the loss Friday evening at Milwaukee, and regardless of six losses over the previous seven video games, Thibodeau indicated that he isn’t more likely to alter his present 10-man rotation with out an damage or additional trades.
“The whole lot was mentioned. We like who he's. We just like the expertise,” Thibodeau stated when requested about Reddish following the sport Friday. “And proper now — it’s a protracted season. We knew we traded somebody who wasn’t within the rotation, so you may’t preserve including to it with out taking somebody out. We are able to have accidents, so simply need to be affected person and work our means by it.”
The Knicks’ entrance workplace packaged little-used former lottery decide Kevin Knox and Charlotte’s protected 2022 first-round choice on Jan. 13 for Reddish, who was a teammate of RJ Barrett’s at Duke and was the No. 10-overall choice in 2019.
Reddish was unavailable for his first 4 video games with the Knicks resulting from an ankle damage, however he solely has appeared in two of the workforce’s 4 video games since, totaling eight factors in quarter-hour. Ten of these minutes got here within the fourth quarter of the blowout loss Wednesday at Miami.
Rookie guard Quentin Grimes has grow to be a fixture within the rotation, particularly since veteran Derrick Rose underwent ankle surgical procedure in December.
The Knicks might open up enjoying time on the wing for Reddish or others forward of the Feb. 10 commerce deadline by doubtlessly dealing a veteran guard or wing participant, resembling Alec Burks, Evan Fournier or Kemba Walker, who already was benched for a nine-game stretch earlier this season.
Within the meantime, nonetheless, Thibodeau caught along with his beleaguered beginning unit and his common rotation — with out utilizing Reddish — Friday evening towards the Bucks.
Slumping 2021 All-Star Julius Randle was held to single digits (9 factors) for the third time in 13 January video games, however Fournier completed with 25 factors and Barrett netted 23 within the loss to Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks. The Knicks have been inside two factors of the defending NBA champions early within the fourth quarter earlier than shedding by 15.
“I assumed they performed with good power,” Thibodeau stated of his beginning 5. “I didn’t like our protection in [allowing 39 points in] the primary quarter. I assumed we gave up too many factors, and primarily it was off our turnovers. We put them into the open ground.
“After which I assumed as soon as we settled down, we received going fairly good. The second and third quarter, I assumed we performed rather well. After which the fourth quarter, we didn’t play the way in which we would have liked to play.”
Barrett additionally noticed extra cohesiveness inside the beginning unit Friday evening following a disastrous efficiency two nights earlier towards the Warmth.
“I feel we have been enjoying for one another, shifting the ball and enjoying for one another,” Barrett stated. “Getting the pictures that we wish, the pictures that we work on. It was undoubtedly good to see us going on the market and enjoying properly collectively.
“Simply repeatedly [have to] make the straightforward play, the straightforward play to assist a teammate out. And once we’re open, we've to make our pictures.”
Fournier added that a sturdy begin within the first quarter “is all the time essential,” but it surely must occur extra constantly at each ends of the ground.
“Our offense was good, however 39 factors [allowed] within the first quarter is means an excessive amount of,” Fournier stated. “While you attempt to analyze a recreation, it’s completely different each time.
“I assumed we had a great tempo [Friday night]. I assumed we shared the ball. I assumed we performed the proper means, for probably the most half. On that [offensive] finish, it was fantastic. It was actually getting again in transition and making an attempt to play higher protection.”
Post a Comment