CHICAGO — If it is not a minutes distribution downside, it is a depth downside.
And regardless, the issue was on full show Friday night time in Oklahoma Metropolis — not simply because the Knicks had been overwhelmed down the stretch, however due to the stark distinction with the opponent.
The Thunder, the most popular staff within the NBA, went 10 deep with their rotation and the bench scored 44 factors.
The Knicks, in the meantime, solely used eight gamers and managed simply 5 factors from their reserves.
Each Knicks starter spent not less than 40 minutes within the recreation. 117-107 defeat in opposition to the Thunder – the primary time this has occurred for the franchise within the common season since 2013.
When coach Tom Thibodeau noticed his lead shrink from eight factors to 2, he referred to as a timeout three minutes into the fourth quarter, reinserted the starters and rode them the remainder of the sport.
“Clearly we had an eight-point lead going into the fourth recreation. And we all know that the depth of the fourth quarter is completely different. And we have to be prepared for that. And we didn’t get it performed tonight,” Thibodeau mentioned. “And our bench is succesful, greater than succesful. And our starters are greater than competent. So we win collectively, we lose collectively. After which we simply should refocus and repair what we have to repair.
A lot of that is predictable and well-documented.
The Knicks exhausted so many sources constructing an elite beginning lineup that they discovered themselves cobbling collectively a bench comprised of second-round rookies, Treasured Achiuwa’s Chook Rights and nil cap area.
The benefit is that the starters produce even higher than anticipated, accelerating their cohesion by spending a lot time collectively on the sphere.
No different five-man lineup within the NBA even comes near the minutes of the Knicks’ starters.
Additionally they personal a web score of plus-5.5.
The draw back is that the Knicks aren’t constructed to resist accidents – because the hamstring tendon in Miles McBride that stored him out of Friday’s loss.
Thibodeau’s detractors, armed with stopwatches to measure enjoying time, can level to 4 Knicks within the prime 6 in complete minutes within the NBA.
However the actuality is that the Knicks’ unused gamers Friday night time had been two second-round picks (Tyler Kolek and Jericho Sims), a season journeyman (Matt Ryan) and an undrafted signee (Jacob Toppin).
Thunder middle Isaiah Hartenstein was on each ends of Friday’s showdown.
He needed to dispel the notion that Thibodeau was overloading his gamers.
“Lots of people assume that with Thibs, we practice on daily basis. You do not do this. More often than not, particularly in case you play so much, you are taking your time more often than not,” Hartenstein mentioned. “So I feel he’s altering in that regard.
“Yeah, he’s going to play in opposition to you a large number in video games. However you are going to have your days off. [Thunder coach Mark Daigneault] is completely different on this regard. However we even have a deeper staff. So he has the posh of enjoying in opposition to 10 guys.
The impression of drained legs is tough to quantify and there are different the explanation why the Knicks misplaced to the Thunder. The obvious is that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is a real MVP candidate and has separated them.
Another excuse is that they gave up on Karl-Anthony Cities within the fourth quarter — he took simply two photographs — as Jalen Brunson pressured the problem and dedicated two expensive turnovers.
But in addition, the Thunder had been deeper than the Knicks and more energizing throughout the board.
That is the one draw back you’ll be able to guess they will be in for extra matchups this season in opposition to the highest groups.
Not that gamers will complain in regards to the load.
“On the finish of the day, it would not matter. Within the fourth quarter, you need to go on the market and win the sport,” Josh Hart mentioned after his OKC-record 44 minutes. “At this stage it is simply the competitiveness and the adrenaline that pushes you thru, so I’ve at all times mentioned I need to be on the market as a lot as doable. At this level we’d like to verify we execute.
