What Does Tom Thibodeau Have To Do To Keep His Job?
Despite their slow start to the season, the New York Knicks have finally found their own pace in the last couple of games. Expected to be a top-three team, they now hold the fifth position in the Eastern Conference with a 12-7 record. Considering the last couple of games have been against teams with records below .500. The team is currently coming off a tough loss where they were eliminated by the Milwaukee Bucks while playing in the In-Season Tournament. While this run means a good sign of what is to come, things get tough in December. From Dec. 5-30, their next eight opponents all have records above .500, including the Milwaukee Bucks. If the Knicks can continue the trend they have going so far, it may be time to come back to the conversation of extending Tom Thibodeau for the longer term.
The next couple of games could determine the direction the team might head, so it may be interesting to see if the Knicks have found their long-term coach based on their performance.
Find A Way To Improve Against Decent Teams
It is clear the Knicks struggle against teams with better records than them. They lost seven games, including two against the Los Angeles Clippers in James Harden’s debut and a game against the Miami Heat, who blew an 18-point lead with 10 minutes left in regulation. That’s the thing about being a good basketball. It’s not just about dominating weaker teams but stronger ones as well. New York has not yet shown that they’re capable of doing that. Something has to change if the Knicks want to improve moving forward. December does not get any easier for this team. Eight of the games during that month are against teams with better records than the Knicks. With that being said, this month would be crucial for the team trying to find a way to dominate once again.
Show More Consistency With The Shooting
Not enough players have been consistent enough with their shots. One of these players is guard Quentin Grimes, who’s been struggling for most of the season. Thus far, Grimes is just averaging just 5.8 points per game. What’s even worst is that he is not making enough shot-making plays when the opportunity presents itself. He is just shooting 35.9 from the field. As the season continues, I expect improvement from him.
Josh Hart, who was acquired by the Knicks last year, hasn’t found his rhythm either. He did turned out to be a fan favorite last year because of his impact on the team. Nothing as of yet this year hasn’t been impressive. Tom Thibodeau handed him a role change, leading to that. Lately, Hart has not received a lot on the ball but has been given more time in the power forward position. Moving forward, the Knicks need to change this if they want to see more consistent shooting from their role players.
Give More Playing Time To The Young Stars
Yes, giving more playing to the young stars is crucial if the Knicks want to win games. One player who deserves more playing time is guard Immanuel Quickley. This season as of yet we haven’t seen much action much from yet. Currently, he has been coming off the bench as a 6th man role. The Knicks are much better on the court when he’s not in the bench. In addition, Quickley is just averaging 24 minutes a night. Something has to change because the Knicks can easily take off when a young talent like Quickley is on the court.
