Tom Thibodeau knows East is loaded but likes Knicks' chances
Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau answers questions during Media Day on Oct. 2 at the team's training facility in Tarrytown, N.Y. Credit: Errol Anderson
As they began their preseason schedule, the Knicks got their first look at the restructured Boston Celtics on Monday night at Madison Square Garden. But with the regular-season rules for resting players not in effect, it was in street clothes, with most of the Celtics’ roster sitting out on the second night of a back-to-back.
Still, there was no need to face Boston to know that the additions of Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday make an already powerful roster even more dynamic. Just not on this night, with both sitting out along with Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Derrick White and Al Horford.
The Knicks started the game with their regular five but gave Julius Randle, Jalen Brunson and RJ Barrett the second half off, managing a 114-107 win in a game in which fans needed a scorecard to name the Celtics’ starters.
Immanuel Quickley led the Knicks with 21 points in 23 minutes off the bench. Brunson had 10 points in 5 1⁄2 minutes and never got in the game again.
“They were already a great team, so when you add a player like Porzingis and Holiday, you’re adding to a team that’s already very talented,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said before the game. “And so that’ll be the next challenge for us, but I feel like the East is loaded.
“And the obvious is when you look at a Boston and you look at what Milwaukee did, but if you’re not paying attention to all the other teams and what they’ve added, you’re overlooking people, and you can’t do that. I think you underestimate people in this league, and particularly there are a lot of subtleties to the way people were added.
“Everyone talks about Miami, but Miami gets [Tyler] Herro back and they get Josh Richardson, people are overlooking that. They’re loaded. And then you go down the list.”
The Knicks made almost no change to their roster, modifying their nine-man rotation only with the arrival of Donte DiVincenzo and the departure of Obi Toppin. Even the players filling out the rest of the roster might be the same — Jericho Sims, Deuce McBride and at least for now, Evan Fournier.
Thibodeau was asked if the Knicks ever came close to a trade involving the names that were openly shopped during the summer, including ones that moved such as Holiday and Damian Lillard and ones that haven’t been dealt such as James Harden.
“That would be a Leon question,” Thibodeau said, referring to team president Leon Rose. “You’re always looking, and Leon and his staff, if something makes sense that can make the team better, you’re going to do it.
“We like our team a lot. We’re young and we’re going to get better. But if an opportunity comes along that makes sense, we’ll take a good, hard look at it.”
Brunson watched as the Celtics made the move for Holiday just before training camp — providing a nice fit for the hole vacated by the trade of Marcus Smart. “That’s a big get,” Brunson said. “He’s obviously a great player, and the things he’s able to do on both sides of the ball is going to help them as a team. He’s a great guy. Over the years getting to know him, playing against him. He’s a guy in this league that everyone has great things to say about him. So as a teammate, as a competitor, Boston got a really big piece, and so that’s something we have to look at.”
Notes & quotes: Josh Hart and Ryan Arcidiacono were held out for what Thibodeau said was maintenance.
Steve Popper covers the Knicks for Newsday. He has spent nearly three decades covering the Knicks and the NBA, along with just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.
