Knicks take positive outlook into challenging stretch drive
New York Knicks guard Josh Hart against the Brooklyn Nets at Madison Square Garden on Feb. 13, 2023. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
When the Knicks departed for the All-Star break, some bound for Salt Lake City and their scheduled appearances at the NBA’s All-Star showcase, most headed to beaches and a breather, but coach Tom Thibodeau had other plans.
“I’ll be at Club Tarrytown,” Thibodeau said after the Knicks finished off the final game before the break with their third consecutive win. Not exactly Club Med or any tropical locale, Thibodeau was referring to the team’s training facility where he would spend his time, studying how the Knicks had managed to get to this point.
The Knicks departed with a 33-27 record, good enough for sixth place in the Eastern Conference playoff race and now Thibodeau was plotting a path to the finish line for when his players return Wednesday morning.
If they had an opportunity to relax, that would end when they came back with 22 games remaining. No matter how good the vibes are — which to a man they insisted they are before heading out — the task is not easy.
The Knicks have the eighth-toughest remaining schedule according to tankathon.com, with 12 of their 22 games on the road. But figuring out the Knicks hasn’t been easy as they are 17-12 on the road, tied with the Milwaukee Bucks for the second-best road mark behind only the Boston Celtics.
The Knicks are one-half game ahead of the Miami Heat, who are adding Kevin Love to their roster and are getting healthier. They are two games behind the Nets, who have revamped their roster,.
The Knicks' only addition at the trade deadline was Josh Hart, a backup wing, but they are 3-0 since the deal. He has already become something of a folk hero at Madison Square Garden, providing the defense, rebounding, hustle and unexpected scoring that the team needed. His arrival has taken some pressure off Quentin Grimes, who has had to handle the toughest defensive assignment nearly every night, but the second-year wing starred at All-Star Weekend’s Rising Stars Challenge. And both of them may take pressure off RJ Barrett.
“I think we’ve steadily improved, but we know there’s a long way to go, and the challenge will become greater after the break,” Thibodeau said. “So, we can’t feel too good about ourselves . . . We have to keep building. And if we keep the focus on the right place, good things are gonna happen.”
The Knicks have relied on Julius Randle, their lone representative in the All-Star Game, and Jalen Brunson, who had a solid case to be there. But the most important addition may be coming soon with Mitchell Robinson expected back shortly from the fractured right thumb that has sidelined him for 14 games so far. The Knicks managed an 8-6 record in his absence, but the defense that was among the league’s best before his injury has struggled without him.
There is no return date for Robinson despite his constant hints on social media. The Knicks have said that he still needs to go through contact drills in practice ahead of Friday’s return to action in Washington.
When Barrett was asked about the mood of the team before the break, he asked what the reporters thought. When told, “Optimistic,” he said, “There you go. So that’s how we feel. But just knowing there’s still, what, 22 games left, anything can happen. So we’ve got to stay the course.”
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.
