BACKUPS TAKE LEADING ROLE
Knicks stay hot even as starter injuries force lineup changes
The Knicks entered Saturday’s matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers winners of the last three games in spite of the following facts: Julius Randle missed all three games after dislocating his right shoulder a week ago against the Miami Heat, and OG Anunoby missed as many games due to inflammation in his right shooting elbow.
The Knicks have also been without starting center Mitchell Robinson since Dec. 6 after he suffered a stress injury in his left ankle that required surgery. Isaiah Hartenstein has stepped up in Robinson’s absence, but even he missed a pair of games due to left Achilles tendinopathy and had to play on a minutes restriction in his first two games back before resuming his normal workload with Robinson out.
None of it matters for a Knicks team that lives the “next man up” mantra many teams spew as cliche. The Knicks won 14 games in January — something they hadn’t accomplished in 30 seasons — then started the month of February with an electrifying victory over the Indiana Pacers on the same day Jalen Brunson earned his first career All-Star nod.
With Randle and Anunoby out, it’s been Precious Achiuwa and Josh Hart stepping into the starting lineup, plus Donte DiVincenzo shouldering a larger offensive role.
DiVincenzo has scored 28, 33 and 20 points in games the duo of starting forwards have missed due to injury. Hart recorded his first career triple-double filling in, and Achiuwa has found his footing with three consecutive impactful games, including 12 points, 16 rebounds, four steals and two blocks in the victory over the Pacers.
DiVincenzo credits head coach Tom Thibodeau, who won Eastern Conference Coach of the Month of January after guiding the Knicks to a 14-2 record.
“It’s just the blueprint Thibs made for us. One guy goes down, it’s not like a whole different game plan,” he said. “Stick to the game plan. Stick to what we do. We have an identity here. Everybody knows their role. So one guy goes down it’s not like we have to change their role.
“Yeah, you have to be more aggressive. But somebody got to be aggressive when Julius and OG got down. With that you play within our system. Thibs give you the green light. As long as you’re defending and you’re playing hard, everybody wants to win games. So it doesn’t matter who has 20 tonight.”
Hart believes everyone in the NBA can compete at a high level. Thibodeau believes the same thing. If you’re blessed to have your name called on draft night — or even if you don’t, and you take an alternate route to an NBA roster — it’s because you’re one of the best in the world at the game of basketball.
“Everyone is in the NBA for a reason. So whenever your name is called, you gotta be ready, and I think we’re doing a really good job at that,” he said. “We can’t be satisfied with the success and the priorities that we’re doing, but everyone is ready, and when you stay ready, you don’t gotta get ready. So I think we’re all doing that, and obviously when those guys get back, that’s just added depth, added confidence all around.”
The key to thriving when your number is called, however, is staying ready for your moment. Few Knicks know that struggle more than Miles “Deuce” McBride.
McBride’s true opportunity didn’t come until the Knicks traded Immanuel Quickley, which opened up minutes behind Brunson at the point guard spot.
McBride called staying ready without knowing when his moment would come one of the most difficult challenges of his career. The Knicks immediately rewarded him with a three-year extension after the Quickley deal. McBride is averaging 17.8 points per 36 minutes since the Quickley trade and is shooting 45.6% both from the field and three-point range.
“I think it’s not being frustrated in the role. You have to star in your role, and whatever the team needs, I’m willing to do,” McBride said. “If it’s making shots, it means making shots. If it’s getting stops, getting a stop. I think just continuing to grow as a player is really important. You can’t take great steps and get ahead of yourself. You just have to trust the journey.”
Second- and third-stringers staying ready is a reason why the Knicks have emerged as a contender for the Eastern Conference’s second seed. The Knicks entered Saturday’s matchup against the Lakers just a half-game behind the Milwaukee Bucks, a half-game ahead of the Cleveland Cavaliers, and a full game ahead of the Philadelphia 76ers, who are expected to lose reigning MVP Joel Embiid a significant period of time due to a torn meniscus that may require surgery.
The Sixers will need someone to step up in Embiid’s absence, and if they need help, they should look no further than the Knicks, who have — according to DiVincenzo — a head coach who has laid the blueprint to getting players to step up when their number is called.
“When people go out, [you have to] have the mental toughness to be ready, to step in and get the job done,” said Thibodeau. “Everyone is capable of playing great defense. Everyone is capable of rebounding. Everyone is capable of sharing the ball. Everyone is capable of playing smart. We knew when we lost Julius that we weren’t gonna replace him individually. The same with OG, him going out. We felt the same way about Mitch. Mitch was having a terrific season for us. But Isaiah went in, did a great job. Then Jericho’s gone in, now Precious. Quentin [Grimes] goes out, Malachi [Flynn] was ready. Went in there and played well. Gave us really good minutes when he was in there.”
All she does is support her beau by attending Chiefs’ games. She doesn’t post on social; she doesn’t ask for network interviews; she doesn’t seek any extra attention. Her style is exemplary in an era where so many make it about “me.”