DEPTH P E R C E P T ION
New York added to its rotation, but come playoff time that might not matter as much as its stars
IN FEBRUARY, when the dust settled on the NBA’S trade season, the Knicks were widely hailed among the winners. Leon Rose—the most reasonable top exec to run New York’s front office in decades—beefed up the rotation with OG Anunoby, Bojan Bogdanović and Alec Burks. The acquisition of a sturdy wing and a pair of shooters surely positioned the Knicks as contenders for their first conference finals since 2000.
Or did it? Depth is useful in an 82-game regular season, but in the playoffs, when rotations tighten, top-end talent often matters more. Jalen Brunson solidified himself as one this season, making his first All-star team in his second year in New York. But while Brunson was a workhorse for Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau last postseason (40.3 minutes per game), his efficiency numbers dipped, particularly from the three-point line.
Brunson, a 41.6% threepoint shooter in the regular season, dropped to 32.5%.
It’s not the first time the Knicks have seen this. In 2020–21, Julius Randle averaged 24.1 points on 45.6% shooting. In the playoffs: 18.0 points on 29.8% shooting. The 6' 8" forward made the All-star team last season, racking up a career-best 25.1 points per game. Again, the postseason was a disaster, with Randle averaging 16.6 points and connecting on 25.8% of his threes. In a Game 5 against Miami, in which the Knicks were eliminated, Randle was 3-for-14 from the floor.
Following the trades, Thibodeau highlighted the versatility of the new additions. The defense of Anunoby. The wings’ interchangeability. “We like the experience those guys bring to the team,” he said. Indeed, when the playoffs begin there will a bench deep with players for Thibodeau to call on. Really, though, it all starts at the top.