Josh Hart (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)
In a year where the Knicks are looking to establish themselves as perennial Eastern Conference contenders, they must establish an identity that sets them apart from everyone else — a calling card that when all else fails, they can revert back to.
As this Knicks team is currently constructed, there is no other team in the East with as much consistent talent and depth that can be brought off the bench. While the stars are established, the depth on this roster is the key that can unlock a season full of success in New York.
“Our second unit has been terrific defensively,” head coach Tom Thibodeau said following the Knicks 109-91 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday. “I think the way our second unit is tied together, they had a number of good reads on pick and rolls. Situations in which they switched were very effective.”
Each team in the Eastern Conference that is widely regarded as a title contender this year has an identity. For the Bucks, it’s the dynamic duo of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard. For the Celtics, it’s stellar team defense around the star power of Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Kristaps Porzingis. For the Philadelphia 76ers, it was once reigning MVP Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey after the trade of James Harden. For the Miami Heat, it’s Jimmy Butler and the culture of excellence Pat Riley has built.
Which brings us to the Knicks. They don’t have the dynamic duo of an Antetokounmpo and Lillard. They don’t have the star power of Tatum and Brown, and they don’t have a reigning MVP or championship culture yet. What they have right now is one of the deepest and most dynamic benches in all of the NBA.
The Knicks starters currently have a 67.5 offensive rating, ranking 23rd in the early stages of the season. On the defensive side, there has been nobody better as they rank first in the league with a 64.9 rating. The second unit is able to compromise somewhere in the middle….
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