New York Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau had a chance to address the methodology he employs as to why his top players log heavy minutes on a nightly basis.
Knicks’ Tom Thibodeau gives players what they can handle
Per Posting and Toasting’s Antonio Losada, after the Knicks got waxed 142-105 by the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday night, Thibodeau said this about his star’s heavy workloads:
“If you look at Jalen [Brunson] and [Karl-Anthony Towns], their minutes are what other the main players are. The wings are different. OG [Anunoby] is at 36 [minutes]. Mikal [Bridges] is the highest, and Josh [Hart’s] are high as well. Both of those guys can handle minutes, and they want the minutes,” Thibodeau remarked.
“If they can handle the minutes, give it to them. If they can’t, cut it back.”
Knicks core may need to bear heavy minutes to win a title
Though no Knicks player saw more than 29 minutes against the Cavaliers, their main guys may not have the luxury of scaling back on court time. The Knicks still field the lowest-scoring bench in the entire NBA at 21.5 points per game.
Further, they have not thrived against the top championship contenders this season. New York is 0-2 against the Eastern Conference’s No. 1 seed in Cleveland, and 0-2 against the No. 2-seeded Boston Celtics, who they play on Sunday at 1 PM ET. The Knicks have a 2-1 advantage against the Indiana Pacers, who beat them in last season’s Eastern Conference Semifinals. As for our West though, the ball club is also 0-2 against the No. 1-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder.
Mitchell Robinson’s return to the lineup may allow All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns, Precious Achiuwa, and Anunoby to get additional rest. Nevertheless, their high-scoring wings may need to take on even more to counterbalance their lackluster second unit as the postseason draws near. So long as they can still handle what coach Thibodeau throws their way, they’ll likely continue to be atop the league’s leaderboard in minutes.