Not much changed with the New York Knicks due to the trade deadline, as moving Jericho Sims to the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for Delon Wright was their only move before the deadline on Thursday. There have been concerns about their bench, in particular, all season long, as they are dead last in bench points per game and have dealt with many injuries.
Tom Thibodeau is not worried about Knicks’ depth
However, Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau is not concerned about his team’s roster moving forward even after a relatively silent deadline.
“We like our team a lot, were excited about [Mitchell Robinson returning] – but we also feel that Ariel and Precious have done a good job,” Thibodeau said (h/t SNY).
The main areas that the Knicks were potentially looking to address were the frontcourt spots in the second unit. They haven’t had a true backup wing all season as their bench consists of three guards, and Mitchell Robinson not playing so far this season has given them very little size off the bench.
Key guys have stepped up for the Knicks
However, Robinson is getting very close to his long-awaited return, and Precious Achiuwa has done a strong job of protecting the paint in his absence. With OG Anunoby missing the past two games with a foot sprain, Ariel Hukporti has seen some increased playing time as the backup big and has impressed well with his defense.
The Knicks still have a bit of a depth problem, particularly in scoring off the bench, but clearly, the organization is not too concerned about it given their success. The team has won seven of their last eight games and has a 34-17 record and is third in the Eastern Conference standings.
New York will have a big test coming up, as they take on the Boston Celtics on Saturday for the first time since Opening Night. The Celtics crushed the Knicks that night and hit 29 three-pointers, one shy of setting a new NBA record for most threes made in a single game.