Tom Thibodeau was supposed to make a difference as Knicks coach. But even the most die-hard Knicks fans couldn’t have imagined this.
With just 17 games remaining in the regular season — typically the time when this franchise’s focus turns to the NBA draft — the Knicks find themselves in the middle of the playoff race. They were in eighth place in the Eastern Conference and just two games in the loss column out of fourth entering Tuesday. While some of that can be attributed to Julius Randle’s breakout All-Star season, the strides RJ Barrett has made in his second year and the quality production Thibodeau has gotten from so many different players, it is defense that has carried this team to a game above .500 entering the home stretch.
“They’re a great defensive team. [Tom’s] got some really tough veteran guys leading the way and they’re an outstanding defensive team and an extremely competitive group, and [they have] a lot of guys who have been through the battles and those guys are bringing along some of the young they have,” Pelicans coach Stan Van Gundy said ahead of Wednesday’s matchup with the Knicks in New Orleans. “Tom has done his usual spectacular job in terms of raising the competitive level of his team.”
That has made up for a lack of talent, and has helped the Knicks not fall off despite the loss of shot-blocking menace Mitchell Robinson. The Knicks had the third-best defensive rating in the NBA at 107.4 entering Tuesday. Only the Lakers (105.6) and 76ers (106.4), both top championship contenders, were better. Quality teams such as the Jazz, Suns and Heat were right behind the Knicks.
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The Knicks were allowing the fewest points per game in the league at 104.2, a full 1.7 points fewer than the Lakers (105.9). Thibodeau’s team was also No. 1 in defensive field-goal percentage (44.1) and 3-point percentage (33.8).
The Knicks have shown an uncanny ability to respond to adversity, and not let a mini skid swoon into anything else. Their current stretch of three straight victories after losing five of six games is a perfect example.
“There’s ups and downs in the season, you have to keep going,” Thibodeau said. “If you get knocked down you dust yourself off, get up and come back with more fight and grit. That’s what this team has — it has a togetherness and a belief that we can get it done.”
Right there is Elfrid Payton, the at-times maligned point guard. Thibodeau has raved about Payton, who is averaging 14.3 points and just 1.0 turnovers during the three-game winning streak, calling his play “terrific” after Monday’s win over the Lakers. Payton has been particularly valuable on the defensive end.
“Downhill, in the paint, ball pressure, making tough plays, he gives us a physicality, allows us to do more switching than we normally would because of the size and toughness that he has,” Thibodeau said. “He’s an important part of this team.”