Throughout his career, New York Knicks head coach, Tom Thibodeau, has earned a reputation for keeping a short rotation and asking his players to sustain a heavy workload. The narrative is that, if you’re part of Thibodeau’s starting five, you can expect to play north of 30 minutes per night when healthy.
Quentin Grimes spent multiple seasons under Thibodeau during their time together on the Knicks. As such, Grimes is well positioned to discussed the veteran coaches minutes distribution.
During a recent pre-game discussion with Sam DiGiovanni of ClutchPoints, Grimes opened up on his experience playing within a Thibodeau system and the narratives surrounding his minutes distribution.
“It is definitely true,” Grimes said. “Like, trust me, nobody’s complaining when you playing 38, 40 minutes of a game, especially when I was,” Grimes said. “It definitely takes a toll on you, but you’re not complaining ’cause you know that he trusts you to go out there and play those minutes. So it’s definitely kind of a thing, a respect factor that he trusts you to go out there and try to get the job done no matter how long you’re out there playing.”
Grimes was traded to the Detroit Pistons midway through the 2023-24 season. He signed with the Dallas Mavericks during the summer, but is now suiting up for the Philadelphia 76ers. His experiences around the NBA have begun to pay dividends, as he’s been impressing for Nick Nurse’s team.
Mitchell Robinson Closing In on Knicks Return
The Knicks have been short-handed at the center position this season. Mitchell Robinson has been recovering from ankle surgery. The 7-foot rim-runner’s rim protection has been sorely missed. Fortunately for the Knicks, Robinson is reportedly closing in on his season debut.
“Mitchell Robinson is closing on his season debut,” Charania said via ESPN’s NBA Countdown. “Sources tell me his goal is to make his return to the lineup at some point over the next week. He’s completed multiple full scrimmages over the last several days…The Knicks and Robinson will make a determination on when that target could be…He’s expected to be an anchor for the Knicks defense alongside Karl-Anthony Towns.”
New York is 0-7 against the top three teams in the NBA. Robinson’s size and athleticism could make a legitimate difference moving forward. He’s likely to partner Karl-Anthony Towns in a double-big lineup. Furthermore, he’s a fresh body for Thibodeau to throw minutes at as we approach the playoffs.
Knicks Branded ‘Inferior’ Following Recent Losses
The Knicks have suffered heavy defeats against the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics since returning from the All-Star break. Both of those teams are direct competition in the Eastern Conference.
According to Stephen A. Smith, who was speaking on a recent episode of NBA Countdown, the Knicks are an inferior team to their two conference counterparts.
“I’m depressed… The New York Knicks got their a** kicked… What they have shown us is now 0-6 against the likes of Cleveland, OKC, and Boston. Is that they are an inferior team to the upper echelon of the NBA. They are good enough to keep it interesting… This is not a team that is going to knock off one of those dudes in order to win a championship… When I see a butt whipping like I saw tonight, I’m very depressed. Three hours of my life that I can never get back… The Knicks made me want to throw up.”
It would be unfair to claim that Thibodeau’s minutes management is to blame for the Knicks struggles. He’s gotten the best out of his roster for the duration of his tenure with the franchise. However, he may need to adjust his approach if he wants to keep his core rotation healthy for future postseason runs.
After all, if the Knicks are aiming for a championship, they must be fit enough and fresh enough to sustain the additional games and physical playstyle.
