In a perfect world, Knicks head coach Mike Brown want to deal with Friday’s preseason finale towards the Charlotte Hornets as a full gown rehearsal — full with regular-season rotations and minutes.
Actuality, nevertheless, has different plans.
As Josh Hart continues ramping up from the again spasms he suffered within the preseason opener in Abu Dhabi, three extra Knicks have joined the damage listing: OG Anunoby tweaked his ankle in follow Wednesday, Karl-Anthony Cities is nursing a quad challenge, and Mitchell Robinson’s workload is being fastidiously managed after exiting early within the Oct. 9 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.
All 4 gamers are listed as day-to-day, limiting Brown’s means to gauge how effectively his group has absorbed his new offensive and defensive methods.
“We’d like to play our guys as close to normal rotation as possible,” Brown mentioned Thursday after follow in Tarrytown. “However I’m undecided who’s gonna play [against Charlotte], so it may change just a little bit. I might need sure guys begin that will not begin through the common season, relying on who’s out there. I might need guys within the second unit taking part in just a little greater than others.
“Ideally, I’d like to get the guys who are playing close to the minutes they’ll see during the regular season — and hopefully finish out the game as best we can.”
Brown stored his starters on a lightweight leash by means of the 2 Abu Dhabi video games towards the Philadelphia 76ers earlier than ramping them up into the mid-to-upper 20s towards Minnesota. None performed in Monday’s blowout loss to the Washington Wizards, and Friday’s finale was anticipated to be the ultimate tune-up earlier than the Oct. 22 opener towards the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Neither Robinson nor Hart, nevertheless, practiced Thursday. The staff labeled Robinson’s absence as “workload management,” whereas Hart — who’s battled a string of points together with a proper ring finger splint, again spasms, and sickness — continues restricted particular person work.
BROGDON RETIREMENT LEAVES ANOTHER HOLE TO FILL
Accidents aren’t the one problem Brown’s coping with this week. The Knicks are additionally adjusting to Malcolm Brogdon’s sudden retirement from basketball, introduced Wednesday after just some weeks in camp.
“I heard about it the same way you guys did,” Knicks captain Jalen Brunson mentioned Thursday. “It’s not an easy decision to make at this time. For him to do that now, it’s kudos to him — for him, it was time to move on. I’ve got a lot of respect for him. I played against him in college and in the pros, and getting to know him these past couple weeks has been a blessing. I just wish him all the best.”
Brogdon was anticipated to function Brunson’s main backup — a evident want uncovered throughout final 12 months’s Jap Convention Finals, when Indiana’s T.J. McConnell outplayed New York’s bench unit.
Now, Brown turns again to acquainted choices: Miles McBride and second-year guard Tyler Kolek. The Knicks additionally introduced in former Sixth Man of the 12 months Jordan Clarkson, although his recreation leans extra towards on the spot offense than orchestration.
“We’re in good hands. Great hands,” Brunson mentioned. “Tyler’s getting better every day. Deuce [McBride] is getting better every day. Those guys work nonstop, and when you see that, you have confidence that when their number’s called, they’ll be ready. So we’re in good hands.”
Brown, in the meantime, says the job is huge open.
“Whoever goes and grabs it,” he mentioned. “We feel like we have a deep roster. A lot of guys will have an opportunity to grab whatever minutes might’ve been there or might not have been there. We’ll figure it out at the end of the day for who’s gonna get whatever minutes are available.”
SLOW AND STEADY
Brown is overhauling the Knicks from the bottom up — each offensively and defensively — introducing a full-scale transform that may take time to good. The ideas are new, the tempo is quicker, and the reads are totally different. The rising pains are anticipated.
The Knicks, nevertheless, aren’t speeding the method. They understand it’s a marathon, not a dash, and Brunson isn’t within the enterprise of unveiling the end line.
“Where we want to be? That’s between us over there, on that side,” Brunson mentioned Thursday. “I believe for us, so long as we’re transferring ahead each step of the best way and getting higher daily, that’s the place we need to be.
“We don’t need to plateau, we don’t need to keep in a single spot — we need to proceed to get higher daily. And there are gonna be days the place we get higher and play and it takes us again, however that’s all gonna enable you progress and transfer ahead.
“I mean — we’re not where we want to be — but we’re gonna work to get there and continue to work to get there.”
