Tag: YORK

The Knicks are one of the most interesting teams to watch at the trade deadline. Will they make a move to improve their chances of winning a title? Kevin O’Connor and Knicks superfan and Uncrowned’s Ariel Helwani go deep on New York’s recent success and potential concerns in this excerpt from “The Kevin O’Connor Show,” which has been edited for length and clarity.

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Kevin: Zoom out with the Knicks, the last two months since Nov. 30. Third in offensive rating, no surprise there, everybody thought they’d have a top offense. The questions have been about defense. But over those last two months, they’re sixth in defensive rating. That’s a pretty big sample at this point.

I feel like there’s concern come postseason time with KAT as a lone center, which is why we’re having this conversation about them either getting Mitchell Robinson back or going to get another big, but they’re sixth in defensive rating for two months straight now. That’s really impressive. It speaks to Mikal Bridges getting better over the course of the year. Josh Hart, I mean, he’s not an All-Star, but maybe we should have …

Ariel: You can make a very strong case that he is one of the 24 most valuable players in the league.

Kevin: Do we have this wrong when it comes to naming All-Stars — that a Josh Hart should be an All-Star type?

Ariel: 100%. What would be wrong about that?

If you just look at who have been the most impactful and successful players this year, 24 of them, he has to be on there. … This guy’s a shooting guard really. He plays like a power forward. It’s unbelievable. The way he goes after the ball, the way he hustles, he’s been outstanding.

Kevin: It’s nuts. He does everything. He’ll screen, he passes the ball. He’s selfless, defends at a high level, sets a tone.

It’s part of what defines the character of this Knicks team, and that’s why, I mean, I get the concern with KAT at the 5, but their defense has been great for two months. They have a ton of wings to throw at the Celtics, to throw at Jayson Tatum, throw at Jaylen Brown. Guys like Hart can defend smaller. If it’s against the Cavs, Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland. He can defend Evan Mobley if necessary on a switch. The Knicks have ultimate versatility at the wing spot and it’s largely OG Anunoby, Bridges, Hart, that trio.

Ariel: Right now, how far do they go? If the team stays the same, they don’t make a deal, can they beat the Celtics?

Kevin: I think so. My concern level with Boston is increasing a little bit.

Ariel: Why?

Kevin: I know everybody’s talking about Jaylen Brown, ‘Oh, he’s taken a step back.’ That’s true. The concern has been about the way the ball is moving on offense. That’s true to an extent. It feels like they’ve moved away from what worked last season. But No. 1 to me is they’re an average 3-point shooting team percentage-wise. They had elite efficiency last year from 3, which is the bedrock of their offensive style. They take more 3s than anybody, but if they’re 15th to 20th in 3-point percentage, suddenly that style of play is not as significant of a difference-maker as it was in the past.

I worry that it’s tired legs. They played until June. Three of their guys were at the Olympics last year, not getting a true regular offseason. Two of those guys, Derrick White and Jrue Holiday, are really struggling to shoot from 3 as of late. Holiday has all season long. So with those guys collectively, I just don’t know if I’m trusting the firepower of that team as much, on top of some of those other concerns: Jaylen Brown regressing, Kristaps Porziņģis being up and down, his health, and just the overall way the ball is moving.

So the window’s open. Boston could fix it, but I don’t think they’re unbeatable by any means. And the Knicks have the weapons to make it a really deep, tough series. I think the Knicks have a shot, man. I think they’re right up there with the Cavs and the Celtics.

Ariel: Wow. You know how this makes me feel, Kevin, because other than my family, my kids, my wife, etc., I have two loves on this earth: Knicks and the Bills. And I’m still in mourning over this past Sunday’s game. … But the thought that maybe, just maybe, in June, I could maybe cross one off the list …

Last year really, really hurt. ‘Cause I thought for sure we were going to beat the Pacers, and I thought we had a chance, if we were healthy, against Boston. Of course, we didn’t have Julius Randle anymore as of January and then OG gets hurt, and Josh is hurt and Jalen’s hurt and everyone’s hurt, but I thought, at full strength, we could have given Boston a run for its money. Maybe we don’t win, and if we did win, we could have definitely given Dallas a run for their money.

So I’m just praying that this comes together. No one gets hurt. Please God, no one get hurt. And that we’re able to add someone and go on a run here. I still feel like something is missing a little bit on the bench. I’m a little bit worried about that, but as far as the starting five goes, I really, really trust these guys.

Kevin: You know, is something missing from the bench because Thibs isn’t giving the bench the chance that it needs?

Ariel: See, I don’t subscribe to this.

Kevin: They ran out of gas last year.

Ariel: Yeah, they ran out of gas, but here’s the thing. Like people complain all the time, but who do you want him to play? Like, really? Who?

Kevin: But that could happen again. Why can’t Deuce McBride play more? Why can’t they give Tyler Kolek, a rookie, a chance to see if he can figure something out and be a contributor as a young guy? Why can’t Thibs play those guys more?

Ariel: It’s not an incredibly impressive collection of players. We have to be honest. I went to the OKC game at MSG and it was so depressing. … We were in that game for six minutes, and to see the balance that they had — by the way, missing two of their best players — and to see the guys who were coming off the bench. I mean, who the hell is Isaiah Joe? I still have nightmares about Isaiah Joe.

Nevertheless, it exemplified that we don’t have that type of depth, we don’t have that type of balance. Yes, I understand, I see the stats, I see the minutes, I see the complaints. But really, you have Jalen Brunson killing it. How much time are you giving Cam Payne? Deuce McBride has been a little bit wishy-washy this year and also hurt at times for several games. So, I don’t know. I love Thibs, and not to bring this back to the Bills, but it’s the same thing with Sean McDermott. It’s like, do you remember what it was like before these guys got here? Do you remember the Derek Fisher, David Fizdale, Jeff Hornacek era? Look what Thibs has done for us. So I’m going to back that guy until the end.

Kevin: The minutes could come back to bite you. It could.

No. 1 and No. 3 in minutes, Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart. All five of their starters are in the top 30, three of them are in the top seven in minutes per game this year. I do have concerns there, man. Like, I know you’re right, why would you not play those guys as much? But, it’s the regular season. And he’s giving playoff minutes to some of these guys. That’s where my concern is with the Knicks, because I think they actually might have some more talent that’s worth investing in off the bench than Thibs is willing to give them.

Hear the full conversation on “The Kevin O’Connor Show” and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you listen.