The New York Knicks are having one of the best regular seasons in franchise history. Their 36-18 record puts them in third place in the Eastern Conference, 5.5 games ahead of the Indiana Pacers and 2.5 games back of the Boston Celtics. Despite the numbers going into the All-Star break, the Knicks still have questions revolving around their health, rotation, and record against good teams.
It has become another season of injury questions for both Mitchell Robinson and OG Anunoby. Robinson appears on track to return by the end of the month or early March. Anunoby hurt his foot against the Lakers back in early February, but the mild foot sprain diagnosis had him listed as day-to-day for the final five games before the break.
However, even if they both return the question remains if they will be able to hold up through the rest of the season and into the playoffs. In 2024, both Robinson and Anunoby suffered injuries in the playoffs that impacted the Knicks greatly.
There is no question that Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau loves his starting lineup as all five average at least 35 minutes per game (Karl Anthony Towns is at 34.9). Miles McBride and Precious Achiuwa have been the consistent bench pieces with both averaging over 20 minutes per game. Achiuwa has seen an uptick in minutes as he took over a starting spot, going from 18-19 minutes per game to almost 35 in February.
The return of Anunoby and Robinson will add depth that Thibodeau trusts, but he still has to look at his wing depth and wonder if a combination of Cameron Payne and Landry Shamet is enough to contribute valuable minutes. Newly acquired Delon Wright appeared for the first time against the Celtics and veteran journeyman TJ Warren has been impressive for the Westchester Knicks; both players can serve as experimental options for Thibs.
Heading into the All-Star break the Knicks have a record of 11-12 against teams .500 and above while holding a mark of 25-6 against teams below .500. With bad losses against The Celtics and Thunder are games that stick out when it comes to the Knicks because they were embarrassed in each contest. Against Boston, they lost both games by over 25 points, and Oklahoma City won by 10 points and then a week later ran away with a 25-point victory.
Coming out of the All-Star break the team will immediately be tested with road games against Cleveland (44-10), Boston (39-16), Memphis (36-18), Golden State (28-27), and Lakers (32-20). A good showing against those teams will give the players, coaches, and fans added confidence. The Knicks must show they can be competitive and win big games against playoff teams.
There is no question that this is one of the more talented teams in New York Knicks history, with a starting five that rivals anyone in the NBA. However, there are still questions surrounding the injuries and depth of this team. If they are able to get healthy and strengthen their depth, they will be able to play tougher against the over .500 teams and truly prepare for a deep playoff run.
Read More NBA News From Stadium Rant Here: NBA News
If you love sports, download Stadium Rant from the Apple App Store and join one of the fastest-growing social sports communities. Be sure to follow us on socials too — you can find all our profiles on our Linktree.
