Knicks prove to be tough, but Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets will test their mettle
Knicks forward OG Anunoby walks down the court during the first half of an NBA game against the Bulls at Madison Square Garden on Jan. 3. Credit: Peter K. Afriyie
You don’t often see a difference, win or lose, in Tom Thibodeau during his interview sessions, but after the Knicks' late-game heroics to win in Brooklyn Tuesday night he seemed as if he’d just taken an injection of some sort of adrenaline — excited, even visibly happy.
What had him excited wasn’t just a win over the Nets, but how they did it. The Knicks overcame a middling performance, sloppy at times, by combining defense, hustle and toughness. The Knicks certainly have talent — possibly two All-Stars this season in Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle — but even with those stars toughness is a treasure for Thibodeau.
But it is one thing to use that to overcome an off night against the struggling Nets, to put together a 20-1 record this season against teams that are below .500, to not slip up against an inferior opponent. It takes something more to face the sort of test the Knicks will have Thursday night when the defending champion Denver Nuggets present their latest measuring stick.
The Knicks are certainly a different team than the one that began the season losing their first six games against the Celtics and Bucks. Since the trade for OG Anunoby, the Knicks are 10-2 and improved offensively and defensively. They have opened eyes to the possibility that this team might not be one that settles for a postseason berth, but just might be built to cause problems for any team.
But they also are without Mitchell Robinson, possibly missing Isaiah Hartenstein and facing two-time MVP Nikola Jokic.
So how do the Knicks handle this? Well, consider it a test of the Thibodeau next-man-up strategy. Jericho Sims started at center Tuesday. Precious Achiuwa has begun to acclimate to his new team after arriving with Anunoby. And maybe this is what Anunoby is here for.
“I’ve guarded Jokic before,” Anunoby said. “And yeah, I don’t know who will guard him. Maybe if Isaiah’s back — I don’t know. Jericho or Precious, but I’m ready, too.”
One thing you won’t hear is any sort of concession that the task is too much. It may be, but the Knicks won’t say it or believe it. Asked about the play of the fill-in centers Tuesday after he and Brunson had each had at least 30 points on the same night for the fifth time, Randle was effusive.
“Amazing,” Randle said. “Precious gave us big minutes. Jericho gave us big minutes. Protecting the rim. Jericho was great protecting the rim in the first half. Precious just being in the right spots, getting us extra possessions rebounding the ball. Defending guards. All that type of stuff. Gave us a lot of versatility.”
“Yeah I think the bench that came in today, it gave us a really good spark plug,” Achiuwa said. “The bench guys — myself, Josh [Hart], Miles [McBride]. That was really really huge for us today. At the end, it just came down to making those winning plays. Blocks, steals, defensive stops, rebounding. The goal of the game is to win it. We went out there and did whatever it took for us to win the game.”
What it will take Thursday against the Nuggets is something different. But taking the test to see if what the Knicks have is enough might go a long way toward deciding just how bold Leon Rose and the Knicks front office have to be heading to the Feb. 8 trade deadline.
Steve Popper covers the Knicks for Newsday. He has spent nearly three decades covering the Knicks and the NBA, along with just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.
