It's been a role reversal for Knicks, Golden State
Tom Thibodeau the head coach of the New York Knicks against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on December 18, 2022. Credit: Getty Images/Andy Lyons
It was a strange meeting Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden, the Knicks returning home as the hottest team in the NBA. And Golden State arrived battered, missing two starters and stars, hopeful that a one-game winning streak was a positive sign that things are turning fof them.
But it was more than just that. The Knicks entered the night not only with a seven-game winning streak, but six straight wins on the road, where they had a 10-6 record, second-best in the NBA. But at home the Knicks were just 7-7 — only four teams in the NBA entering the night with fewer home wins. And Golden State was a league-worst 3-14 on the road this season.
Perhaps more telling than any location numbers, although the absence of Steph Curry and his annual quest to create memorable scoring performances at the Garden certainly helped, was that the Knicks have become a defensive power during the winning streak while the defending champions have struggled to maintain their identity on that end of the floor.
“They’re defending really well,” Golden State coach Steve Kerr said. “And they’re getting stops. And it seems like they’re shooting better. [Julius] Randle and [RJ] Barrett are shooting the ball a lot better than the first time we saw them a month or so ago. So they’re in a good place on a good run.”
“Well, I think to win, it’s your defense, your rebounding and keeping your turnovers down,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said Sunday. “That puts you in position to win. And if we keep doing what we’re doing offensively — we’re creating rhythm for each other — we’re going to score plenty of points. So we have to understand what goes into winning and then how you win. Each game is different. Like, win streaks don’t mean anything. This game won’t mean anything in our next game. You’ve got to start all over, put the work into preparation and then when the ball goes up, be ready to go.”
For Golden State, that just hasn’t flowed the way it has in previous years. There is still plenty of scoring, even with Curry and Andrew Wiggins sidelined with injuries. But the defense, spearheaded by Draymond Green, that has been a constant through Golden State’s championship runs has just been lacking.
“We’ve been much better over the last month,” Kerr said. “I think we’re top-10 in defense over the last month. Last year we were second. It’s a different team. Personnel is different. So we have to adapt to that. And we’re a year older and all that. But I think when we’re healthy and focused and locked in, we can be an excellent defensive team.
“I think it’s a natural – last year we came in and we hadn’t made the playoffs in two years. We couldn’t wait to show everybody we were still here. We started out 18-2, No. 1 defense in the league. You win the championship and there’s just a natural human nature dropoff. You’re just not on edge. Combine that with other factors – injuries and stuff – it’s just we haven’t gotten there yet. I’m pleased with the effort, I’m pleased with the attitude of the guys. They’re in a good place, good spirits. I like this team. I like where we’re headed. We just have to get through the rough patches.”
It’s the same approach that Thibodeau took earlier this season with the Knicks — when it wasn’t just wins and losses, but even jobs on the line.
“You approach it the same way every day,” Thibodeau said. “You don’t change. You have to understand what goes into winning. Stay with your routine. Don’t get distracted. Stay focused.”
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.
