Total Minutes Doesn’t Equal Greatness

For a break from your usual scheduled the greatest sport on earth, let's talk about what is one of the most perplexing situations in the NBA. The Knicks have it all - talent, grit, coaching, and the will to win. For a group of the most gifted athletes in the world, to have those traits should mean that they are one of the best teams around. And they are. So why are they losing so many games? While they are in peak physical condition, their bodies are failing them during games; especially in the 4th quarter, when it’s most crucial to perform. NBA games are extremely tiring, which is why it’s so important for players to spend time on the bench in order to regain stamina and recover during games. When even a single player is playing too many minutes, it can impact their performance and affect the whole team. Well, the Knicks’ own Mikal Bridges, the man who hasn’t missed a single game due injury or any other reason since high school, is currently #1 in number of minutes played in the entire NBA. While that alone could negatively affect the team down the stretch, what’s most worrying is that he isn’t alone on that list. #2 is Josh Hart, and #3 is OG Anunoby. The top three players in the NBA in total minutes played are all Knicks. This is really hurting the Knicks lately, as their play is really falling apart towards the tail end of games. Normally when the team isn’t playing up to their standards, their captain Jalen Brunson will take over and score them a win. But that hasn’t been happened much lately, as he also looks incredibly tired at the end of games; and he is #5 on that list. The Knicks have 4 out of the top 5 players on the minutes played list, meaning nearly their entire starting lineup is playing more than nearly the whole NBA. Tom Thibodeax is a Coach of the Year recipient and an incredible defensive-minded coach, but he also has his flaws. He doesn’t trust new players easily, and this shows in how much he’s playing his stars. Is there a lot of basketball left? Sure. But if these players keep playing this much, they’re going to get hurt (and some already have) going into the later parts of the year and into the playoffs. While this team is certainly talented enough to win the championship, their postseason runs have ended each of the last two years due to the players losing too much energy while playing the best teams. If the Knicks’ bench was awful, this might have reason. But Miles McBride, Precious Achiuwa and Cam Payne have been playing solid for them, as has the rookies in Tyler Kolek and Ariel Hukporti. With a proven player in Mitchell Robinson returning from injury to make his season debut in the coming weeks, hopefully alleviating some of the minutes the starters have to play. As a Knicks fan, I desperately want to see them succeed, but I fear this season will play out like the previous ones if Thibodeax doesn’t make a change.