22 games into the regular season, the Knicks sit at a 10-12 record, currently in the 10th seed in the Eastern Conference. The Knicks have been unable to close out close games down the later stretches of games and that is why they have a below .500 record.
From last year, I think that the roster has definitely improved, but obviously it isn't perfect and needs some changes. I don't have the same mindset on Julius Randle as I did to start the season as he has totally revamped his game from a selfish player to a very unselfish player who is making minimal turnovers as of late.
The number one thing that I believe the Knicks have to take care of is getting rid of Evan Fournier. To some, he is the Knicks best shooter, but in reality sure he can shoot the ball at a high percentage, but he doesn't bring any defense to the game and he is totally not worth the money the Knicks are currently paying him. Now this also makes it harder for other teams to take him on that although he is a game changer on offense, is he really worth that $19 million per year? At the end of the day, he is not and that is the reason why he is finding himself on the bench with no playing time.
Other guys such as Cam Reddish, Quentin Grimes, and even Miles McBride deserve minutes over him which makes Fournier rotation spot non-existent proving that he needs a new home at the end of the day. Even if it's just for a second-round pick, the Knicks need to explore their options with Evan Fournier as he has totally lost his spot on the team and needs to find a new home.
The team as a whole has been clicking on the offensive end as they are in the top 10 in scoring per game in the NBA, but the thing they lack the most is defense which is in the bottom of the league. Sure, you would think that the Knicks would be winning more games with the offense they have, but the defense is totally just killing them and making them unable to close out close games. You can't give up 145 points to the Thunder at the Garden and expect to win.
The part of the team that I have been really satisfied about is the point guard play from Jalen Brunson. Brunson has been a star since he put on the Knick uniform and has taken the ball out of Randle's hands as the main ball handler. He rarely turns the ball over, is a great shooter, and a great leader to lead this Knicks squad. I've really liked how Jalen Brunson has been performing this season and if he keeps it up, who knows maybe he might find himself an All-Star team.
Adding onto a part of the Knicks which has been very beneficial for them is the play of the big guys. Mitch Robinson, Isiah Hartenstein, and Jericho Sims have stepped up this year and are one of the best trios of centers in the league in my opinion. To have a guy like Sims, who is not guaranteed he will play every game, to come off the bench and play is a luxury as he has matured a lot since his rookie season.
Hartenstein was a great addition and for the price the Knicks paid, it looks like they got a bargain. Another guy who got paid in the offseason, Mitchell Robinson, has been great when he doesn't find himself in foul trouble. Looking at last game, taking on the league's best, Giannis Antetokounmpo, he didn't find himself in foul trouble and put up one of his best stat lines with 15 points and 20 rebounds. That's the key for Mitch, as long as he does not get into foul trouble, he will benefit this team very much in the long run.
Finally, the last guy I want to talk about is RJ Barrett. RJ has been widely spoken about in the media for his poor play to start off the season, and it's definitely true. He has been a terrible shooter and Clyde Frazier said it best last night when he brought up that as RJ gets closer to the hoop, he shoots the ball worse.
RJ is already in his 4th year in the NBA and in those first three years, he always got off to a slow start, so I have no doubt RJ will pick it up as he has shown some sparks in glimpses in the previous couple games.
The Knicks need to start winning games against teams who come in as better teams. They have come close to doing so in the last couple games like last night against the Bucks and a couple of nights ago against the Trail Blazers. They can't go 82 games and expect to play a team like the Pistons every night and think they are going to be a top 10 seed in the East. It's only 22 games in, so hopefully the Knicks will pick up the slack and have a better stretch coming up.
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