The New York Knicks have their preseason opener Tuesday night against the Brooklyn Nets. Here is what you can expect from them setting the tone for the 2017-18 regular season.
It is time to buckle in for yet another expected roller-coaster season to endure as a New York Knicks fan. One thing can be said that contrasts from recent years, there is now at least a sense of calm and focus. Without a head-case in the front office compared to recent years, and the gift-wrapped media frenzy that Carmelo Anthony attracted, New York can return to just basketball things.
What a breathe of fresh air that can be when you truly think of the lack of distractions available to kick off the preseason. We can now put Kristaps Porzingis under the microscope and further evaluate the possibility in question: Can he be the leader New York needs?
We can also rely on the fact we will see Frank Ntilikina used properly without a superstar on the court like Anthony being the priority scorer.
There are many possibilities of who will be in what rotation at the beginning of the regular season, but we will see the effectiveness of the Knicks’ depth for the first time on Tuesday night.
How will the 3-spot shake out
We will get a chance to see how for real Michael Beasley is about his own career and success of those around him. He should not be expected to be in the starting lineup, but will get plenty of minutes. For sure, there will certainly be a noticeable absence of who will be a “go-to” player with a clutch shot needed. Recently I gave the Knicks a generous thumbs up on their season series matchup against the Brooklyn Nets, but this was prior to Anthony being traded.
However, the Knicks are still the better team all around as far as talent, potential and depth.
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DeMarre Carroll is likely to waste no time in this opener as he is trying to prove his worth after a result of a contract dump. The most resistance the Knicks will face, if any at all, will come from Carroll and Allen Crabbe.
Courtney Lee is capable of filling the 3-spot with Tim Hardaway Jr. almost certainly set to be the starter at the 2. Michael Beasley should see his fair opportunity there, but Lee presents better leadership in the present moment.
Otherwise, Mindaugas Kuzminskas looked excellent during EuroLeague, we’ll get to see some Doug McDermott, and many of the forwards on this team can be considered versatile players at the 3 and 4. This is where the Knicks can show despite the absence of their prior star, they can move on just fine.
The New York Knicks will also likely keep a close eye on Lance Thomas as he is now a third-year veteran wing on the team with much to prove offensively.
The first look at the rookie
It should be doubtful to see Frank Ntilikina get the start at the 1 during the preseason opener; my prediction is Ramon Sessions. Everyone wants to see the rookie though, and by the final buzzer Ntilikina should see at least 15-20 minutes on the court.
A weak cast in Brooklyn is a great way to ease Ntilikina into his first preseason game and pressures. The rotations here are still going to be of several varieties. Ron Baker saw some time at the 1 last year, and the Knicks will also have a good look at Jarrett Jack, who is determined to make the roster.
While nothing great should be expected out of any of these players Tuesday night, the biggest thing to look for should be movement off the ball and overall team chemistry. It is unclear how much the Knicks will continue to rely on a triangle oriented offense let alone what their primary scheme will be.
In any case, the mystery concerning the talent of the drafted Frenchman is likely to bring the most entertaining moments of the night.
Final thoughts on big man competition
The competition for the starting position at the 5 is apparently wide open, according to a report from Marc Berman of the New York Post. With another big man on the roster as a result of dealing Anthony, the Knicks now add Enes Kanter to their list of bigs. It feels like Willy Hernangomez gives the Knicks the best chance of winning on any given night among the rest of the big men.
But that certainly leaves a whole lot of money sitting on the bench, especially with Joakim Noah.
Kyle O’Quinn deserves more minutes as a result of his play over recent seasons, so it presents a difficult situation managing minutes among four different bigs. It would not be a surprise to see have O’Quinn the most impressive night among Noah, Hernangomez and Kanter against the Nets.
Kristaps Porzingis has suffered a bruised knee injury and the Knicks would do best in giving their unicorn a rest for this preseason opener. We already know where Porzingis fits in the lineup, and this game should be regarded as the first test run of what can work and who plays well with what group.
Next: Top 10 candidates for the 2017-18 NBA Sixth Man of the Year
The preseason opener against the Brooklyn Nets will kickoff the new time of New York Knicks basketball in the post-Carmelo Anthony era.