Kevin Garnett's 'problem' with Knicks' Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns minutes
01/17/2025 04:45 PM
The New York Knicks are currently sitting third in the Eastern Conference, and they are being led by the strong play of Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns. It’s also hard to forget to mention the play of Josh Hart, Mikal Bridges, and OG Anunoby. Head coach Tom Thibodeau has all five players playing heavy minutes, which is no surprise when looking at his track record, but it could be detrimental to the team.
Kevin Garnett recently opened up about what he sees as the problem with the current landscape of the league and the minutes that the Knicks’ starters are playing.
"My only problem with a lot of the traditional stuff, it doesn't download the latest update. Our league is high-paced. …Scores are 130 to 140 (points). The average is 120. That is All-Star (Game) s–t. The pace of the league is the reason why we're looking at it like that," Garnett said on the Ticket & The Truth podcast.
"On top of that, no one has told Thibs – including the players. If I'm Karl-Anthony Towns or I'm (Jalen Brunson), I'm pulling Thibs in the room and I'm saying, 'Listen.' It's a players league, they can get this off. Thibs so stubborn, though, that I don't know. But it's going to have to be something. Because you can't go up against the Bostons, the Clevelands and not have a bench,” Garnett continued.
When it gets later in the season and the playoffs get close, there’s a chance that the heavy minutes could catch up to them and they’re too tired to perform at the level they need to.
Are Knicks’ starters playing too many minutes?
Tom Thibodeau has always been known for playing his starters heavy minutes and keeping them in games that have already been decided. Though the Knicks may be winning these games, in the long run, it can affect them and how they perform late in the season. Mikal Bridges is one of the players that Thibodeau plays a lot, as he’s a solid defender and can also produce on the offensive end.
The only way things can get better is if the Knicks can improve their bench, which is not in the best shape currently. It’s hard to tell what they specifically need, but another wing player may be the best for them. Mitchell Robinson is still recovering from an injury and could help Karl-Anthony Towns when he returns, and Cameron Payne has been a solid backup for Jalen Brunson.
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