The Knicks have been the best team in the NBA in their last 25 games for a reason. Here are the changes the Knicks need to make to beat the Heat in Game 4 and beyond.
In the regular season, the Knicks‘ starting lineup was one of the most effective and frequently used five-man units in the entire league; in the 1,061 possessions in which the Knicks played against Jalen Brunson, Quentin Grimes, RJ Barrett, Julius Randle and Mitchell Robinson, New York outscored the teams by seven points per 100 possessions, according to Cleaning the Glass. In the playoffs, though, Thibodeau led Josh Hart to a fifth starting spot when Grimes injured his shoulder against the Cavs and kept the switch up even after Grimes recovered. While Josh Hart is a great player and deserves to play heavy minutes for the Knicks, having him in the starting lineup makes their offense unnecessarily congested and cramped. With Hart, Barrett, and Robinson on the field simultaneously, the Knicks have three players opposing defenses that can help with impunity. Hart is a reluctant shooter, Barrett is a bad guy, and Robinson has made a total of two shots this year from over 10 feet.
By restoring Hart to the bench, Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau could effectively solve two of the Knicks’ biggest playoff problems with one blow. Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle would have more breathing room with Quentin Grimes commanding respect and attention as a shooter; the dugout would get a jolt of energy and pressure on the rim with Hart flanking Immanuel Quickley and Obi Toppin.