This is the question (for the moment) without a concrete answer among Knicks : after Obi Toppin’s departure to the Pacers this summer, who will be Julius Randle’s new understudy? A bit by default, Josh Hart already volunteered a few days ago before the opening of the training camp, just like RJ Barrett.
A little over a week later, another option emerges after the team’s first preseason game new York : It is Jericho Sims who could win the bet. Monday evening against the Celtics (114-107 victory), the pivot who is entering his third year in the NBA actually played 25 minutes off the bench, almost all of them spent as a power forward alongside Mitchell Robinson or Isaiah Hartenstein , for 7 rebounds and 3 assists.
“ We just wanted to take a look at this combination, with [Jericho Sims] “, explained about this Tom Thibodeau. “ Knowing that Josh [Hart] was not playing and Julius [Randle] had limited playing time, it was the right opportunity. »
A question of balance
Last season, the two-pivot “formula” was tested by “Thibs” for only 139 minutes. But in this short sample, the Knicks dominated their opponents by 7 points. Enough to convince the Knicks technician, a fan of solid defense and secure rebounding, that this daring combination could work.
“ I think it is necessary to have three pivots in a squad. But [Jericho] is increasingly comfortable playing as a power forward “, adds Tom Thibodeau. “ This strengthens the rebound. We want to play fast on offense, but without sacrificing rebounding. »
It remains to find the right balance: ensuring a solid presence on the defensive rebound, while having a sufficiently dynamic attack on the other side.
Given the obvious limitations that a Sims / Robinson or Sims / Hartenstein pair will display in attack, we imagine that the Immanuel Quickley / Donte DiVincenzo pair will then be particularly important off the bench to balance the forces.
