Knicks Notes: Brunson, Embiid, DiVincenzo, Anunoby, McBride
Jalen Brunson was not among the 12 players chosen to represent Team USA in the Paris Olympics. Managing director Grant Hill said it was difficult to leave the Knicks’ star guard off the team, Ian Begley of SNY TV tweets.
“You wish you could’ve had three or four more (spots) because there are so many incredibly talented players and incredibly talented people. That was tough,” Hill said. “It was tough having to say no to certain people who I respect and admire. Certainly he was one of them. And there’s plenty of others who sadly and unfortunately we had to say no to. But with that said, we’re really excited about our group.”
We have more on the Knicks:
- Philadelphia’s play-in victory over Miami set up a Sixers-Knicks matchup in the first round. While Isaiah Hartenstein and Mitchell Robinson will take turns guarding Joel Embiid, it will require a team effort and a variety of coverages to hold down one of the league’s premier scorers. Fred Katz of The Athletic examines what the Knicks might do defensively in the series to keep the reigning Most Valuable Player in check.
- Donte DiVincenzo was deemed ineligible for postseason honors even though he appeared in all but one contest. As we detailed earlier this week, he didn’t qualify because he played fewer than 20 minutes in too many games. DiVincenzo, who was considered a candidate for the Most Improved Player award, believes the league will tweak the qualifications, Stefan Bondy of the New York Post relays. “I think the league will probably look at the rule going forward, but it’s not something where if I got the nine seconds, I’m a shoo-in to win the award,” DiVincenzo said. “It’s not that situation. So, for me, I don’t really care about it. I think going forward, you look at the rule. You adjust it accordingly. And you just go from there. And that’s pretty much the only thinking.”
- The Knicks are 20-3 when OG Anunoby is in the lineup and he could play a key defensive role against Tyrese Maxey, Peter Botte of the New York Post notes. “It makes life a lot easier for all of us the things he’s able to do on that [defensive] side of the ball,” Brunson said.
- Miles McBride played sparingly during the playoffs last season. He will have an expanded role this time around and he’s ready for it, Botte writes. “I take what I learned last year from the little bit I did play, and just watching the team go out there, and we were able to get one playoff-series win,” said McBride, who signed a three-year extension in late December. “This year, I’m just bringing a fresh mindset and will do what I’ve been doing the whole year.”
Knicks Notes: Thibodeau, Robinson, Achiuwa, Brunson
The Knicks had a chance to create a more favorable first-round matchup for themselves by losing on Sunday, but coach Tom Thibodeau didn’t consider it, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. Coming down the stretch of a tight game with Chicago, the team’s choices were clear: a loss would mean the three seed and opening the playoffs against the inexperienced Pacers, while a win would put the team in second place and set up a matchup with either the Sixers, who closed the season with eight straight wins, or the Heat, who went from the play-in tournament to the NBA Finals last season.
Thibodeau opted to play for the victory, and he didn’t understand why anyone would second-guess his strategy.
“Really? I mean the object is to win,” he said in response to a question at post-game meeting with reporters. “Put everything you have into winning. That’s the bottom line. … I think everything does matter. That’s just me personally. And so when we talk about, from the start of the season, we want to be our best at the end. And that’s something we strive for. Every day.”
New York, Milwaukee and Cleveland all entered Sunday afternoon with a chance to claim the No. 2 seed. Only the Knicks won, and they had to fight off a feisty Bulls team in overtime as Jalen Brunson, OG Anunoby, Donte DiVincenzo and Josh Hart all logged more than 40 minutes. DiVincenzo endorsed his coach’s fearless attitude.
“We don’t care what they’re doing,” he said of the other Eastern teams. “We’re focused on our locker room. Whatever they decide to do, that’s their team, their organization’s decision. Our decision was to play. Everybody played and we won the game.”
There’s more from New York:
- Thibodeau wasn’t able to provide an explanation for why center Mitchell Robinson was ruled out for the second half on Sunday, Bondy states in a separate story. Robinson, who returned in late March after missing 50 games following ankle surgery, played just seven minutes, with Thibodeau saying, “They just told me he was unavailable.” Thibodeau speculated that the decision might have been “precautionary,” as Robinson played 25 minutes on Friday, his highest total since the operation.
- With Robinson unavailable and Isaiah Hartenstein reaching his minutes limit, the Knicks got valuable minutes from Precious Achiuwa, Bondy adds. The backup big man played nearly all of overtime and made a game-saving defensive stop on Chicago’s final possession. “[Achiuwa in OT] was huge, it was huge,” Thibodeau said. “(Nikola) Vucevic is a load to deal with. And when teams go small, what Precious gives you is the ability to switch. So I think that’s important for us as well.”
- Brunson reached 40 points for the 11th time this season, moving him into a tie for second with Patrick Ewing in the franchise record book, Bondy notes in another piece. Thibodeau said Brunson’s work ethic is similar to Ewing’s, telling reporters, “As soon as we signed Jalen, he was immediately in the gym. You could come in any day in the summer, and he’s in at the same time. Full speed, great concentration, there’s no fake-a-gram or Instagram or whatever they call it.”
Atlantic Notes: Embiid, Nurse, Pritchard, Robinson
The Sixers avoided a potential disaster Friday night on their way to a seventh straight win, writes Tim Bontemps of ESPN. Joel Embiid, playing for the fifth time since returning from meniscus surgery, was limping and grabbing his knee after making a shot late in the second quarter. He walked to the locker room to have it examined and was able to return for the start of the second half.
“They assessed him at halftime and there was no swelling, no damage, none of that kind of stuff,” coach Nick Nurse told reporters after the game (video link). “… They said he should be OK to try it, and he wanted to try the second half and it was OK. We’ll have to again, just like we do everybody in every game, assess it again tomorrow morning and see what happens.”
Nurse said the knee responded “good” overnight and Embiid was able to participate in a light practice Saturday in preparation for the season finale against Brooklyn, tweets Gina Mizell of The Philadelphia Inquirer. He’s listed as questionable on the team’s injury report.
There’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- The Sixers face several playoff scenarios heading into Sunday, but Nurse said that won’t have any effect on his coaching strategy, per Gina Mizell of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Nurse is more concerned with establishing a rhythm heading into the postseason than trying to create a favorable matchup.
- With the Celtics resting their starters Friday, Payton Pritchard responded with the best night of his career, notes Brian Robb of MassLive. Pritchard posted 31 points and 11 assists, making him the first Celtic since Larry Bird to reach those numbers in 31 minutes or fewer. This is the first season that playing time hasn’t been an issue for Pritchard, and he’s seizing the opportunity. “For any player, you get spot minutes, it’s tough,” he said. “You don’t know when it’s gonna come. When you do get minutes, like what is your role out there? What are you being put out there for? I think in the past, a lot of the time it wasn’t necessarily for me to be like a point guard or even like a playmaker. It was really to try to come in and hit some threes and bring energy defensively, rebounding, stuff like that. I think my role has definitely grown a little bit this year. With that, I’ve grown and been better at playmaking. But just making the game easier for myself, but also my teammates.”
- Knicks center Mitchell Robinson was able to play the entire fourth quarter Friday, which is a significant milestone in his return from ankle surgery, observes Steve Popper of Newsday. “Mitch makes plays that no one else can just in terms of impacting shots, pick-and-roll coverage,” coach Tom Thibodeau said. “So I thought he was terrific. Mitch can cover a lot of ground and I thought that was huge for us.”
New York Notes: Knicks, Robinson, Watford, Clowney
The NBA fined the Knicks $25K on Monday for an injury reporting violation (Twitter link). According to the league, New York originally listed center Mitchell Robinson as out for the March 27 contest vs. Toronto, but he wound up playing 12 minutes in his first game back from a lengthy absence.
Here’s more on the NBA’s two New York-based teams:
- Speaking of Robinson, who missed most of the season with a fractured left ankle that required surgery, he has been quite rusty since he returned a couple weeks ago, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. In addition to having poor conditioning and timing, the 26-year-old says he still isn’t 100% confident in his ankle. “Pushing off. Absorbing contact through it. Stuff like that,” the Knicks big man said. “’Cause obviously no one wants this to happen again. I damn sure don’t. … It’s something I’ve gotta get back used to again.”
- In another story for The New York Post, Bondy examines the Knicks‘ complicated playoff possibilities with four regular season games remaining. New York, which is currently 46-32, the No. 4 seed in the East, can finish as high as No. 2, but theoretically could drop all the way down to No. 8, though the latter is very unlikely.
- Third-year forward Trendon Watford will be a restricted free agent this summer if the Nets give him a qualifying offer. He hasn’t been a rotation regular for much of the 2023/24 season, but he’s been trying to take advantage of an expanded role as Brooklyn deals with multiple frontcourt injuries, per Bridget Reilly of The New York Post. Watford is averaging 13.1 PPG on .571/.474/.696 over the past eight games (23.5 MPG).
- Nets rookie Noah Clowney got his first career start in Sunday’s loss to Sacramento and the young big man got thoroughly outplayed by Kings center Domantas Sabonis, observes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Clowney had seven points, 10 rebounds and was minus-26 in his 35 minutes, compared to 18 points, 20 rebounds, nine assists and plus-18 in 35 minutes for Sacramento’s star big man. “He’s just gotta be in it, you know? This is good for him,” interim coach Kevin Ollie said. “He’s gotta be in it and experience it, learn from it, just as long as you don’t quit in it, and he’s not gonna quit in it. These guys have been around — Sabonis is an All-Star — so hopefully he watches the tape and maybe gets something from Sabonis to bring it in his game, go lift some weights, all that stuff.” Clowney became just the fourth teenager in franchise history to start a game for the Nets, Lewis adds.
Knicks Notes: Randle, Anunoby, Robinson, Brunson
The Knicks played another game without Julius Randle and OG Anunoby on Sunday and they may be facing the prospect of heading into the playoffs short-handed, writes Tim Bontemps of ESPN. Josh Hart sounded pessimistic about the possible return of either of his teammates, who have been sidelined for the better part of the last two months.
“I’m looking at it like this is the team we’re going to have,” Hart said. “I think that’s how we have to approach it, that those guys aren’t coming back and obviously we’ll be pleasantly surprised if they come back. I’m not in those medical conversations or anything like that … but we’ve got to approach every game and the end of this season that those guys aren’t coming back, and if they do, be pleasantly surprised.”
Randle hasn’t played since separating his shoulder while taking a charge in a January 27 game. Anunoby had a procedure performed on his right elbow and has only been available for three games since late January. Coach Tom Thibodeau didn’t provide many specifics about either player when reporters asked about their status on Sunday, Bontemps adds. He said Randle is continuing to work his way back, even though he still hasn’t been cleared for contact and his status seemingly hasn’t changed for several weeks.
“Just keep doing what he’s doing, day-to-day,” Thibodeau said. “You never know when it turns. That’s basically the approach we take. Rehab is really your game, so put everything you have into that. And eventually you’ll get there; you can’t get discouraged; just keep working at it. The other guys, they have a job to do.”
There’s more from New York:
- Thibodeau said center Mitchell Robinson “tweaked” his left ankle Friday in San Antonio, which is why he was held out of Sunday’s game, per Peter Botte of The New York Post. Robinson, who has played twice since returning from surgery on the ankle, talked about the difficulty of coming back to the game after such a long layoff. “Timing is off. It’s brutal,” he said. “I think I was playing really well [before the injury]. Then sitting out the four months, it throws your whole timing off. But it is what it is. I’m not going to use that as an excuse. I can be better. I’m a basketball player. I’ve been in this six years.”
- Thibodeau didn’t want to risk a fine by openly questioning a non-call Sunday on a late shot by Jalen Brunson, but he told reporters four times, “Write what you see,” according to Steve Popper of Newsday. The Knicks have been frustrated recently by a lack of calls for Brunson, who scored 30 points in the paint Friday but only went to the line six times. “Yeah, we send clips (to the league office), but it doesn’t seem to be doing any good,” Thibodeau said before Sunday’s game.
- Without Randle and Anunoby, the Knicks need to find someone who can carry the scoring load when Brunson isn’t on the court, observes Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. In Friday’s overtime loss, New York was outscored by 24 points in the 9:41 that Brunson rested.
Knicks Notes: Hartenstein, DiVincenzo, Brunson, McBride, Anunoby
It took some time for Isaiah Hartenstein to adjust to the style that coach Tom Thibodeau wants him to play, but the Knicks center now believes he’s in a “perfect situation,” writes James Herbert of CBS Sports.
Hartenstein thrived as a play-maker with the Clippers before signing with New York in the summer of 2022. But Thibodeau had other players to run the offense, and he wanted the big man to focus on protecting the rim, rebounding and setting screens. Hartenstein wasn’t certain the situation would work out, but he’s been more comfortable in his second season with the team, blending his passing skills with Thibodeau’s demands while replacing Mitchell Robinson as the starting center.
“Coming in, it took us some time to adjust,” Hartenstein said. “But I think, unless you’re really the top guy on any team, you’re going to have to adjust to a certain role. You’re not going to be able to do everything you want. So, I mean, if you want to be a winning player, you have to be able to do it. Now I’m in a perfect situation, where I’m allowed to play my game, and it’s been working really well.”
Hartenstein has helped the Knicks weather numerous injuries to their front line and has emerged as a candidate for the All-Defensive team, according to Herbert. He’ll be in line for a huge raise on his $8.2MM salary when he becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer.
“I think I’ve proven that, no matter what big comes in, it’s a matchup,” Hartenstein said. “I don’t think, any big that ever comes in, I’m scared of or anything. I think I’ve established that I’m a starter in the NBA. I can play a big role on a winning team.”
There’s more on the Knicks:
- Donte DiVincenzo set the franchise record for three-pointers in a season Friday night, per Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. DiVincenzo hit six shots from long distance in an overtime loss at San Antonio, giving him 245 for the season, which ranks third in the league. “It’s cool, it’s a cool accomplishment. You look at the list of who is on there, it’s special,” DiVincenzo said. “We still have nine games to go. So there’s no real pressure. Just go out there and take the shots I’ve been taking all year.”
- In a separate story, Bondy examines New York’s potential first-round playoff matchups and how the team has fared against Indiana, Cleveland, Orlando, Philadelphia and Miami. Bondy also considers a possible extension this summer for Jalen Brunson, but believes it’s unlikely because Brunson will only make $25MM next season, which limits the extension to $156.5MM over four years. The All-Star guard will be in position for a much bigger payday as a free agent in 2025, becoming eligible for a five-year deal worth approximately $258MM.
- Steve Popper of Newsday looks at how Miles McBride has been able to improve his three-point shooting as his playing time has increased. McBride sank a career-high nine three-pointers Friday night.
- OG Anunoby will miss his seventh straight game Sunday with right elbow “injury management,” tweets Fred Katz of The Athletic. Robinson is listed as questionable after spraining his left ankle in his second game back following ankle surgery.
New York Notes: Robinson, DiVincenzo, Anunoby, Clowney, Wilson
Knicks center Mitchell Robinson returned on Wednesday from an ankle injury that robbed him of nearly four months of action. Robinson contributed eight points, two rebounds and two blocks in 12 minutes during a 44-point romp past Toronto. Even in limited minutes, he looked like a defensive force, Fred Katz and Eric Koreen of The Athletic write.
“I believe my defense is kind of there,” Robinson said. “I think I still got a little bit to work on for that, but the shot blocking is still there, so that’s pretty good.”
Toronto coach Darko Rajakovic noticed how Robinson, now backing up Isaiah Hartenstein, impacted the Knicks’ rotation.
“Mitchell Robinson, when he checked in, looked like a giant out there,” Rajakovic said.
We have more on the New York teams:
- The four-year, $46.9MM contract that Donte DiVincenzo signed as a free agent last summer is turning into a huge bargain, Katz writes. DiVincenzo, who set a franchise record with 11 three-pointers against the Pistons on Monday, has emerged as a starter. He’s just another example of mid-sized contracts the Knicks have given out where the player has exceeded their cap hit in terms of production. “Donte has been amazing for us this season,” Josh Hart said.
- Knicks forward OG Anunoby, trying to work his way back from elbow soreness, did some conditioning work in Toronto, but head coach Tom Thibodeau said Anunoby’s status hadn’t changed, Steve Popper of Newsday tweets. “No, just allowing it to calm down and each day it’s a little better, but be patient, get through it,” Thibodeau said.
- Rookies Noah Clowney and Jalen Wilson made significant contributions during the Nets’ win over Toronto on Monday, combining for 19 points and 11 rebounds, Bridget Reilly of the New York Post writes. “They come in, they do solid things. They do simple better,” interim coach Kevin Ollie said of Clowney and Wilson. While the Nets haven’t been officially eliminated from the play-in tournament, Brian Lewis of the Post argues that Clowney, Wilson and the team’s other young players should get extended minutes the rest of the way.
Knicks’ Mitchell Robinson Expected To Return Wednesday
Initially listed as out for Wednesday’s game vs. Toronto, Knicks center Mitchell Robinson has been upgraded to questionable, tweets Steve Popper of Newsday. According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link), Robinson is expected to be active and available on Wednesday for the first time since December 8.
Robinson sustained a fracture in his left ankle in December that required surgery. There was some speculation in the days that followed that the injury would cost the big man the rest of the season, since the Knicks applied for a disabled player exception. However, that request was turned down by the NBA in January when a physician ruled that Robinson wasn’t likely to be sidelined through June 15.
At that time the DPE request was denied, there was said to be optimism that the 25-year-old could make it back before the end of the season and it appears that will be the case. Presumably, the Knicks will play it relatively safe with Robinson following a 50-game absence, meaning he’ll likely face a minutes restriction.
As Peter Botte of The New York Post writes, head coach Tom Thibodeau will also have to decide whether to reinsert Robinson into the starting lineup or continue to use Isaiah Hartenstein in that role. I’d be surprised if Robinson reclaims his starting job immediately, though he was playing well prior to his injury, averaging a career-high 10.3 rebounds in 29.2 minutes per game to go along with 6.2 points, 1.5 steals, and 1.3 blocks.
Robinson is one of three key injured frontcourt players the Knicks had been waiting on. OG Anunoby (elbow) and Julius Randle (shoulder) remain out for Wednesday’s game against the Raptors, as Stefan Bondy of The New York Post tweets.
Knicks Notes: Robinson, Anunoby, Randle, Brunson, Hart, More
Knicks center Mitchell Robinson appears to be nearing a return from the ankle injury that has sidelined him since early December, writes Tim Bontemps of ESPN. Head coach Tom Thibodeau spoke to reporters before Monday’s victory over Denver and provided a positive update on Robinson’s progress.
“Mitchell is moving quite well,” Thibodeau said. “He’s cleared for contact and all that. He’s going through practices and so just needs a little more time. But he’s doing really well overall.”
Forward OG Anunoby participated in parts of Monday’s shootaround, while Julius Randle (shoulder) continues to do controlled contact work but has yet to be cleared for live contact drills. Given that the reports on Anunoby and Randle were more mixed than the one on Robinson, a reporter asked Thibodeau if the center will be the first of the three players to return.
“Assuming your assumption is correct, yes,” Thibodeau cryptically replied.
Here’s more on the Knicks:
- Jalen Brunson has now played in 65 games this season, ensuring that he’ll be eligible for end-of-season awards such as All-NBA. As Bobby Marks of ESPN tweets, Brunson can’t qualify for a super-max contract since he signed with the Knicks as a free agent, but he’ll be eligible this July to sign an extension that could be worth up to $156.5MM over four years.
- As effective as Josh Hart has been for the Knicks this season, he has become an unreliable three-point shooter, making only 30.4% of his long-distance attempts this season after hitting 35.0% in his first six NBA seasons. According to Peter Botte of The New York Post, Hart and his former Pelicans teammate JJ Redick have already made plans to work this offseason on Hart’s outside shot. “At some point in the summer I’ll pull up to the Hamptons,” the Knicks wing said on Monday. “Shoot, get in the gym with him. Drink wine with him. He can bring all the wine. Because he’s rich. And just enjoy.”
- Evan Fournier previously shared the Knicks’ franchise record for three-pointers in a game with 10, but saw that record erased on Monday when Donte DiVincenzo knocked down 11 treys against his Pistons. With 234 three-pointers in 2023/24, DiVincenzo is also poised to break Fournier’s record of 241 made threes in a season. “Not at all surprising, to be honest with you,” Fournier told Botte after the game. “He’s definitely found his role, and congrats to him. He has great chemistry with these guys, especially (Brunson), and he’s very smart as far as finding the pocket for a three and he has such a quick release. … He’s having a hell of a season and he deserves (the record). He’s honestly the perfect fit for how they play, and I am happy for him.”
- Struggling guard Alec Burks sat out Monday’s game due to a sprained right shoulder, notes Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. It’s unclear how much Burks’ shoulder injury has factored into his shooting struggles since joining the Knicks. He’s shooting just 32.0% from the field since the trade deadline.
Knicks Notes: Thibodeau, DiVincenzo, Robinson, Anunoby
Tom Thibodeau‘s reputation as a no-nonsense, old-school coach isn’t entirely deserved, Donte DiVincenzo tells Sam Amick of The Athletic. DiVincenzo was aware that Thibodeau topped an anonymous player poll of the coaches they’d least like to play for, but that didn’t affect his decision to sign a four-year, $47MM deal with New York last summer.
“From the outside world, there’s always (a different view),” DiVincenzo said. “But in our house — in-house — we have a good dynamic and we enjoy it and everybody enjoys being around each other. To the outside world, you don’t really know. All you know is perception. All you know is the history from other teams (Thibodeau has coached) and his years with different organizations. But we’ve had plenty of rest days, plenty of off days.”
Thibodeau has a reputation for giving heavy minutes to his rotation players, especially his starters, and causing them to wear down throughout the season. But he also inspires intense loyalty in players who approach the game the same way that he does. DiVincenzo said working with Thibodeau hasn’t been much different from his other NBA stops.
“I played for (the Warriors’ Steve) Kerr and played for Coach Bud (former Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer). It’s not like you come here and all of a sudden you’re just running track every day (in practice),” DiVincenzo said. “I think what he does by far better than anybody I’ve been around is he’s the most prepared. So it doesn’t necessarily mean you have to go for two hours on your feet and running. But when you’re in there, you’re gonna lock in and you’re gonna get the stuff done and we’re gonna get out of there.”
There’s more on the Knicks:
- Thibodeau has one season left on his contract and he’s hoping to land a long-term extension this summer, league sources tell Amick. Thibodeau currently makes about $7MM per year, Amick’s sources say, and he’s in line for a major raise considering the huge deals recently landed by Monty Williams, Gregg Popovich, Erik Spoelstra, Doc Rivers and Kerr.
- Mitchell Robinson talked about the frustration of having another season disrupted by injuries, per Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. Robinson, who’s hoping to return soon from ankle surgery, was off to the best start of his career when he felt discomfort in his left ankle during a December 8 game against Boston. He was cleared to keep playing following an X-ray, but was later diagnosed with a stress fracture. “I’m like, man, I’m trying to figure out ways to stop it from happening, the best ways that I can,” Robinson said. “And it’s like one thing after one thing. I felt like I was finally getting in shape to the top of my career right there and the next thing you know.”
- When Robinson does return, he’ll be joining a much different version of the team, notes Fred Katz of The Athletic. The Knicks have shaken up their roster since early December, and Robinson is looking forward to playing alongside OG Anunoby. “He’s active. He’s not afraid to take a chance,” Robinson said. “He might miss one (steal) here or there, but that’s all right. He’ll get most of them.”