INDIANAPOLIS — There comes a point in most seasons, if not all of them, when you have to stop giving stock to the words relayed in a news conference.
Actions are like a screeching microphone. They drown out the words, often harshly and uncomfortably.
So even though Tom Thibodeau has lauded his team’s depth — interspersing two of his favorite phrases, “We have more than enough” and “I love our depth” — it’s clear he doesn’t actually believe that.
At least not yet.
In the past three defeats, the coach basically ran a six-man rotation in the second half. Miles McBride was the only reserve with meaningful playing time. Tyler Kolek and Jericho Sims combined for 15 minutes in those three second halves, including three minutes total in Sunday’s disheartening defeat to the Pacers.
Perhaps not coincidentally, the Knicks (4-5) starters blew leads and ran out of gas down the stretch. Their defense didn’t match the energy of the moment. They entered Monday as the NBA’s third-worst team in fourth quarters, losing those minutes by 32 points.
And in the larger picture of this entire season, which carries the unspoken edict of conference finals or bust, it’s both somewhat predictable and unsettling.
The reality is the Knicks’ depth was compromised. Prior to the Karl-Anthony Towns trade, we were pondering an argument for them owning the NBA’s best bench behind Josh Hart, Donte DiVincenzo and Miles McBride.
But the start to this season is much different. With injuries to Mitchell Robinson, Precious Achiuwa, Cam Payne and Landry Shamet, Thibodeau was dealing with a bench of four second-round picks (McBride, Kolek, Sims, Ariel Hukporti), a teenage rookie who looks greener than celery (Pacome Dadiet) and a forward off the waiver wire (Matt Ryan).
You could argue Thibodeau should show more faith in his current bench, even if mistakes pile up. Faith often begets production in the long term, after all. But Thibodeau’s history suggests he doesn’t play rookies for the sake of development, not unless they’re positively adjusting the possibility of victory. And I’ve learned not to doubt the coach’s assessments of his roster’s talent.
In Thibodeau’s three different stops spanning 13 seasons, there was just one player he kept buried on the bench who later proved worthy of something much greater — Tyus Jones. That’s it. In Chicago, Thibodeau supposedly suppressed Tony Snell and Marquis Teague. Clearly not true. In Minnesota, it was Kris Dunn. Also not true. In New York, it was Cam Reddish, Kemba Walker, Frank Ntilikina, Kevin Knox, Dennis Smith Jr. and Evan Fournier. Not true across the board. Thibs was hammered for not starting Obi Toppin. Now Toppin is coming off the bench in Indiana.
Thibs’ evaluations of players on other rosters is more problematic, as underscored by his team president stint with the Timberwolves.
But that’s not the issue here. Thibodeau knows more about the current Knicks bench than anybody. And he hasn’t trusted it beyond McBride.
So here we are.
The most comforting answer to this conundrum is that the injured Knicks will return. Payne seems the closest. Achiuwa probably won’t be far behind. Who knows with Robinson, who hasn’t addressed the media in over five months and struggles with conditioning after long layoffs.
Despite the current depth problems, the Knicks are fortunate with their injuries. Their starters are all healthy. Several teams can’t make that claim. But if Achiuwa’s absence can throw the rotation so off-kilter, imagine what would happen if OG Anunoby goes through a DNP spell? Or Towns? Or Brunson, god forbid?
Those types of injuries are bound to happen, and the Knicks, who are approaching their 10th game of the season Tuesday in Philly, haven’t looked equipped to deal with it.
Much of this is a product of the salary cap gymnastics the Knicks performed to acquire Towns and Mikal Bridges. They flirted so intensely with the second apron that the only viable option was to fill out the bench with the smallest contracts allowable.
That doesn’t mean the Knicks are stuck, though. There are options moving forward, and the schedule turns very light this week with four easy opponents at home. The starters, who comprise one of the most offensively talented five-man units in the league, can gain more chemistry, dominate their minutes and ease the pressure on the bench to produce. They can hope one of the youngsters pops — whether Kolek, Sims, Hukporti or Ryan — and earns a regular spot like McBride last season or Immanuel Quickley and Quentin Grimes from prior. They can count on bodies returning and maintaining health.
They can partake in trade season — which begins in earnest after Dec. 15 — and peruse what has become a diminished buyout market. The sellers always emerge sooner or later.
In the meantime, though, the Knicks have a depth issue. And that wasn’t hard to see coming.
