NEW ORLEANS — It’s not fairly what the Knicks envisioned when they put this bench collectively, but it doesn’t matter if it works.
With Guerschon Yabusele punted to DNP standing and roaming the commerce block — and with Pacôme Dadiet, the franchise’s only first-round decide still on the roster, disappearing from Mike Brown’s well-known minutes sheet — the Knicks are leaning on other kids to fill the holes created by accidents.
Kevin McCullar Jr. was the newest to get the call in Saturday’s win over the Hawks, when he logged 23 impactful minutes defending and hounding Trae Young (who continued his depressing season with just 9 factors).
McCullar, a second-round decide in 2024, served as Josh Hart’s stunt double — flashing a Hart-like stat line with 13 factors, eight rebounds and a profitable dive after a free ball. It’s related shifting ahead because Hart is lacking at least the next two video games, including Monday at New Orleans, with an ankle sprain.
McCullar earned more minutes than his projection because he was hitting photographs and bottling up Atlanta’s guards.
Young, the former villain at MSG, went scoreless when defended by McCullar.
Knicks guard Kevin McCullar Jr. (9) shoots against the Atlanta Hawks in the second quarter at State Farm Arena. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
“[McCullar] was scheduled on my little minutes sheet to come in at the 8-minute mark of the first quarter. I was going to throw him on Trae just to see what happens,” coach Mike Brown said. “Kev’s a young, really good defender, has a great feel on both ends of the floor, but especially that end of the floor. I wanted to give him a chance. I threw him out there a few minutes and he was fantastic. So, he just earned more minutes. I didn’t have him down for that many minutes, but he definitely earned those minutes as the game went along.”
If McCullar indeed proves dependable, Brown’s bench circle of belief has grown to embody the following:
“That’s what having a team is about,” Brown said. “I really feel assured in all our guys. McBride has been out for a while, Landry has been out, so we’ve got to go to the next man.
“Josh is out now with the ankle, so we’ve got to go to the next man. We just want guys to give us what they’re capable of. We don’t want them to go outside their box, but we just want them to give us hard minutes the time that they’re on the floor.”
Brown deserves credit score for experimenting with totally different lineups and gamers, instilling confidence and vital reps in the course of. These issues might matter in the future.
The coach was employed with the path of increasing the rotation and emphasizing player growth. He’s delivering, although the minutes for Jalen Brunson and Mikal Bridges, in specific, are larger than the purpose.
For any Knicks fan who has adopted the team since 2020, a pure response would be to cite these developments as justification for changing Tom Thibodeau. The lack of bench utilization was among the largest knocks on the former Knicks coach.
However, it’s value noting that only two of the seven gamers on the above trusted bench record — McBride and Kolek — were out there to Thibodeau at this level last season.
Knicks head coach Mike Brown on the sideline against the Atlanta Hawks in the second quarter at State Farm Arena. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
New York Knicks guard Jordan Clarkson #00 reacts after he hits a three-point shot during the fourth quarter. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Shamet, Robinson and McCullar were injured a yr in the past; Diawara and Clarkson are new to the roster.
So the personnel is totally different — though not fairly as expected after the summer season — and they’re slowly rewarding the coach’s religion. In Brown’s system, there’s an emphasis on motion, excessive motors and defensive depth from the position gamers — which may assist clarify why Yabusele and Dadiet aren’t making the lower.
But the other kids are serving to the Knicks navigate accidents, play protection and preserve the starters’ minutes manageable.
In the course of, Kolek, Clarkson and now McCullar have created their own highlights.
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