Can Tom Thibodeau and Julius Randle Evolve Enough To Make The New York Knicks True Contenders?

Can Tom Thibodeau and Julius Randle Evolve Enough To Make The New York Knicks True Contenders?

Welcome into the locked on Nicks podcast I’m Gavin sha today I’m once again joined by DJ Zulo of Nicks Film School to continue discussing the biggest questions that will make or break the Knicks Championship Journey what role will Mitchell Robinson play Upon returning just how big of a piece is

Boan BD donovich and is Tom thibo the man to figure it all out right now on locked on Knicks you are locked on Nicks your daily New York Nicks podcast part of the locked on podcast Network your team every day you are locked on Nicks your daily

New York Nicks podcast I want to remind you that today’s episode is brought to you by FanDuel make every moment more right now new customers get $150 in bonus Bets with any winning $5 bet that’s 150 bucks if your bet wins visit fanduel.com lockon to get started

I want to thank you for making locked on Nicks your first listen today and every day because we’re now available on all platforms so you want to say our Smiling Faces day in and day out you can tune in on YouTube hit that subscribe button hit that notifications but toensure you

Never miss an episode there and then if you definitively don’t want to see our Smiling Faces day in and day out uh that’s what podcasts are for baby uh be sure to hit that Auto download function to ensure you never miss an episode on that side of things and if you want to

Take our relationship to the next level uh please subscribe to our subtext all you got to do is hit that button in the episode description and you’ll be able to text with us about the New York Knicks to your heart’s content I’m Gavin Shaw longtime play-by-play broadcaster

Also been covering the NBA for about a decade uh today I’m joined by DJ Zulo who is a fantastic uh analyst uh for Nicks film school does plenty of film breakdowns for them does plenty of podcast work for them um if you missed part one yesterday tune in really fun

Conversation on Josh Hart and Dante D venzo and how they will shape the Knicks Championship Journey today we get into questions surrounding Mitchell Robinson Julius Randle boan bogdanovich and Tom thibo for all that and more tune in right now on lock on Knicks another shooter they pretty significant

Questions about is a is boan bogdanovich um I’m curious what I mean obviously we have we have a pretty small sample size it’s just the the two games but what what you’ve thought about his play so far and if you think he’s ultimately like someone like when I when I posted

My my mock rotation on on Twitter today or on X I’ll say that begrudgingly um um someone referred to him as like oh I think he’s going to play the Obi role in the postseason I’m like yeah you know what like that’s that’s not out of the

Question with him but do you see him as a luxury piece or do you see him as like hey this is just flat out one of the most efficient scorers in basketball and if the Knicks put the right lineups around him which which we’ll get into to

Close out the show what that might look like like he he can be a super useful part of this team in in the playoffs yeah I mean and and you’re to answer the first part like the first two games obviously like you mentioned small sample uh I thought in the Houston game

There was the signs of like what he can do in terms of his diversity as a scorer it wasn’t you know I think he made one three but it was more of like attacking close outs uh there was a couple like there was one play against Jabari Smith

Where he just like it was an straight ISO and he he gets like kind of close to the basket but then he does a luka deceleration he’s able to get the the shot over the top like he’s just a really crafty um score within the three-point line like his three-point

Shooting is obviously like he’s a 40% shooter like every single year that’s a that’s obviously like the biggest thing he’s bringing to the table but you watch like his tape in Detroit over the past couple of years I mean they they would run offense through him and a lot of

What he he can do is inside the three-point Arc he’s a you know decent enough finisher but he’s a just a phenomenal shooter in that mid-range area it’s a high release point I I think there’s a lot you like about him in terms of postseason scoring because he

Has different he’s not just a spot up shooter where if you can run him off the line like Quinton Grimes you know for as much as I love him you know even in the postseason like his his driving kick game really wasn’t there they were really scouting that his finishing had

Not developed to the point where it was a useful skill bo uh buan at this point like you run him off the line he he can make a play he can make a pass he can get to the rim he can obviously step into a a mid-ranger um he can he’s a

He’s got a great pump fake and re recalibrate and get that three-pointer off it’s a really diverse um offensive player but I think what you’re you’re alluding to is like all right so how do you how do you function in terms of like your defense with him playing and I

Think part of that is going to be the anobi piece of things is is like assuming Randall is not playing in this lineup construction and you have Buon and you have um OG in your your your three four then you know your Center whoever that is I think there’s enough

Defensively uh you know so maybe that’s this where you want heart in the game as your as your two to sort of like really you know beef up what you could do defensively but I don’t think you necessarily have to to hide him on defense I just think you need enough to

Cover up some of his deficiencies but you know 68 I think or 67 68 whatever the the true number is like he’s big enough to where I don’t think you can really expose him in a way that is gonna be like you know gonna just damage your

Defense to the point where you have to get him off the floor in the postseason I think he holds up probably better than than most people think but yeah I think he’s probably going to be more in like the the 15 to 20 minute um range in

Terms of minutes uh in the play play offs now there’s probably going to be games where he’s just shooting so well it’s going to go up to maybe it’s going to be 25 minutes um and it can maybe be 10 if he’s not shooting well and the defensive matchups are just like not

Working so I think there’s enough to where you can you know tibs has enough guys on this roster to where like if a guy doesn’t have it like there’s there’s no like there’s no thing where we only have eight legitimate NBA players in a rotation and this is what I have he’s

Got 10 you know arguably so he’s got 10 guys that you can probably play and feel pretty good about um playing in a postseason game so to me like that speaks to the fact that you can you can pick and choose and if a guy’s going

Like ride him a little bit and if he doesn’t have it then then then pull the plug unless you’re like Brunson or or Randall obviously but he’s a good offensive player and I think there’s gonna be playoff games where he’s gonna like in that that Houston game where the

The offense was there was just not a lot going on in the second half he just he made three buckets in a row and got the got them right back in the game in the fourth quarter and that’s like that he’s legitimate like 20 point a game score on

Really good efficiency and that’s a valuable piece you know from a wing big Wing type player I think it could be telling that he only played mid 20s minutes in that game when the Knicks were were absolutely desperate for scoring in terms of how tibs views him

I’m I’m really interested to see this is another one of those like what ifs we don’t really know but if and when Mitchell Robinson comes back like I I put together a bunch of different lineups I love the idea of those two being paired together and like Mitch

Getting to play with like legitimate four out spacing for literally the first time in his entire career and like how that could impact his rebounding and we saw again like you’re counting like you’re putting a lot of pressure on a guy who’s who’s been hurt the whole year

But we saw him like at the beginning of this year like almost like single-handedly like prop up like a top five defense like a defense that was like the best in the NBA the first seven eight games of the Season like um like two of the lineups I had it’s really

Just it’s just swapping out like div shenzo and and Brunson but like as as a bench unit like I was wondering if you get some minutes of like Divan chenzo Hart anobi boan and and Mitch and basically just say all we’re throwing boan out there but we’re we’re having

Like two absolutely Elite defenders in OG and Mitch a really good one in Josh Hart and a solid one in Dante dant chenzo and just like four like three guys who can shoot the lights out you can also do a version of that with like Brunson in place of hard and like it’s

Brunson dant chenzo OG boan and either Mitch or or hartenstein in there like I I think there are groups that that you can play that can be really really dominant and it’s just G to be interesting to see like like maybe those those are lineups that you’re more

Likely to get to like later in a series like if you cut out an Alec Burks and a dece McBride you’re going with an eight-man rotation and and you’re doing exactly what you suggested DJ and Dante is like your nominal point guard of your second unit which like when the games

Really matter like I I think I would I would lean that direction unless Alec Burks has been really cooking for a whole series but like I I’m I’m just I I think the team had like if there was some way they could have kept Grimes it

Would have been even more so but they have the Personnel to insulate boan pretty well where I I think those lineups could flip games in the playoffs and maybe flip Series yeah I think you’re right and you you you know it’s like one of those things where it’s the

You don’t know how this would have played out but if if an anobi Randle they don’t get hurt I think the team still needed someone else but you just wonder like what the trade would have been would it have been just an Alec Burke and you and you I don’t know it’s

Like one of those things I think that for the first time at least in the in the trade deadline situation the team might have been forced a little bit to to make a move that I don’t know they if they would have made it had the team

Been healthy and I think there’s some concern obviously from all the reporting it seems like andon obi’s surgery was relatively minor for what a surgery can be and that they expect him back within a few weeks Randall I think there’s this situation where even if they clear him

And he’s ready to go I think there’s just going to be that situation where like all right can is it just going to go again if he you know there obviously that’s the sort of injury unless it’s surgically repaired where it could just resep parate and then you’re you’re you’re back to square

One so I think this team needed to sort of firm up you know that both the the wing and the the forward the big forward position so um but I think there you know as you as you said there’s I think the point is like there’s enough guys on

This roster to where you can shrink you can shrink your rotation down to seven eight guys and feel good you can go go to 10 and feel pretty good I think there’s a with everyone healthy um you know I hope Mitch comes back and you know I’m I I can’t stop thinking about

Like you know what type of shape is he gonna be in you know I’m worried you know a guy that has not struggled with that but like conditioning is never has doesn’t come easy to him and there’s been some times where he’s come in heavier after some injuries lower body

Injuries so you wonder like but can he get to 10 15 minutes a night I mean if you get that and feel good about that and heart and s’s playing you know it’s 32 minutes you have a damn good rotation and your at your Center position and you’re right

About him propping up a a great defense earlier in the year in terms of Robinson I think there’s a lot of like really good players in this team and I think that’s the thing I’m just as we move forward and these guys start coming back I just want to see like the fully

Realized version of this team for a stretch of games and really assess how good is this team is it like are we like maybe an Eastern Conference Final birth good are we like bet is that is that better are we you know is there chance

Of this team can be better than that so I think that that’s what I’m looking forward to to seeing and um you hopefully over the next like few weeks we get some of these guys back and we can really see what this team has to offer next on lock on Nicks we’re going

To get into Julius Randle and how his ability to translate his play from the regular season to the postseason will ultimately Define this team’s success but before we do that I want to tell you about our good friends over at FanDuel and Linkedin get Buckets right now with your

First bet on FanDuel America’s number one sports book because right now new customers get $150 in bonus Bets with any winning $5 bet that’s 150 bucks if your team wins bet all your favorite NBA players and teams with quick bets live same game parlays exclusive props and

More the BET to make right now is on our guy Jaylen Brunson um for MVP Plus 10,000 do I think it’s going to happen no not particularly but what if the dude just goes on an absolute heater what if there are some injuries what if some

Guys don’t hit the 65 game Mark again I don’t think it’s super likely but he’s been one of the best scorers in basketball over the 10 games leading to All-Star break if he continues that production and the Knicks ultimately get the two seed uh there’s there’s a small

Chance in the dark if you if you want to take that crazy bet with me visit fanduel.com logdon and shoot your shot FanDuel official Sportsbook partner of the NBA when you’re hiring for your small business you want to find quality professionals that are right for the

Role that’s why you have to check out LinkedIn jobs LinkedIn jobs says the tools to help you find the right Professionals for your team faster and for free man can I vouch for LinkedIn more than any other job site I’ve ever been a part of I recently got the

Opportunity to travel to Eugene Oregon for UCLA Oregon basketball game work it for CBS was all because of LinkedIn and and me keeping up with past connections and people I haven’t seen in years and letting them know what was up with my work and hopefully on the hiring end of

Things they found me to be a good employee LinkedIn isn’t just another job board LinkedIn has a vast network of more than a billion professionals which makes it the best place to hire gives you access to professionals you can’t find anywhere else LinkedIn does all that while making the process easy and

Intuitive hiring is easy when you have so many quality candidates so easy in fact that 86% of small businesses get a qualified candidate within 24 hours so post your job for free at linkedin.com MBA that’s linkedin.com lockon MBA to post your job for free and we want to

Remind you that terms and conditions apply yeah and I I just I I think the fear there and I think what you’re what you’re getting at is like there just a lot of stuff has to go right to see the perfect version of this team I mean even

Hardenstein with the Achilles like like like Kim injuring that a second time is is kind of like a a blaring red siren um and with Mitch like you can just never feel totally confident that he’s gonna be healthy throughout his series um Randall like if he does play like does

He like I I just thought athletically this is I mean last year like he he I think he doubled up the number of dunks he had from 2022 to 2023 I thought this year like him just him as a battering ram like this has been the best version

Of that we’ve ever gotten and like like I he seems like someone who like maybe this is his best quality is totally fearless and like and like there are big guys who don’t play like big guys and he freaking plays like a big guy like game

In and game out and and that’s like when you talk about a version of this team that can win a championship and and and you just see a team like Boston that it just feels like if that were the path they’d inevitably have to go through like quite possibly would have to go

Through Milwaukee and Giannis like the world where you’re beating those teams is where Randall is just a force and I think particularly in that Boston matchup like a team that not like obviously they can go to porzingis and and Horford and like porzingis is is turned into a great rim protector um but

There’s a world where where like those teams just don’t have someone to cover him and outside of Giannis with Milwaukee like that’s such a clear-cut Advantage for the in any single Series where he is just a mismatch night in and night out and we’ve never gotten that version of

Randall in the playoffs before but it just feels like this team around him like and and how much shooting they can potentially put around him like like this is this is the postseason for him to shine and it it would be a shame if he’s not 100% to do that yeah and as

Someone who’s you know probably defended him as much as anyone yeah I just I hope we get a healthy version of him because for all the reasons you said I think this is he’s set up to to have a much better um postseason I thought last year

You know it was like it was not good it was better than the Atlanta S Series you know on the two uh the Cleveland thing was weird because I thought in game five he was just fantastic and then his ankle again good yeah so good it was like a it

Kind of a version of what he is this year just going through the chess of Moy every time he got a chance to do it and then hurt his ankle and you know was he ever fully healthy in the Miami series you know but they’re just a really hard

Matchup for Eddie forward I you know bam is just a that good a defensive player so and Randle just didn’t play well obviously didn’t shoot the ball well no excuses there but as you as you mentioned the shooting is better than it’s ever been for him I think he plays

Off that shooting in terms of a playmaker and then as a score in the paint phenomenally well um now there is one guy that we haven’t touched on and I wonder if there if we’re gonna hear from him in the postseason and that’s precious a Chua and I just I wonder

Against some of these match up like if you project ah let’s say Mitch is healthy you know do I love him against Boston in general no I don’t like I just don’t think it’s a great matchup for him there’s other like Miami like I don’t think is a phenomenal matchup for him I

Wonder and I’m not saying I would do this I I obviously you have if Mitch is healthy he’s your he’s your backup at worst like he’s just that he’s just that good an offensive rebounder but if you there are questions about him I think AA has shown enough to where I think

There’s a a decent enough player against some of these matchups where I feel okay with it and to me like that that is saying you know a lot because I just I thought like a lot of people that he was just more of like salary filler and just

Getting making the numbers work when they traded for him but the guy’s playing 40 minutes plus every night and obviously offensively there’s a lot to be desired as a scorer passer but his offensive rebounding just plays it’s just it’s really good and defensively he’s one of the more versatile Defenders

On on the roster right now I think you wonder about him as a five because you know Benji had made this point um to me and it’s a good one regarding like his offensive rebounding is it more him playing on at the four and sort of like running in surprising people and and

Doing it that way versus trying to do it against a center it’s a fair point I wonder if it’s still like his offensive rebounding is probably still a good skill to have uh but I just I think in some matchups you know I wonder if he’s gonna get a look in the postseason

Because you know he’s got you could switch him you can you can play him higher at the level there a lot of things you could do with him defensively that has has that might give tibs like another guy to maybe think about as you’re trying to round out your your

Postseason roster the hope is that obviously Mitch is back soon enough to where you can get like 10 games in the regular season to where he’s he’s maybe not Peak shape but he’s close enough once so when you get to the postseason at least you know conditioning wise and

Physically he’s going to be there uh but you don’t you don’t know where that’s going to be but auua has shown enough to where I think he’s I think we might hear from him some big games this year yeah I the the thing that’s maybe maybe outside of his offensive rebounding but that

Stood out to me more than anything is just how quick his hands are and you see it over and over again like the first time I think was the Sixers game and he just picked Maxi’s pocket and I was like I kind of re rounded was like whoa did

That that just happen was that a mistake did he dribble off his shoe and like you you you keep seeing it and like to me like particularly against Boston like that’s that’s really intriguing like a team that can just attack you one through five like to have a more

Flexible weapon and again especially like if you’re not getting like the best version of Mitch and maybe the best version of Mitch can do a little bit of that but and look and likeu is like he’s just too short to like really contest porzingis even even with a good wingspan

So that that’s an issue if you’re trying to play him at the five but I mean it it’s it really like this is this is a whole different conversation but it it’s like the ceiling of this team I think in some ways is is how much Faith do you

Have in Tom thibo because it feels like like a creative coach like if you just gave this roster to Eric spoler like it could be deployed in such intriguing like fascinating like like everchanging ways and like I wonder if tibs is is up for that if he has the stomach for that

Like to like game to game series to series to like shift what this team is because I think it’s I think it’s all there like like there’s it’s not it’s not like having all the puzzle pieces it’s like having the pieces to five different very good puzzles but is he

Willing to switch out the puzzles or does he find one he loves and like just like that’s the puzzle he wants to play with all the time yeah and that’s that’s him right it’s like I think he is a really good coach like really good I think underrated in terms of like how

He’s cons how he’s talked about and mocked um more than than not in terms of national media you know he’s not spola there’s just there’s he’s obviously at a different stage or level uh but he I think uh if you had a rank coaches I think he’s he’s easily an above average

Head coach now the problem and this is I think you’re right about this I think he has certain uh tenants that he that are just important to him and that he doesn’t waiver on and then he also he that speaks him more of like him just knowing um he doesn’t like question

Marks he doesn’t like things not being said he doesn’t like going into a game and wondering if this is going to be the time he’s going to go to this rotation versus you know the one he played the game before like I think part of like

His um inflexibility is the fact that he just he likes to know he’s so well prepared and that preparation really is if you think about it like conceptually like if you’re preparing and that is something you you view as like an edge for you because of like how well you can

Do this and the preparation leading up to a game it would behoove you to have certain things that you can count on game in to game out that you can you can control I think that probably speaks to why he is a little more inflexible than

I think he should be that you think he should be is that he just his preparation is so strong that he but I think that that maybe hamstrings his ability to sort of think outside the box a little bit but um you know it’s like I’ve gotten to the point where I’m

Like all right he is he is who he is and you how he is the coach and it’s like you know with Brunson I think the same thing like there’s some he’s a great player but there are limitations there but it’s what you you you sort of like

Deal with like the defensive limitations that he has and like some of the issues he has passing out of a hard double because of his his lack of height but you just work with what you have and you sort of like analyze his team with like

Counters so like those those issues um I think the Knicks can win with with Tibido if all their players like if they play well they play play well enough but if if it’s going to require adjustments and and and maybe going away from someone trusts you know then you’re

Going to run into some some problems and maybe that’s that’s the limiting factor for him all right guys we’re g to wrap things up talking about the backup point guard position is it gonna be Alec Burks is it gonna be ju McBride how might those two be employed come playoff all

Right guys to wrap things up we are going to talk the backup point guard position Alec Burks du McBride how might those two be deployed when it matters most but before we do that I want to tell you about our good friend over at eBay Motors passion drive and patience what

Brings home the winning trophy is also what keeps your ride or die alive eBay Motors is everything you need to maintain your vehicle and level it up to Peak Performance from superchargers roof racks exhaust kits LED headlights and more whether you’re into speed power or style eBay Motors has got you covered

With over 122 million parts for your number one rid or die you’ll always find exactly what you’re looking for and with eBay guaranteed fit your part is guaranteed to fit your ride every time or your money back because with eBay Motors you’re burning rubber not cash

With all the parts you need at the prices you want it’s easy to turn your car into the MVP and bring home that win keep your ride or die alive at ebaymotors.com eligible items only exclusions apply eBay guaranteed fit only available to us customers yeah and I I don’t know if

They have quite the top tier talent to to do that without like near perfect maneuvering but you know what some of some of the lineup data with how good they’ve been with OG and anobi says says otherwise um let’s finish up with with a couple of quick

Hitters I think we we don’t have to spend a ton of time on this because I think we’ve we’ve talked through it without actually talking through it but everything I’m gathering for you tells me you’re you’re kind of on like whatever version of Mitchell Robinson we get you think Isaiah hardenstein should

Probably still be the starter or or am I off on that no I I think you’re right I think off you know offensively there’s just he’s not Mitch defensively even though he’s really good I think Mitch is a step above but I think you get so much

Out of the offense uh Randle is I it’s one of the numbers I tracked all year he just Randall performed so much better and almost every efficiency marker with hartenstein on the court uh he’s not a spacer in the traditional sense but he’s a mover uh so he’s he’s just does a good

Job of sort of allowing Randall to have those alleys he’s not stuck in the dunkers all the time just waiting for that that dump off pass uh so there’s just too much of a gain on the offensive end and um it’s the lineup that as you were you suggested just it’s too strong

To to make that change yeah I’m I’m with you on that and and again like I do I I do think the one really fun thing with having Mitch back is like is and maybe it’s just too late in the season for this to be like any kind of fixture but

With second units for 10 minutes a game the idea of of that guy like rolling downhill like running spread pick and roll and like what that could do to defense is again if like the guy if you have OG in one corner Deen chenzo another and like bogy like spacing like

Out to the wing or like Burke spacing out to the wing like like I think I think there are chances to blow some games open with that and I think there’s an important role for Mitchell Robinson to play but Isaiah hardenstein just just too solid on on both ends and just just

I mean there’s a reason tibs even last year was closing with hardenstein like at times against the Heat like just doesn’t take anything off the table and Mitch like super defined strength super defined weaknesses um point guard spot backup point guard spot uh maybe 12 minutes a game in the regular season

Like probably like less than that maybe as little as like six or seven in in the postseason or maybe to previous Point like a just Dante there like how do you see that sorting itself out between Duce Burks or or maybe when it comes down to

It like neither of them playing yeah I think it’s likely gonna be Burks uh I think he’s I think there’s enough trust obviously we keep talking I think that word’s been kind of a theme in terms of like obviously the coach has the players he trusts and and Burks is clearly one

Of them uh in terms of the postseason you know brunson’s gonna play 40 minutes in more more games than not so you’re as you you alluded to you were talking about you know just a handful of minutes there I think you could see a scenario where Devan chenzo is getting you know

Some some more of the playmaking opportunities uh but you know Burks is you know I know we’re all a little you know we still have that bad taste of a couple years ago where he was you know the point guard in the second half of the year when we were all clamoring uh

For quickly to be to take that role um but he’s a good enough uh score in terms of um you know not a great passer but he can score out of isolation he can score out of the pick and roll um but I think you could play off him and and div

Chenzel and feel good about you know what you you have there as you know your your backup point guards uh to me deuce is more uh hasn’t shown me enough in terms of his on the ball uh ability to to feel comfortable even in small um I

Think for him it’s going to be more of like all right if you’re there’s five seconds left in a in a half and you need one possession to sort of close it you bring them in the game and if there there’s injuries or foul trouble maybe

See some time you know I think Deuce is grown a lot this year especially as a shooter but still not there as uh a guy that I would feel comfortable with as a as a point guard um even by name only I just think he’s he’s just he’s more of a

Wing right now maybe there’s something he can grow into but brunson’s gonna play 40 I think you can I think Burks and Devon chenzo I think there’s enough there H to feel comfortable with whomever you’re you’re deciding is going to take that mantle as like you know the

Where the offense is going through I think both guys are are pretty capable yeah and and you’ve seen in in high pressure moments like end of quarters end of halfs like it’s been disastrous when Duce has tried to initiate offense and often you’re seeing like Julius

Randle get the ball with like two three seconds left on the clock and be like all right what yeah um yeah and that’s that that’s that’s probably why he’s not gonna be out there with Burks like I I just need to like it’s it’s funny because I just I don’t remember him

Being like an exceptionally selfish player and maybe has rose-colored glasses looking back but just he he’s just been very ball hogy so far and I think I I think it can work like if he is like like I like he definitely has the basketball IQ to be a smart passer

And and maybe just been like that he’s been cooking to such a high extent from three and playing on like one of the worst teams in NBA history this year but I’m hoping like over the course of the Season that reduces and he’s like a willing ball mover was to your point

There could be like a really beautiful like like kind of like side to side like Twan game between him and Dante that that kind of tortures um opposing benches all right uh let’s let’s end on this um any any lineups you want to see that that I I haven’t mentioned yet um

That that you would find intriguing I you know I think we hit on most of them uh I would I would probably have as little Josh Hart at the two as you could get away with it I think that I I even though lineup data suggests he’s a really strong player regardless

Of where he’s playing I think you want him um you know more at the the 3 four even uh but you know I just I want to see in in terms of the fully realized uh roster you know I do want to see like where what the you we’ve talked about OG and

And Buon I think they there’s a lot to like in terms of what they can do um I think there’s both those guys are really good Shooters their sides there I think there’s a lot you can do a lot with this with this lineup it’s I think what what

Tibs is gonna have to figure out is like do you get these guys healthy enough to where you feel good about whatever your playoff rotation is going to be do you have seven eight games to where you can really no and I imagine the last you know 10 games are going to

Be really important in terms of seating so you’re going to get some High Press games some games that are that are going to matter and do you have a healthy team to sort of like really figure out like what is the optimal uh playoff rotation

Um but I think we’ve hit on all the the ones that I would personally would like to see to me the the key is just going to be you know Health obviously and then will the coach have enough time to really feel comfortable to where you get

To the postseason you’re you’re you feel good about your eight or nine guys and you’re going to go to war with those um I think that’s a that’s a big question I think the the hope is you you you get a you know I think five games is probably

Like the bare minimum but if you get six or seven I think you feel good about you know at least the sample size yeah those last 11 games they they have the the big West Coast Swing where they get Portland Sacramento Golden State Denver those are

G that’s going to be a tough stretch and then you finish and and this is like this is March 23rd so you like if everything goes right you have your full team by then you get the Nets the Pistons Raptors to Spur like to me that’s that’s kind of what I’m locking

In on and saying like that is a golden opportunity to like test as much as humanly possible like put out weird lineups and and again it’s just a question of like if Tom thibo recognizes that and and like and maybe like to to your point like he’s a great coach like

Maybe maybe correctly he says like it’s like a little bit too late at this point to to mess around like I’m going with the guys I know and like people like like bogy is is seasoning like Burks is seasoning um Mitchell Robinson at this point is seasoning on on a dish that’s

Already done but you do have that four game window and then and then the Finish is a little tougher it’s Thunder Heat Kings Bulls bucks Bulls those two Bulls games could also be key and then you’re hoping Celtics have everything locked up by that last April 11th game they play a

Sham of a lineup maybe that’s the game you clinch a two or three seed um but the point is uh Championship ceiling wow DJ Zula throwing out some heaters um a lot of reasons to be optimistic and um for anyone who who follow this team who doesn’t already DJ one of the absolute

Best people to follow um if you want to learn more about them again that’s at DJ Ace NBA and and DJ can you let everyone know um one final time where they can find all your work on on Nick’s film school yeah just uh follow me on Twitter

Or X and you can you get all my stuff there be me Benji uh uh we have others that that help us out but we put a game thread out every after every game so we one of us will take the game and really go back rewatch it and uh give you guys

20 25 clips of you know things that we thought were important so that you’ll see that on Nick’s film school then Benji and I will have you know bi-weekly X’s and0 shows that we’ll try to get out there that you can watch um on the YouTube channel uh so follow us over

There at Nick film school or we on all your podcast feeds Spotify Apple Google all those uh all those fun things but yeah just doing uh really excited excited about where this team can go and hopefully I we can all get some answers of what what this team really uh can be

In terms of their ceiling over the next few weeks but yeah thank you Gavin again for uh giving me the time to come on and always enjoy doing it yeah absolutely buddy I I love love listening to those off day pods like I’ll take a long walk

Queue it in and I feel I feel like a smarter fan and I feel like I’m I’m doing my job Justice because I’m learning more more about the team than I I I can learn just watching the games um but until next time he’s DJ I’m Gavin

We’ll talk to you very very soon on lockdown Knicks oh

The New York Knicks have arguably the deepest roster in the NBA. Tom Thibodeau has undeniably done a fantastic job coaching this team, but does he have the inherent flexibility to deploy his personnel to its greatest potential round to round in the playoffs?

Gavin Schall and Knicks Film School’s DJ Zullo team up to answer this question, plus Bojan Bogdanovic and Mitchell Robinson’s roles in the postseason rotation and why they still believe in Julius Randle’s ability to be successful in the playoffs.

Want to talk hoops with us? Join us on Subtext!
📲 https://joinsubtext.com/lockedonknicks

Follow & Subscribe on all Podcast platforms…
🎧 https://link.chtbl.com/LOKnicks?sid=YouTube

Locked On NBA League-Wide: Every Team, Fantasy, Draft, WNBA & More
🎧 https://linktr.ee/LockedOnNBA

Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!
Grammarly
When it comes to writing, Grammarly is there to support you from start to finish. With one click, you can easily and easily brainstorm, rewrite, and reply with suggestions based on your context and goals. Go to grammarly.com/PODCAST to download for FREE today.

Nissan
Our friends at Nissan have a lineup of SUV’s with the capabilities to take your adventure to the next level. Take the Nissan Rogue, Nissan Pathfinder, or Nissan Armada and go find your next big adventure. Shop NissanUSA.com.

LinkedIn
LinkedIn Jobs helps you find the qualified candidates you want to talk to, faster. Post your job for free at LinkedIn.com/LOCKEDONNBA. Terms and conditions apply.

eBay Motors
For parts that fit, head to eBay Motors and look for the green check. Stay in the game with eBay Guaranteed Fit at eBayMotos.com. Let’s ride. eBay Guaranteed Fit only available to US customers. Eligible items only. Exclusions apply.

BetterHelp
This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Make your brain your friend, with BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/LOCKEDONNBA today to get 10% off your first month.

PrizePicks
Go to PrizePicks.com/lockedonnba and use code lockedonnba for a first deposit match up to $100!

Gametime
Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDON for $20 off your first purchase.

FanDuel
Get buckets with your first bet on FanDuel, America’s Number One Sportsbook. Right now, NEW customers get ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS in BONUS BETS with any winning FIVE DOLLAR BET! That’s A HUNDRED AND FIFTY BUCKS – if your bet wins! Visit FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON to get started.

FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)

#Knicks #NewYorkKnicks #NBA