There have been two obvious changes for the Knicks since the blockbuster trade of OG Anunoby.
1. Your defense power will be greatly improved.
2. Julius Randle and Jalen Brunson have more offensive responsibility on their shoulders.
The Knicks have always relied on their two stars, and they rarely win if both perform poorly, but now that dependence has increased.
They lost 33.2 points per game by releasing key secondary scoring options RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley to the Raptors, and were unable to fully replace their offensive prowess.
Onunoby came into this season averaging 15.1 points per game for Toronto.
As already depicted, Randle and Brunson will be on the floor a lot more going forward.
In the two games following the trade, Brunson averaged 39.5 minutes and Randle averaged 37.5 minutes.
Both of these points are higher than Brunson's season average of 36.0 points and Randle's 35.7 points.
They totaled 66 points in Wednesday's win over the struggling Bulls.
“I think [Brunson] Like Julius, he's well prepared for what he has to do,” coach Tom Thibodeau said. “That's one of the great traits about both players. They take care of themselves and work. If they have to play more, they play more. I have a lot of confidence in our players. I just think I need some time.”
It's worth noting that neither player has missed a game this season.
The Knicks don't have load management, and neither does the relentless Thibodeau, who has a reputation for pushing his players harder than most coaches during the regular season.
So far, five new starters have been confirmed: Brunson, Randle, Anunoby, Donte DiVincenzo and Isaiah Hartenstein.
With wins over the Timberwolves and Bulls, this group had an incredibly high NET rating of -44.4.
That means they are outscoring opponents by 44.4 points per 100 possessions.
The bench, once a major asset, is still under development.
Weakened by the Quickley trade and injury to Mitchell Robinson, Hartenstein was thrust into the starting lineup.
Guard Malachi Flynn, who was traded from the Raptors along with big man Precious Achiuwa, should help the unit when healthy.
Flynn was out with a sprained ankle.
Miles McBride is getting rotational minutes after primarily watching from the sideline.
The substitute players have never even practiced together, so they are still fumbling along.
“I think they need some time, but we're going to figure it out,” Thibodeau said. “Right now we just have to play simple. Let's stick to the basics, trust each other, let our offense work and create an advantage for each other. Then good things will come from there.”
For now, the Knicks will rely on Randle and Brunson.
Neither player seemed concerned about potentially playing a few extra minutes each night or being asked to do more offensively.
“36, 40, 42,” Randle said. “It's the same for me.”
Brunson has set career highs in assists in two games this year since signing, with 14 against the Timberwolves and 13 against the Bulls.
He thought it was because his teammates were just making shots and he wasn't doing anything differently.
But being on the floor too long was clearly a factor.
Randle laughed when told he would be able to return to his 2020-21 workload, when he averaged 37.6 minutes.
“Obviously you have to put the ball in the basket or make plays for other people, but we don't really focus on that,” Brunson said. “We're concentrating on the little things to make sure we're in a position to win. Attacks and things like that happen naturally. It flows easily. We're not focused and thinking about it. is just thinking about how he can help his teammates and how he can be successful and impact the game without actually needing help. [score a ton]”
