Detroit – PJ Tucker didn't know what to expect.
He got the text Thursday morning that he was part of the rotation of the game against the Pistons, and to his surprise, Tucker was the first player from the Knicks bench with a loss of 115-106.
Finally, Tucker logged 27 minutes (much higher on the season), physically mixed, earning his first regular season points in just one year with his trademark corner three-pointer.
“If I got through the first wind, it was really good,” Tucker said. “I started to open up a bit. I felt better, started talking, started to get into the game. It's like riding a bike.”
Tucker concluded his closing game in the fourth quarter with a lineup with the starters.
April 10, 2025. nbae via Getty Images
Still, there is no guarantee that he will see the court again.
Josh Hart and OG Anunoby, both of whom were off on Thursday, should return to Friday's game against the Cavaliers.
Tucker enjoyed the opportunity – and felt physical at home.
“That kind of play, box out, 50-50 balls, that kind of thing is that feeling,” Tucker said. “When I got an offensive rebound, I felt good, 'Yeah, I'm back.' ”
The evidence shows that Tom Thibodeau is not actually tired of his players.
Thibodeau's reputation for destroying his body in a fierce few minutes has led the Guardian to dive deep into data that begins in 2010 (thibodeau's first year as head coach).
The graph provided in the story showed that three of Thibodeau's five seasons in Chicago correlated with a ton of injuries, but his subsequent years with Timberwolf and Nick were more average or healthier than most of the NBA.
Thibodeau, who left the two starters a break in Thursday's defeat to the Pistons, shrugged his findings to keep him opposed.
“I don't worry about that because there's always an opinion,” Thibodeau said. “Whenever there is science, there is an opinion, there is a trained eye. And there is a lot to it. I always say you're prepared for what you want to do.
