32 • December 2, 2021 - December 8, 2021
THE NEW YORK AMSTERDAM NEWS
Sports Thibodeau alters the Knicks’ rotation searching for positive balance (Bill Moore photo)
By JAIME C. HARRIS AmNews Sports Editor Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau’s hand was forced. His starting five were not passing the eye test or analytics measures, and were experiencing issues on both ends of the court. The Knicks’ second unit was far more proficient than the collective starters prior to the team facing the Brooklyn Nets at the Barclays Center on Tuesday night. The bench began this week ranked second in the NBA in outscoring opponents by 3.9 points. Conversely, the starters were a negative 3.7. While point guard Kemba Walker wasn’t the only source of the Knicks’ troubles, the fourtime All-Star was clearly not having the positive impact on the court team president Leon Rose and Thibodeau had envisioned when the organization signed the 31-year-old Bronx native and New York basketball icon to a
Bronx native Kemba Walker, who began the season as the Knicks’ starting point guard, was removed from the team’s rotation in a lineup shakeup by head coach Tom Thibodeau
two-year, $17.9 million deal this past August. The statistic that was most glaring was that the Knicks were plus-14 points per 100 possessions when Walker was not on the court. So on Monday, Thibodeau informed the media that he was not only replacing the 6-foot-1 Walker, who was averaging a moderate 11.7 points on 42.9% shooting, including 41.3% on threepoint attempts, 3.1 assists and 2.6 rebounds in 24.5 minutes in 18 games played, as a starter, but he would be out of the rotation period. “It’s a tough decision to make, but you always have to do what you think is best for the team,” said Thibodeau. “I view Kemba as a starter, and so it’d be tough to play
three small guards together. I gave it consideration, and I’ve got great respect for who Kemba is as a person and all he’s accomplished in this league,” he expanded. “But I have to do what I think is best for the team.” Veteran Alec Burks, in his second season with the Knicks, moved into the starting point guard spot and joined Evan Fournier, R.J. Barrett, Julius Randle and Mitchell Robinson to begin the game against the Nets. He led the Knicks with 25 points in their 112-110 defeat to drop them to 11-10. When the NBA schedule began last night (Wednesday), the Knicks were ranked 19th in scoring at 106.5 points per game and 17th in opponent points allowed at 106.4. They host the Chicago Bulls on Monday at Madison Square Garden tonight and the Denver Nuggets at MSG on Saturday (1 p.m.) before beginning a three-game road trip next Tuesday against the San Antonio Spurs. They’ll also play the Indiana Pacers next Wednesday and the Toronto Raptors next Friday.
Shorthanded Nets still keep pace as one of the league’s best teams The Nets received distressing news this week that their starting guard Joe Harris, one of the NBA’s best three-point shooters, will be out 4-8 weeks after having surgery on his left ankle. He injured it on Nov. 14 against the Oklahoma City Thunder. In 14 games Harris is averaging 11.3 points and making 44% of his three-point attempts. Even with Harris out, the Nets continue to have one of the league’s best records and have recently faced other teams with the best records. As of last night (Wednesday), the Phoenix Suns and Golden State Warriors were both 18-3. The Suns took down the Warriors 104-96 on Tuesday to win their 17th game in a row. The Nets had the third best record and were No. 1 in the East at 15-6. The Suns defeated
the Nets at the Barclays Center last Saturday by 113-107. The Nets also lost to the Warriors at home on Nov. 16 by 11799. The Suns were able to hold Nets’ guard James Harden to 12 points although he ended the night with a low scoring triple double, adding 14 assists and 13 rebounds. But after beating the Knicks last night in Brooklyn by 112-110, the Nets had won five of their last six. A late foul by Mitchell Robinson on Nets forward James Johnson turned out to be the deciding play. Johnson made two crucial foul shots with 2.2 seconds left with the score tied at 110 to give the Nets the win. He had seven points and two rebounds in 18 minutes off the bench. Harden led the Nets AM NEWS AM NEWS with 34 points, 10 re01414 AM NEWS bounds and eight as10/07/21 12/02/21 Nets forward James Johnson’s two clutch with 10/07/21 0 7 free throws sists. Kevin Durant added 74470 22784 2.2 seconds remaining in the game gave the Nets a 112-110 27 points and nine aswin over the Knicks at the Barclays Center on Tuesday night sists. “It doesn’t matter (Bill Moore photo)
By VINCENT DAVIS Special to the AmNews
who’s on that team or who’s on this team. I think the energy’s always going to be there,” said Harden. “Whether it’s here or at MSG, the fans are going to be cheering for their respective teams, and it’s going to be a good game every time. And tonight, we’re just happy to come out with the win.” The Nets have been getting strong contributions from veterans Patty Mills and LaMarcus Aldridge. Mills, playing both guard positions, is averaging 12.2 points on 47.8% shooting from three. Aldridge, manning the power for ward and center positions, is posting 13.6 points and 5.9 rebounds. The Nets get back to it at Barclays tomorrow night against the Minnesota Timberwolves and on Saturday will host the Chicago Bulls. They will then go on a four-game road trip starting next Tuesday versus the Dallas Mavericks followed by a game on Wednesday against the Houston Rockets.
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