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Knicks Nine Man Rotation Leads to Win Streak

When Did Knicks Nine Man Rotation Start?

The New York Knicks after losing to the Milwaukee Bucks and Dallas Mavericks decided to run a nine man rotation. The nine man rotation started on December 4 against the Cleveland Cavaliers which resulted in a 92-81 win. The Knicks have ran the rotation since then and have been on a nice five game win streak.

Who Is In The Rotation?

Five of the Knicks nine is their usual starters in Jalen Brunson, Quentin Grimes, RJ Barrett, Julius Randle, and Mitchell Robinson. The four players who come off the bench are Immanuel Quickley, Isaiah Hartenstein, Miles McBride, and Jericho Sims. Sims is taking Obi Toppin’s spot in the rotation due to Toppin dealing with a right leg injury and will miss the next 2-3 weeks.

Who Is Left Out Of The Rotation?

Reserve players such as Ryan Arcidiacono, Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk, DaQuan Jeffries, and Trevor Keels don’t play much. Only time they would see action is in garbage time. However, Evan Fournier, Cam Reddish, and Derrick Rose are not involved which is rather surprising. Fournier who is a great shooter became a healthy scratch due to his struggles defensively. Reddish who the Knicks acquired last season has played well when finally given enough minutes. Rose is also very surprising due to him playing for Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau for the Knicks, Chicago Bulls, and Minnesota Timberwolves.

Coach Thibodeau Finally Lets the Kids Play

Coach Thibodeau is notorious for playing veterans and letting the younger guys sit and learn until they prove themselves. A couple of seasons ago, he was playing veteran Taj Gibson instead of the younger and much more athletic Toppin. However, now he is finally letting the kids play in McBride, Grimes, and Sims and it has led to a nice little win streak.

The Rotation Is Helping Defensively

During this win streak, the Knicks are first in the following categories: defensive rating, opponent field goal percentage, defensive rebounds, and net rating. Ever since the rotation started, the Knicks have played much better defensively.

Beat Some Good Teams

During this win streak, the Knicks have beat the Cavaliers, the Atlanta Hawks, the Charlotte Hornets, and the Sacramento Kings. Also, they just defeated the Chicago Bulls in overtime Wednesday night. With the exception of the Hornets, three of those teams are in the playoffs. They are not only winning games but they are getting quality wins against good teams.

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