Knicks relying on Jalen Brunson, Julius Randle even more since OG Anunoby trade

There have been two clear changes in the Knicks since the blockbuster OG Anunoby trade . 1. Their defense is significantly improved. 2. There is a lot more offensive responsibility on the shoulders of Julius Randle and Jalen Brunson. The Knicks have always relied on their two stars, rarely winning if both perform poorly, but that dependency has now increased.

They lost 33.2 points per game in dealing RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley to the Raptors, important secondary scoring options, and didn’t fully replace that offensive firepower. Onunoby came over having averaged 15.1 points per game with Toronto this season. Randle and Brunson are going to be on the floor more now, as has already been illustrated.

In the two games since the trade, Brunson averaged 39.5 minutes and Randle 37.5. Those are both up from their season averages of 36.0 for Brunson and 35.7 for Randle. They combined for 66 points in Wednesday’s win over the languishing Bulls . “I think [Brunson] prepares himself well for whatever he has to do, as does Julius,” coach Tom Thibodeau said.

“That’s one of the great traits of both guys. They take great care of themselves and they work. If they have to play more, they play more. I have a lot of confidence in the guys we have. I think we just need a little bit of time.” Sign up for Inside the Knicks by Stefan Bondy, a weekly exclusive on Sports+.

Please provide a valid email address. By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy . Thank you Enjoy this Post Sports+ exclusive newsletter! Neither player, it should be noted, has missed a game this season. There is no load management with the Knicks, certainly not with the relentless Thibodeau, who has a reputation for pushing his players harder than most coaches during the regular season.

So far, the new starting five of Brunson, Randle, Anunoby, Donte DiVincenzo and Isaiah Hartenstein has clicked. In the wins over the Timberwolves and Bulls, the group has a NET rating of plus 44.4, an incredibly high number. That means they are outscoring the opposition by 44.4 points per 100 possessions.

The bench, once a major asset, is a work in progress. It has been weakened by the trade of Quickley and injury to Mitchell Robinson that moved Hartenstein into the starting lineup. Guard Malachi Flynn, who came over in the trade from the Raptors along with big man Precious Achiuwa, should help the unit once he is healthy.

Flynn has missed time with a sprained ankle. Miles McBride is now getting rotation minutes after mostly watching from the sideline. The reserves haven’t even practiced together, so there is a feeling out process going on. “I think they need a little bit of time and we’ll figure that out,” Thibodeau said.

“We’ve just got to make simple plays right now. Keep it basic, trust each other, let the offense work for you and then create advantages for each other. When we do that, good things are going to come from it.” For now, the Knicks are going to lean on Randle and Brunson. Neither seemed concerned about the possibility of playing a few extra minutes on a nightly basis, or being asked to do more on the offensive end.

“Thirty six, 40, 42,” Randle said. “That is all the same to me.” Brunson has had his two highest assist games this year since the deal, 14 against the Timberwolves and 13 against the Bulls. He attributed that to his teammates simply making shots, nothing that he did any differently. Being on the floor longer, though, obviously was a factor.

When Randle was told he could go back to the 2020 21 season workload, when he averaged 37.6 minutes, he laughed it off. “Obviously, we have to put the ball in the basket or make plays for others, but we’re not really focusing on that,” Brunson said. “We’re focusing on the little things to make sure that we’re put in positions to win.

The offense and stuff comes naturally. It flows easily. We’re not focused and thinking about it. We’re just thinking about how we can help our teammates and how we can be successful and impact the game without actually having to [score a ton].”.