Will The New York Knicks Consider Going Back To The Three Center Rotation?

Last year a large proportion of analysts questioned whether the Cleveland Cavaliers could sustain any sort of production with a lineup featuring Lauri Markkanen, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen. That lineup had immense size, but that idea flew in complete contrast to where the NBA has been heading over the past decade with a concentration on small ball lineups. The success of that team allowed others to think differently.

The Minnesota Timberwolves acquired Rudy Gobert to pair with Karl-Anthony Towns, and the Pistons welcomed a style that paired Isiah Stewart with a traditional center. There are plenty of examples of stylistic differences in the NBA, but it’s always fair to question if the personnel choices actually make sense.

A few weeks ago Obi Toppin missed some time due to a non-displaced fracture in his right fibula. This seemed like an obvious blow to the 2nd unit but it was assumed that the Knicks had the depth to offset such an injury. Cam Reddish had played effectively over the course of the season, at that point, and it seemed to make sense to go with him off the bench. Instead, Tom Thibodeau elected to bring Jericho Sims off the bench to play with Isaiah Hartenstein.

Thibodeau used Sims routinely in that role where he played with Hartenstein. He averaged well over 10 minutes per game and would often see those minutes with another center on the court.

With Mitchell Robinson out of the lineup for a bit with a broken thumb and Toppin back in the rotation the two center lineup isn’t necessarily needed. Can it be a weapon that Thibodeau can break out after the All-Star break?

How It Can Work

The obvious consideration for why this has some validity is the rebounding issues the Knicks have fallen into this season. They rank 8th worst in the NBA in defensive rebounding percentage after placing in the top-five last season. That has caused opponents to gash the Knicks on the glass and take advantage of 2nd chance points.

Hartenstein does certain things well but he isn’t a beast on the defensive boards. Hartenstein ranks in the bottom half in the league in the category and Toppin, his current running mate on the second unit, struggles in this sector of the game, too. Adding another above average center in terms of defensive rebounding made a huge impact for the Knicks.

During that month-long period where Toppin missed time the Knicks ranked 1st in the NBA with a 75.4 defensive rebounding percentage. That is a huge bump and showed that the Knicks were able to make strides in an area in which they otherwise have struggled. It helped translate to the team capturing the 2nd best defensive net rating in the NBA during that same time period. Trotting out a bench lineup that can help you sustain elite numbers on the defensive side of the court must be awfully appealing to Thibodeau.

Sims showed credibility in being able to blitz on the perimeter in the pick and roll and allowed Hartenstein to stay upright down near the basket. Maintaining a defensive scheme that bludgeoned opponents is right in line with they way Thibodeau wants to operate. On top of that, the offensive rebounding was the best in the league (up a touch from their average on the season), which is a general philosophy the team has played into all year round.

The look would allow the Knicks to maintain the identity they’ve crafted all season long while promoting the areas they’ve wanted to excel in.

Why It Can’t Work

This only came about as an area of necessity. It wasn’t rooted in an idea that it would last forever and the look was just to “get by” for short stints at a time. The offense often looked clunky; it relied on some of the brilliance of Immanuel Quickley and the downhill action of RJ Barrett.

The fit, offensively, seemed like it could work since Hartenstein is known to stretch the floor all the way out to the 3-point line. He averaged a 3-point attempt per game during the stretch when Toppin was out, but he’s taken only one three-pointer in the 10 games since. It could simply be a product of the lack of a need for him to let it fly since he has typically been the only center on the court, but it could also speak to his lack of confidence in a shot that hasn’t worked this year. This will need to be sorted out if they plan to use Hartenstein stretch the floor.

Team construction has to be taken into consideration. Choosing to implement this lineup, with a fully healthy roster, means that you are likely resorting to keeping Toppin on the bench. Obi certainly struggled when he first returned back from his injury as he accumulated a mere 13 points over the course of six games. That level of productivity on offense does not make up for the defensive shortcomings on the other end of the court.

It’s important to remember that Toppin is still a valuable piece to this team and the long-term health of the organization needs to allow the 3rd year forward an opportunity to thrive. He’s performed much better over his past few games, even with the continued limited playing time.

The conversation becomes much more interesting if Toppin, Julius Randle, or RJ Barrett are ever forced to miss time. The chatter will resurface and it’ll be up to Thibodeau to see how he wants to allocate his minutes. If you know Thibs it may not be shocking to see him consider dusting off this strategy before the end of the season.