The New York Knicks have been a major topic of discussion around the NBA recently. Point guard Jalen Brunson was a trending topic on social media as a debate on ESPN unfolded in which he wasn’t considered a 1A player.
It was an odd topic, as there aren’t more than a handful of players that would qualify as such in the NBA. Brunson is a star in the making, on track to make his first All-Star game and be under consideration for All-NBA Teams with his level of performance.
Another topic involving the Knicks has been the minutes of guard Immanuel Quickley. Once again in the running for the Sixth Man of the Year award, Quickley has been very productive for the Knicks off their bench despite seeing a drop in his minutes compared to last season.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Immanuel Quickley, Tom Thibodeau, Jalen Brunson New York Knicks Updates
Eventually, something will have to give when it comes to Quickley. He is playing too well, as he has as much positive impact while on the court as anyone on the roster. There is a contingent of fans that would love to see Quickley enter the starting lineup alongside Brunson, a notion that has received some pushback.
Can an undersized backcourt succeed at the highest levels in the NBA? Brunson and Quickley are listed at 6’2” and 6’3”, respectively. Rotation-wise, there would be some issues as Quickley plays all of the backup point guard minutes.
Would Tom Thibodeau be able to find a way to stagger their minutes if both were in the starting lineup? Given some of the rigidity of his rotations and preference for size on the wing, it is hard to imagine it being done.
However, a Brunson/Quickley backcourt is something that the Knicks need to start using more of. Whatever reason people come up with as a reason that it won’t work is debunked by their production on the court.
Numbers don’t lie, and according to those, the Brunson/Quickley pairing is one of the best backcourts in the NBA. As shared by MoreLikeMensa on X, formerly Twitter, those two have been on the court for 713 possessions together.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Immanuel Quickley, Tom Thibodeau, Jalen Brunson New York Knicks Updates
During that time, New York has been very successful. The two have compiled a net rating of +13.6, which is an elite number and in the 97th percentile of all linueps.
Many people have said that the duo is too small to consistently share the backcourt together. But, other undersized backcourts, such as Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland with the Cleveland Cavaliers, don’t receive such criticisms. In fact, many NBA analysts believe the Knicks should pull the trigger on adding Mitchell, who is listed at 6’3”, the same as Quickley.
While size does play a part in the equation, it is only one factor. When you have a duo that is performing at the level in which Brunson and Quickley are, it is imperative to find more minutes for them together. If not, the Knicks are doing themselves a disservice and actively aiding their opponents in defeating them.
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