New York Knicks: The Baby Bockers’ successful training camp
The Knicks’ successful training camp breeds hope for New York fans
It’s officially that beautiful time of the year where NBA basketball is back. Although we didn’t nearly have to wait as long as a normal offseason, the return of the NBA will bring a high note to basketball fans to end off a brutal 2020.
One team whose youth movement stood out big time during this training camp was the New York Knicks. Nicknamed the “Baby Bockers,” New York’s young talent in RJ Barrett, Mitchell Robinson, Obi Toppin, Immanuel Quickley, and Kevin Knox all played huge roles in the four preseason games.
Sure, many people will use the excuse it’s just the preseason or they only played the Pistons and Cavaliers, but true fans who watched beginning to end saw something we Knicks fans aren’t accustomed to, and that’s an improvement on defense.
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Everyone knew Tom Thibodeau is a fiend on the defensive end and is probably one of the greatest defensive-minded coaches of this era. But what we’ve been seeing from the Knicks is unbelievable just a month into formal training camps opening.
Sure the hype can be seen around the two 2020 draft picks Obi Toppin and Immanuel Quickley who has absolutely shined to begin, but let’s talk about some of the other depth the team has. Dennis Smith Jr. has no doubt been a liability on defense throughout his soon-to-be four-year NBA career.
The former lottery pick and 5-star NC State product entered the league with the perception of being a dynamic scorer and a project on defense. Neither has been true to this point.
But, the point guard who was acquired by the Knicks in January of 2019 in the Kristaps Porzingis trade, has shown extreme improvement on the defensive end. He still looks very unconfident shooting the ball, but his harassing defense absolutely pestered the guards in Detroit and Cleveland the first four games.
Kevin Knox is another one, a sharpshooting wing that was drafted with the Knicks’ lottery pick in 2018. His rookie season was mediocre at best and his sophomore year was even worse, showing no signs of improvement in shooting or on the defensive end. In the four preseason games, Knox shot 9/17 from three and 15/30 from the field. Although it’s a small sample size, it’s definitely an improvement in a pivotal year three.
But the biggest story is Immanuel Quickley, the Kentucky guard who was selected in the late 1st round. Although listed as a point guard, Quickley didn’t run the point at Kentucky, playing off the ball in a shooting guard role alongside Ashton Hagans.
While running the point the first four games for the Knicks, Quickley has shined with insane court vision, great leadership running the show, and lethal scoring off the dribble. His leadership skills were outlined before the draft by Kentucky coach John Calipari who knew he would be a steal for the Knicks at the 25th pick. Although it’s only four preseason games, Quickley is showing a lot of promise to potentially be the Knicks savior at point guard.
Obi Toppin has also shined early in the preseason, showing off his high flying athleticism and giving many Knicks fans glimpses of classic Amar’e Stoudemire. The Dayton big man has shown to be a bit more of a 4 than a 3, a position that is clogged up due to Julius Randle’s contract. Although I do think the team should experiment starting Randle and Toppin together, a more likely scenario will be Bullock and Randle with Toppin off the bench.
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There’s no doubt this Knicks team still has a long way to go, but the development of some of their young core is more promising than we’ve seen any bit recently. It’s going to be a pivotal year for a lot of guys on New York’s roster, and although there’s no real emphasis to make the playoffs, every Knick fan will hope to see solid development from the youngsters.