The Strickland’s 2020-21 Knicks Season Review Roundtable
The Strickland’s staff got together to reminisce on the Knicks’ magical 2020-21 season, including favorite moments, room for improvement, this team’s legacy in Knicks lore, and more.
The Knicks’ regular season is over, and they defied expectations at every turn, evolving right before our eyes from a plucky, “don’t take them lightly” .500 team to a bona fide No. 4 seed, finishing the season 41-31. Before the Knicks begin their first playoff appearance in eight years, The Strickland staff took a little time to reflect on the regular season that was, and project forward a tiny bit.
What was the turning point of the season?
Prez: I’m gonna say the Derrick Rose trade and his first game vs. Miami which the Knicks lost by two thanks to flopping and referee shenanigans. That was the game where it was clear to me that 1) this team can go bar for bar with a playoff-tested squad, and 2) that Rose would bring penetration and shot creation out of the guard spot that they desperately needed and kick them to another level of authenticity.
Sam Gedeon: I would say the Grizzlies game on April 9. The team was legitimately awful for three quarters of the game and still found a way to win off the backs of the young guys (RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley) and bench. This game also sparked a very important nine-game winning streak.
Stacy Patton: Have to agree with Sam on the Grizzlies game. The Knicks were staring 25-28 right in the face with many more tough games to go. Instead, they showed the grit and resolve to power through. The other game I’ll mention is the first Clippers game. LA was firing on all cylinders, but the Knicks were as close as three midway through the fourth (thanks to a timely outburst from Quickley) and RJ made Kawhi Leonard work for his points. Beating LA in the second matchup felt like coming full circle, but that first game was hugely important in giving the confidence that the Knicks could hang with a truly elite team even when it was playing its A game.
Derek Reifer: Not to be a broken record, but how about a view of FiveThirtyEight’s playoff predictor for the Knicks this season:
April 9 — what started as a .500 team down by double digits at home against another meh squad, with the added insult to injury of Ja raining threes in a tough RJ game, ended in catharsis — a comeback win sparked by RJ flipping the game script entirely. The team proceeded to go on the famous win streak and complete the season-long transformation from lottery team to maybe-playoffs to top-four seed.
James Marceda: Thibs.
Matthew Miranda: May 3 seems late for a turning point, but that’s the day that did it for me. That was the day the Knicks won in Memphis to open their six-game road trip 2-0. Even with all the positive accomplishments of the first few months, I was anxious that trip would do some serious damage to the Good Ship Knicks. The first game at Houston was a likely win and the last four games were all likely Ls. To have any chance at a positive road trip, the Knicks would need to beat a Grizzlies team seeking revenge and fighting for seeding. It was a test. They passed with flying colors.
Jack Huntley: It’s gotta be nabbing Derrick Rose for the ghost of Dennis Smith Jr. and a second rounder. Rose has the best net rating on the team (+10.6, per Cleaning The Glass), at least in part because he plays opposing minutes to Elfrid Payton, who, quite shockingly, has the worst net rating on the team (-9.8). The second he showed up he became one of the roster’s biggest offensive threats and muffled the impact of the team’s biggest weakness. He also hasn’t missed a shot yet. Which helps. But mostly it’s his semi-solving of the Elf minutes equation.
Benjy Ritholtz: I’ll latch on to Stacy’s second answer — that Jan. 31 Clippers matchup changed the way I perceived the team and what its ceiling could be. I said at the time it was more impressive than any of their wins to that point — they gave an elite team all they could handle, with several players still figuring out their roles and what they could be.
Collin Loring: I’m going to go with an unpopular, unsaid opinion, and offer up the Jan. 29 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. RJ and Julius Randle combined for 40 points in a win over a team that was off to a strong start, and had just beaten them two weeks earlier. Quickley also had 25 points, only his third significant game of the season. In their defeat of a team that seemingly had their number not too long ago, the New York Knicks showed me that they were capable of learning, and had even learned some, making good on a previous loss in order to secure a new win.
Shwinnypooh: Trading for Rose. No chance this team makes the playoffs without that move. He’s been a godsend with his shot creations and additional playmaking.
Alex Wolfe: I don’t know if I have anything more to add to these answers, other than to say I’d make it a tie between the Rose deal and the April 9 game vs. the Grizzlies to start the win streak. The Rose deal gave them the point guard they’ve needed for years (even if he doesn’t start). The Memphis game came on the heels of a the Knicks dropping a bunch of games by one or two possessions and falling two games under .500. That streak took them from a team that was unraveling and punching its ticket to the play-in round to the legitimate No. 4 seed that we see today.
What moment do you think you’ll most remember in five years?
Prez: Julius’ revenge tour vs. Dallas (and Kristaps Porzingis), LA, and New Orleans. Him putting up over 100 in three games that were all vs. teams that get more hype in dramatic, All-NBA wing initiator fashion was incredible.
Sam: Definitely the nine-game winning streak. Those games exhibited the mental toughness of the team and the dominance of Randle, who was truly coming into his own.
Stacy: Randle’s first 44-point game against Atlanta.
Derek: The nine-game win streak, and specifically the play of Randle and RJ over that stretch. If all goes well, we can look back fondly on that period as the blossoming of this long-term Knicks duo. If I had to pick one game, I’d go with the nationally-televised banger of a matchup against Dallas, which featured masterclasses by both lucky lefties.
James: Whatever happens in the playoffs. The regular season is for losers.
Miranda:
Jack: Probably the litter of mini-moments in the first quarter of every game when Randle continued to be mind-bendingly brilliant. It was jarring in every game. It still is. I don’t understand it. It’s been like discovering a bag of bog-roll that’s been gathering dust in the cupboard for years because it’s cheap, and feels like angry sandpaper doused in acid can actually be used as legal tender, and you have exactly the right amount of the stuff to retire and buy a holiday home in Greece and gormlessly grin for the rest of your days.
Benjy: Rose to Reggie for three vs. the Pelicans in The Garden to tie and send the game to OT, setting up the glory of that overtime, highlighted by Miranda’s clip above. That Lonzo Ball, the apple of many Knicks fans’ eye, was the one who made the fatal mistake to help in the paint down two made it all the more wonderful.
Collin: I want to say something cool, like a 40-piece night from Randle, RJ’s first career 30-plus point game, or even the mid-season blowout of the Boston Celtics. But honestly, I think when all is said and done, I probably won’t remember anything.
Shwinnypooh: Frank’s dunk on Vucevic. Not really, but I don’t care. ICONIC MOMENT.
Alex: I’m not normally the type to rewatch a full game ever, but I’d rewatch the May 9 game vs. the Clippers. That was such a fun game, easily one of the most impressive wins of the season, and the single game that will probably live rent free in my head all summer. The win streak/12 of 13 stretch also obviously deserves mention.
What’s this team’s legacy compared to the few other good squads in recent Knicks memory?
Derek: The legacy will be slightly different depending on how the next few seasons go, but this was the most fun Knicks team in decades. Without the burden of expectations, no matter what happens in the playoffs, this squad will be etched in Knick fandom forever.
James: No Melo, no cry.
Miranda: Depends where they are in two years. As noted here last week, the Knicks have struggled historically — yes, even before James Dolan, there were issues — to sustain success. Today’s miracle is often a mirage within 760 days. If two years from now Julius Randle has made multiple All-NBA teams, RJ Barrett is an All-Star, and Tom Thibodeau is still in favor, then this year goes down as the cornerstone. If two years from now Randle is All-NBA elsewhere or something less than that here, RJ’s flatlined, and Thibs is inspiring a mutiny or already gone, then 2021 is just another one-night stand to a girl who can’t quit love.
Jack: This has been a special season, more so in my opinion than the Melo-led teams because of the lack of expectation coming in, giving the win total that righteous extra kick of satisfaction. The sense that this can be the start of something sustainably not terrible matters too. I don’t remember a time when the entire organisation has been as aligned as it seems to be now, or a time when the quality of coaching staff and front office personnel inspires such confidence.
Benjy: The most joyful Knicks season since the ’90s. Sure, as fans, the ultimate is to root for a contender. But that doesn't mean rooting for a contender is more joyful than rooting for the upstart team that exceeds expectations. With expectations comes disappointment — this team has enabled us to root with house money since the first Bucks blowout.
Shwinnypooh: The team that actually changes the trajectory of the franchise. It’s the only team that’s in position to turn immediate success into prolonged future success since the Ewing era.
Alex: This team is the first one that’s given me the hope that something sustainable is being built, which I know is a super original answer that absolutely nobody else said. The ‘12-13 team always kinda felt like a mirage, a one-off shot at beating the Heat with a bunch of old dudes and Melo at the peak of his powers. It was really fun, but once Kidd retired along with basically all of the reserve bigs from that year, you just kinda knew things were about to change. This time around, there’s no need to talk oneself into Andrea Bargnani being serviceable for the next season. Most of this whole team should be back, and those that aren’t have a high chance of being upgraded, rather than downgraded.
Randle was obviously the hero of the season. Who was the unsung hero?
Prez: RJ was pretty “sung” as well, so I will go ahead and say Reggie Bullock. Again. I really do think his increase in chucking (along with D-Rose, to be fair) was what catapulted the Knicks from “team with great D that hopes to grind out a 103-101 victory” to “team with great D that can also put 115 on your head.”
Sam: Alec Burks, AKA Sane JR Smith. His shot selection is beyond puzzling, but when he was hot, he’s kept the Knicks in some games that they should’ve lost. His crunch time scoring and timely buckets have been necessary for a team that gets itself into untimely droughts on offense.
Stacy: Taj Gibson. The Knicks lost Mitchell Robinson for a huge chunk of this year. The ability to sign Taj off the street and for him to come in and provide tough rebounding, physical defense, and even some elite finishing has been a huge luxury. I’ll mention his leadership last, because while I think it’s extremely important, I don’t want to limit Taj by calling him a “veteran locker room presence.” His on-court contributions have been crucial.
Derek: Immanuel Quickley. Sure, he’s gotten plenty of hype as a massive rookie surprise, but I don’t think enough credit has been given to his on-court impact this season. A knockdown shooter on or off the ball, he was a major boon to the offense all season long, whether he was running with Austin Rivers or Derrick Rose. What he opened up with his gravity and scoring, age aside, was an X-factor for an offense that was relatively sluggish most of the year.
James: Either me for defending Thibs or Thibs for being Thibs. Regardless, there are far too many diaper-wearing babies whining about Thibs playing Elf and not nearly enough pants-wearing adults praising his absolute SORCERY in guiding the LAUGHINGEST STOCK TEAM IN SPORTS to a No. 4 seed in his first year on the job with almost the exact same roster as his predecessors. You should wake up every morning thanking the universe for Thibs, YOU INGRATES!
Also The Strickland and The Strickland’s fans. I love my Strickland family and would run through a brick wall for my brothers and sisters.
Miranda: The people who cover the team out of love and for little-to-usually-no money. I’ve been writing about the Knicks since 2014. I’ve dreamed of covering them during a playoff run. Just saying, I’ve spent countless nights recapping drudgerous defeats for seven years. I am my own unsung hero.
Jack: Almost everyone has been at some point or another celebrated, but I’ll go with Johnnie Bryant and Kenny Payne. I don’t think RJ Barrett and Julius Randle have such rollickingly successful seasons without those two.
Benjy: Thibs has repeatedly used that precise title — unsung hero — to sing the praises of Reginald Bullock. The man credibly guards the best wing on the opposing team every night on an elite defense, and magically turned himself into a volume movement shooter at the age of 30, and at 40%-plus, no less. His performance, plus just constantly delightful, yet understated vibes, cements him as the unsung hero of this squad.
Collin: I’ve got to go with Taj Gibson here. He held off on signing what I can only imagine were lucrative offers from other NBA teams until Jan. 7 to play with the Knicks! And on top of that, he’s played pretty good ball for a team that’s had to go almost all season long without Mitch.
Shwinnypooh: The Nerlens/Taj combo. Without Mitch, they had to hold up over a prolonged period that included the Knicks’ toughest stretch of the season. Has it been perfect? No, but they’ve battled and clawed and helped the Knicks maintain their status as an elite defensive team without their best interior defender. I have reservations about how that will hold up in the playoffs, but they deserve their kudos.
Alex: Theo Pinson. It might seem like I’m kidding, but I’m honestly not really kidding. The first half or so of this season was spent without fans, which put the onus on the teams — most specifically, the bench — to create their own energy. Pinson did just that.
What’s one thing, as of right now, that you’d pinpoint as the most pressing need to take this team to the next level?
Prez: Early this season, or even midway through, the answer would have been more floor spacing for Julius and RJ. They sort of took care of that themselves. To me, it is blindingly clear that the Knicks need a player, likely a guard, who can penetrate at will and be a threat to score and play-make from the paint. The Knicks are still one of the worst teams in the league at scoring at the rim both in volume and efficiency, and outside of Randle, they’re not a particularly good playmaking team, either.
Sam: Literally replacing No. 6 on the team with an even decent point guard. Just taking a look at the team’s record since Derrick Rose was acquired and has played and looking at all the inefficiencies that No. 6 provides, there’s a bunch of low hanging fruit with drives, rim finishing, guard playmaking, and much more.
Stacy: I’d echo what Prez said in terms of a perimeter creator who can create advantages, but I’ll add that the player needs to at least be a competent shooter. Doesn’t have to be an IQ-type high-volume pull-up guy, but needs to at least be able to hit open catch-and-shoots. RJ and Randle’s improvement as shooters helps, but you’d still like them to play with someone who can play off their drives to maximize their impact.
Derek: Others have already nailed this, but a high-level perimeter creator. An All-Star level guy is obviously preferred, but even a cog like Kyle Lowry or Lonzo Ball that can shoot, create, and play defense (not to mention those minutes coming at the expense of the current starting point guard) could flip a switch for this team on both ends.
James: Talent, baby! Need another All-NBA type guy to get to the mountaintop. Preferably a sharpshooter in the backcourt. Dame? That’d be cool!
Miranda: An All-Star center or lead guard.
Jack: Honestly, the low hanging fruit could transform — again — this team. A healthy Mitch and a shelved Elf would be monumental.
Benjy: A point guard who is a plus shooter and a solid, switchable defender.
Collin: Either Mitchell Robinson to come back next season, or find them to find a center who offers similar rim protection and potentially even more on offense.
Shwinnypooh: A primary initiator with three-level scoring ability.
Alex: No more Elf will be addition by subtraction. But also a combo guard with scoring chops. Doesn’t even have to be a full-time “point guard” because I think you still want to empower Randle and RJ to have the ball in their hands a lot. Malcolm Brogdon comes to mind.
What are your expectations going into this offseason/next season?
Prez: Continued RJB scoring improvement. Slight 3-point shooting regression from the wings. A much better point guard situation. One or two great blue chip draft picks on the roster. IQ deep paint touches twice a game. Obi makes a leap. A full season of pull-up maestro Julius.
Stacy: Another step as a playmaker from Julius, improved strength and defense/penetration ability from Quickley, and possibly a trade to maximize the value of the two late first round picks they have this year. Maybe not THE guy, but the guy who gets you the guy eventually.
Derek: Expectations from who? From the front office, I expect them to look at many potential trade routes, potentially packaging picks to upgrade the roster quickly, as well as using the frankly insane amount of cap space to offer bloated short-term deals to free agents. From the most important players, I expect continued growth from RJ Barrett (Finishing? Shooting off the bounce?) and potentially regression from some of the role players (Reggie Bullock; Taj Gibson). Overall, I think the team will be as good or better next season — the more interesting matter is whether the long-term expectations improve as a result.
James: That Leon Rose, World Wide Wes, Scott Perry, Brock Aller, Walt Perrin, Kenny Payne, et al will explore every avenue to improve the team and make the most prudent moves possible.
Miranda: No. I won’t. No thinking ahead until the playoffs hath ended.
Jack: I’m secretly hoping we stay well clear of any trade for a star. I like this roster too much, and the core is so young. Strategically plan for big swings in free agency and see how this group develops. But I’m expecting 4000 aggregated “Knicks plan to trade for star X” reports every single day over the summer. Which will be about as fun as high-fiving a propeller.
Benjy: It depends. If the front office adds the player I reference above, this team, whether they like it or not, will be expected to compete with the top three in the East (assuming other Eastern rosters remain generally the same). If they do not add that player, then I would expect only marginal improvement in the winning percentage department, but would like to see individual improvement from RJ (finishing), IQ (paint-touching), and Obi (many things, but most specifically handle).
Collin: Somehow, my expectations have reached new heights. Whether or not Rose and company will meet them, well…
Alex: I think the Knicks should at least hold serve and be as good next year as this year. I wouldn’t put it past the brain trust to basically re-sign the whole roster and run it back if the right (financially- and asset-prudent, shouts to Aller) move doesn’t come along. I do think they’ll be smart about making some good little moves around the margins, even if they more or less run it back. And even running it back offers some potential for improvement — Julius is still leveling up, RJ should get better, a hopefully healthy Mitch should be very helpful, and IQ and Obi should make their sophomore jumps.
