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Winning back-to-back titles is one of the hardest things to do in any sport, and the New York Knicks face an intense challenge as they look to repeat.
It has been almost a decade since the last time an NBA franchise won two championships in a row. While New York’s 106-100 opening night loss to the Philadelphia 76ers featured some moments that should have fans and pundits optimistic about the team’s outlook, there was one aspect of their roster that could end up being an Achilles ‘ heel.
Karl-Anthony Towns is one of the game’s most dominant big men and has been an essential piece of the Knicks’ recent success. But the orange and blue do not have a great amount of depth behind him.
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While newcomer Andre Drummond will make an impact, it is not known how effective he will be if asked to play a large number of minutes. Further, former James Wiseman made the team, but it’s unclear whether or not the former first-round pick can become a primary contributor.
The Knicks might struggle at the center position
Longtime Knicks center Mitchell Robinson signed a 3-year, $47.4 million deal with the Boston Celtics in the offseason. During previous seasons, Robinson consistently swiped down offensive rebounds and served as both a defensive stalwart and a formidable lob threat.
The Knicks hope that Drummond can be similarly productive, and he enjoyed a good first half against the 76ers on Tuesday night. Across almost 18 minutes, the 33-year-old posted 10 points and 12 rebounds.
Despite the hot start, Drummond cooled down in the second half. He finished with 12 points on 5-of-13 shooting, 14 rebounds, four assists, one steal and two blocks.
“I gotta keep getting to know (Drummond) to see where the minutes may lie for him to be effective,” Knicks head coach Mike Brown told Fred Katz of The Athletic. “But I thought he was really, really, really good in the first half.”
The Mount Vernon native has enjoyed working with Brown thus far, and it is clear that he has arrived to New York looking to show he has more left in the tank.
“I think it’s been fun for both of us because, obviously, yes, he’s still trying to get to know me and vice versa, I’m trying to get to know him as a coach,” Drummond told Jared Schwartz of the New York Post. “I think we surprise each other on a daily basis on the different things that I’m capable of doing as a player. And obviously, the way his coaching style is too, the freedom I have too, is a little bit different. It’s like a tug-and-pull every time we step on the floor with each other. … It’s cool to have the freedom to play the way I want to play, be able to use my experience and my veteran leadership to play the way I want to play but also play the way he wants me to.”
Outside of Drummond, New York’s only other source of depth at the center position is Wiseman. The veteran has not averaged more than 20 minutes per game since 2022, and it is doubtful that the Knicks will attempt to push him past this mark through the campaign.
As a result, Wiseman will receive a chance to play. If he is not ready for primetime, the Knicks will be forced to ask more of Towns and Drummond.
Such a dynamic may not initially present an issue, but could become a problem in a potential playoff series against a team with more size and durability. Brown has been known to outscheme opponents in the past, but he may have to get even more creative if he wants to guide his team to another title.
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