While the New York Knicks didn’t utilize a premium draft pick on a point guard, two of their underrated players are making a name for themselves at different levels. While Immanuel Quickley has dominated his first 25 games in the NBA, Myles Powell has also been effective with the Westchester Knicks. Despite a tough loss to the Rio Grande Valley Vipers on Monday, Powell looked sharp, posting a career-high 31 points.
Powell connected on 5of 5 three-point shots, earning six assists and two steals. His influence is growing, and he’s a player I wrote about early on coming out of Seton Hall that could climb the ranks rather quickly. His shooting efficiency and aggressive style of play is impressive, and while the Knicks seem to be figured out with Derrick Rose, Elfrid Payton, and Quickley as options at PG, Powell can continue to develop his game in the G-League.
New York Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau is finally enjoying himself again, and Rose sees it first hand:
Thibodeau used to be a more senile and hardnose coach, but his style has seemed to change over the years, as Rose has reconnected with him in New York.
“Thibs has more patience [now] than anything. Just being here, appreciating the situation, appreciating him a lot more, it’s a blessing to be here. But you can tell that he’s just a totally different person now. He’s smiling. I’ve never seen him smile as much as he has right now. So it rubs off on me. I’m feeling his energy.”
The toughness he displays has clearly had its influence on the Knicks, who’re finally a team capable of winning games at a consistent rate. They won their last three, with an impressive victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Monday evening.
“When you get a team that’s committed to playing for each other and doing the right things, I also want us to enjoy it,” Thibodeau said. “But the work component is important and sacrificing for each other is important. When those things happen, it’s enjoyable. It’s a great group to be around every day.”
While the Knicks have done a good job this season adapting to Thibodeau’s system, there’s still plenty of work left to do. They are taking gradual steps in the right direction, but adding a star player via trade could be the missing piece to the puzzle. With Julius Randle having an All-Star-like season, RJ Barrett taking a massive step forward in his second year, and Quickley surprising everybody with his offense, one more premium face might do the trick.
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