The New York Knicks have given at least one start to most of their roster. How have they performed when the opportunity arose?
In this developmental year for the New York Knicks, head coach David Fizdale has tinkered with the starting lineup on more than one occasion to see which groups work. Whether it’s to open the game or working together on the bench, five different lineups have taken the floor in 16 games.
11 of New York’s 14 healthy players have started a game, with Mario Hezonja, Ron Baker and Luke Kornet the only ones to remain exclusive to the bench.
For those 11 players, how did they perform when given the opportunity? The following are basic stats and may not tell the whole story for their respective starting run:
- Tim Hardaway Jr. (15 starts): 23.4 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 2.8 APG, 1.0 SPG, 3.1 3PM, 41.8 percent shooting
- Frank Ntilikina (14 starts): 7.3 PPG, 1.8 RPG, 3.5 APG, 1.2 SPG, 0.4 BPG, 1.1 3PM, 34.5 percent shooting
- Mitchell Robinson (11 starts): 6.1 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 0.5 APG, 1.0 SPG, 2.3 BPG, 62.2 percent shooting
- Noah Vonleh (10 starts): 7.5 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 1.5 SPG, 0.8 SPG, 0.9 BPG, 0.5 3PM, 43.1 percent shooting
- Damyean Dotson (9 starts): 10.4 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 1.0 APG, 0.4 SPG, 1.2 3PM, 42.9 percent shooting
- Enes Kanter (5 starts): 16.8 PPG, 10.8 RPG, 2.4 APG, 0.8 SPG, 0.4 BPG, 57.4 percent shooting
- Trey Burke (5 starts): 11.2 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 5.0 APG, 0.8 SPG, 1.0 3PM, 38.7 shooting percentage
- Lance Thomas (5 starts): 3.8 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 0.4 APG, 0.6 SPG, 0.4 BPG, 0.8 3PM, 26.3 percent shooting
- Allonzo Trier (2 starts): 12.5 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 2.5 APG, 1.5 SPG, 1.0 BPG, 0.8 3PM, 39 percent shooting
- Kevin Knox (2 starts): 13.0 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 1.5 APG, 1.0 SPG, 2.5 3PM, 36 percent shooting
- Emmanuel Mudiay (2 starts): 13.0 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 2.5 APG, 1.5 SPG, 1.5 BPG, 1.0 3PM, 58.8 percent shooting
The sample size is small for Mudiay, Knox and Trier, all of whom own just two starts under their respective belt. They each joined the lineup over the last two games, however, so these numbers should smoothen soon.
Burke, Kanter and Thomas have not started since the fifth game of the season. With Burke’s on-and-off benching, Kanter’s displeasure and Thomas’ injury, none of them may enter the lineup for a while, if at all.
Dotson, Ntilikina, Robinson and Vonleh all crossed nine starts each. They were in the same starting lineup from the sixth to the 14th game, before Fizdale made Dotson and Ntilikina reserves.
Hardaway Jr. has been the only mainstay — starting 15 of 15 games he played in. He missed the 16th due to a back injury.
With more starting lineups potentially on the way, these numbers will remain in flux for the New York Knicks. Some may continue to receive opportunities, while others, like Hezonja, fall back.