New York Knicks: Kurt Rambis Wants to See Frustration
New York Knicks interim head coach Kurt Rambis is frustrated with the team’s recent struggles. He wants the Knicks’ players to feel the same way.
The New York Knicks are in the midst of yet another frustrating campaign. Despite opening the 2015-16 NBA regular season at 22-22, the Knicks have been unable to successfully build around a defensively resurgent Carmelo Anthony or an overachieving Kristaps Porzingis.
14 games removed from that 22-22 record, the Knicks are in an uncomfortably familiar position.
Knicks now sitting at 24-34 on the season.
— Tommy Beer (@TommyBeer) February 23, 2016
The Knicks have fallen at least 10 games below .500 in 11 of the last 15 seasons.
It’s yet another disappointing season for New York basketball.
New York’s two most recent losses were both by double-digits. It lost by 11 points to the 15-42 Brooklyn Nets, and was blown out 122-95 by the Toronto Raptors at Madison Square Garden.
According to Ian Begley of ESPN New York, interim head coach Kurt Rambis is sick and tired of the Knicks’ losing ways, and he wants the players to feel the same.
"“We’re all frustrated,” interim coach Kurt Rambis said Tuesday. “We can’t accept this. For the organization, for our team, ourselves as individuals, the coaching staff. We can’t accept losing. I want players to be angry. I want players to be frustrated. That’s the right attitude to have.”“We’re considering a lot of things; we’ll see,” Rambis said. “We’ll have some conversations with the coaching staff, management and players. We’ve got to find a way to play at a much higher level, and more intense level and for longer periods of time.”Rambis has said several times that his “No. 1” goal with the club is to qualify for the postseason."
If nothing else, it’s refreshing to have a head coach whose goal is to make the playoffs.
The Knicks are currently 6.5 games back of the No. 8 seed with just 24 outings remaining on the schedule. Should they finish below .500, it’ll be the third consecutive season during which that’s happened with Anthony under contract.
At 31 years old, one can’t help but wonder if or when Anthony will help New York right the ship.
The general consensus appears to be that changes are needed in order for a general correction to be made. Rambis acknowledged that New York is considering such moves, as illustrated in his previously alluded to comments.
Suffering 12 losses in 14 games apparently isn’t enough for those potential changes to come into effect.
Kurt Rambis says he will not change his starting lineup for tonight's game against Indiana, according to the team.
— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) February 24, 2016
Objectively speaking, a change is needed.
According to NBA.com, the Knicks’ starting lineup has an average +/- on the wrong side of 0.0. For what it’s worth, New York’s only two five-man lineups with a positive +/- include Langston Galloway being swapped in for Jose Calderon at point guard.
Aside from that change, nothing else is different aside from Kristaps Porzingis, who’s included in the lineup with the highest +/-, being swapped out for Lance Thomas, who’s a part of the lineup with the second-highest +/-.
In other words, the Knicks outscore opponents with Galloway in the starting lineup and fail to do so with any other point guard.
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Only time will tell if Rambis is willing to make what appear to be necessary changes.