Kurt Rambis’ coaching is harming the New York Knicks

With the playoffs moving further and further away, the New York Knicks should be experimenting with lineups, playing younger guys and trying to find something that can work next season. Instead, interim head coach Kurt Rambis is trying to make the playoffs and hurting the Knicks, possibly for the long-term. 

I try not to be too critical, but Kurt Rambis is an awful, awful head coach. Nevermind his twitter transgressions, on the floor, Rambis is a bad head coach, which could harm the Knicks. Right now, the Knicks are at 25-38 on the season, third-worst team in the Eastern Conference. There was a chance where the Knicks would harmfully give up the 10th or 11th pick, but in typical Knicks fashion, it’s looking like the Knicks will give up a top 7 pick.

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Since Rambis took over for Derek Fisher, the Knicks are 3-7 overall, Carmelo Anthony has played 37.9 minutes per game in that stretch and is slotted 24th in the league in defensive efficiency at 109.5 per 100 possessions. The offense isn’t much better, 20th in the league at 103.3 per 100 possessions. In short, the Knicks have taken a dip since Rambis has moved into the main role and he’s grinding down the team’s main player, just one year off of major knee surgery.

Of the players who’ve played big minutes since Rambis’ arrival, only Lance Thomas sits with a positive rating – a 1.7 net rating and 99.7 defensive rating at 23.6 minutes per game. Everyone else in the rotation is sitting in the negative.

I worry about the remaining games for this season, but only because you have to worry about the future of the team. Rambis, who I doubt earns the head coaching job permanently, would have a much better chance if he went the other way with the roster. It’s a bit freighting that Phil Jackson or Steve Mills haven’t pushed him that direction, allowing these 20-30 games to be much of a waste.

Here are some of the things I think the Knicks should be doing at the moment.

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Play Jerian Grant more – I know, I know, I know. Jerian Grant isn’t playing well. His numbers are below average at this point. However, you just spent a first round pick on him, you don’t have a backup point guard and Jose Calderon is playing 30 minutes per game, thus, suppressing his value. In the same time frame, Grant is averaging just 11.1 minutes per game. The Knicks have played poorly in that defensively, but he needs more playing time. Give him 15-20 minutes with some of the starters and allow him to figure it out.

Lower Carmelo Anthony’s minutes and at power forward – This is the move that I don’t understand. Carmelo Anthony gives the Knicks the best chance to win on a nightly basis, but 37.9 minutes per game is way too much. His three-point shot has been non-existent this season and while he’s played more power forward than the previous season, I think a full-time move is in order and should be slotted into that position a bit more.

Play more Kristaps Porzingis at center – An aside, I don’t understand why Porzingis is playing just 26.3 minutes per game since Rambis arrived. With absolutely nothing to play for, Porzingis should be at 30 minutes per night, with a bit more playing time at center. The Knicks have several different options to play at power forward – Anthony and Thomas, to name two – just embrace the future and let Porzingis play a bit more center.

New York Knicks

Push for another wing player and play him – This is a reach, but I find a good team has good communication between front office and coaching. The Knicks need another wing player. Someone who can play some shooting guard, to be specific. Langston Galloway will get minutes, but he’s been bad as of late (-2.3 net rating, 42.1% true shooting). With Jimmer Fredette’s 10-day done, the Knicks should look towards another D-League player on the wing and attempt to keep Afflalo fresh, while hoping to find the next Langston Galloway.

This season turned from a good losing season, based on the arrival of Porzingis, to the same old, terrible Knicks season. There’s a good chance they give up a top five draft pick and a good chance they enter the 2015-16 with no clue what Jerian Grant is. With Kurt Rambis at the helm, the Knicks have continued their downward spiral post-Fisher and he’s making it worse by playing the guys at the top, which hurts their value, not experimenting with some lineups and now he’s not playing young players.

Next: The Quote That Embodies the New Carmelo Anthony

Hopefully, someone jumps in and stops the bleeding.