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New York Knicks: 4 bench players who have thrived this season

By Zachary Bachar

Jan 8, 2021; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks' Kevin Knox II (20) drives to the basket during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Friday, Jan. 8, 2021, in New York. The Thunder defeated the Knicks 101-89 at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Seth Wenig/POOL PHOTOS-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 8, 2021; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks' Kevin Knox II (20) drives to the basket during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Friday, Jan. 8, 2021, in New York. The Thunder defeated the Knicks 101-89 at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Seth Wenig/POOL PHOTOS-USA TODAY Sports /
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TAMPA, FLORIDA – DECEMBER 31: Austin Rivers #8 of the New York Knicks dribbles during the first half against the Toronto Raptors at Amalie Arena on December 31, 2020 in Tampa, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) /

Austin Rivers

After being the last signing in free agency, Austin Rivers was mostly an afterthought in the minds of fans. His 3-year, $10 million deal was cheap and without guarantees, so most people thought he’d be a somewhat average rotation player.

Instead, the former Duke star has been a pleasant surprise for New York. Rivers has taken on the role of the team’s closer, coming up with some huge buckets that have helped the Knicks maintain their winning streak.

The latest example of this was his 23-point outburst against Utah, scoring 14 straight fourth-quarter points to topple a Jazz squad that had been up by 18 in the first half.

Rivers had spent the last two seasons with the Houston Rockets, where he was mainly used as a catch-and-shoot player who often stood behind the three-point line and watched James Harden dribble. It’ll be very intriguing to see how he can do when he’s allowed to work with the ball in his hands.

Next. 3 undervalued stars to target in trade. dark

Perhaps the most interesting part of the Knicks’ rotation is that the four remarkable bench players mentioned in this article have yet to play a game together, and the team is still within one game of .500. It’s going to be very fun watching the reserve unit when Knox, Quickley, Burks, and Rivers are all on the court at the same time.

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