NY Knicks: 3 players who must step up to make noise in the playoffs

The NY Knicks need Immanuel Quickley to tear up opposing 2nd units

For Immanuel Quickley, inconsistency isn’t always his fault. He’s been given sporadic playing time in spite of his clear positive impact on the team. According to B-Ball Index’s LEBRON Wins Added metric, Quickley is 2nd among all rookies in wins added. It can be frustrating to see Quickley have such a short leash – You won’t see coach Thibodeau pulling veterans like Reggie Bullock or Elfrid Payton when they’re having a tough stretch.

Now with that said, Quickley isn’t devoid of blame. Even as a rookie, the Knicks rely on him for his scoring off the bench. He’s had games where he’s looked hesitant and missed shots that he normally knocks down with ease.

The NY Knicks are going to need Quickley to be consistent in the playoffs. From Cleaning The Glass, when Quickley is on the court, The Knicks efficiency differential goes up by +5.4 points – this ranks in the 79th percentile of guards in the NBA and is first on the Knicks. New York also gives up 2.3 fewer points per 100 possessions with Quickley on the court, so don’t think of it as a “Sacrificing defense for Quickley’s offense” situation – His impact is a net positive.

When Quickley and the 2nd unit are on, they provide the team with scoring runs early in the 2nd and 4th quarters that can be so important. Those 10-2, 15-4 runs the Knicks can go on while their starters rest on the bench has proven to be a pathway to victory on numerous occasions.

Tom Thibodeau needs to trust Immanuel Quickley, and Quickley needs to play under control every night in the playoffs. He has all of the natural scoring ability in the world, he just needs to let the game come to him.