NY Knicks: What will the Knicks’ closing lineup look like?
Should Derrick Rose play next to Kemba to close out games for the NY Knicks?
I use the term ‘Shooting Guard’ loosely because Derrick Rose is obviously not a typical shooting guard but I do believe he’ll play a little more off-ball when sharing the court with Kemba Walker during the 4th quarter of games.
Obviously, the Knicks could stick a better defender in this spot but I think it would be wise to give up a little defense in place of a cold-blooded assassin like D-Rose.
Therefore, the Knicks will likely deploy a smaller backcourt with an emphasis on playmaking and scoring instead of better defense.
As we know all too well, great defense doesn’t matter as much when going up against some of the NBA’s elite scorers on the perimeter anyway, so perhaps fighting fire with fire could be the solution.
Having Rose on the court in the later stages of games is important for a number of reasons, but perhaps none more important than the fact that he’s an extension of Coach Tom Thibodeau on the court seeing how they’ve spent the bulk of their professional careers together.
Rose doesn’t just have a ton of experience under Thibs…he’s his point guard…he’s the guy who sets the table for the rest of the offense precisely how Thibs likes it done.
That said, I think Rose and Kemba will split time bringing the ball up in the 4th quarter as a way to confuse defenses.
Rose is an absolute lock for the Knicks’ late-game lineup.