The NBA has trended in the direction of depth being king. Teams that can roll out a rotation with seven-plus starting-caliber players have become the norm, if not an outright requirement for contending. Perhaps it's a response to how the Oklahoma City Thunder took hold of the Association.
What the New York Knicks have proven through their divisive team-building tactics, however, is that an elite starting five consisting of five players who have mastered their role can compete with anyone.
Acknowledging the calculated risk they took on OG Anunoby overcoming past injury issues, the Knicks otherwise invested in starters who were consistently available. Starters who had a history of playing big minutes. Starters who could create their own offense. Five starters who could be trusted to take on the workload that most teams ask their full depth chart to shoulder.
All Leon Rose had to do from there was build a staff that could help Mitchell Robinson stay healthy and find gamers who could come in off of the bench for the occasional big game.
That's an oversimplification of events, of course, but the strategy is plain to see. While the Western Conference is flooded with teams that have remarkable depth, the Knicks have remembered that only five players can be on the court at any one time. With five incredibly balanced players in the starting lineup and a second unit that may not always step up collectively, but consistently produces individuals who can thrive in a big spot, they're two wins shy of a title.
It's the end result of polarizing trades and contracts that seemed like overpays until they were revealed to be exactly what the Knicks needed to compete for a championship.
Knicks have countered NBA's depth wave with an elite starting 5
In Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns, the Knicks acquired offensive dynamos who can score at all three levels. Both players are also capable of impacting the game in other areas, as Brunson is a skilled drive-and-dish playmaker, while Towns is a top-tier rebounder, dependable passer, and a vastly improved defender.
Towns' evolution on the defensive end of the floor and Brunson's emergence as one of the NBA's great closers have effectively put the finishing touches on the Knicks' emergence.
Alongside them are three of the best defensive wings in the NBA: OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, and Josh Hart. What separates that trio from many other top-tier defensive groups is the fact that all three are capable of creating offense for themselves and others.
Each efficiently eclipse double-digit scoring on a regular basis, with Hart adding the value of soul-crushing rebounding, Anunoby offering power on the drive, and Bridges playing with finesse.
With five players who can create for themselves and others, the Knicks' offense has become all but impossible to predict. With no fewer than four players looking the part of elite defenders, the defense is just as stout. And even Brunson is exactly where he needs to be, committing to his rotations even if he isn't a lockdown player individually.
With Robinson healthy and essential on defense, and unsung reserves such as Jordan Clarkson and Landry Shamet's surges filling in the gaps, the Knicks are two wins away from successfully defying the NBA and proving that an elite starting five is still king.
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