If the New York Knicks are going to offset the advantage that the Indiana Pacers hold over them in offensive efficiency, then Tom Thibodeau will need to do something he's rarely ever done: Trust a rookie in the playoffs. It's an idea that's so far outside the box that a return wouldn't be permitted, but Thibodeau has a chance to throw the opposition a curveball they can't expect.
With Tyrese Haliburton giving Indiana the invaluable presence of a pure point guard, Thibodeau must trust Tyler Kolek to thrive in the same capacity as a reserve.
Kolek played limited minutes during his first NBA season, but his impact was palpable when opportunity came his way. He stepped up when Jalen Brunson went down with a sprained ankle late in the regular season, guiding the Knicks' offense and creating balance between the healthy players.
It's far from a coincidence that Kolek's presence on the court directly coincided with OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges making leaps as scorers, finding new confidence in themselves along the way.
Fast forward to the 2025 NBA Playoffs, however, and the tradition of Thibodeau benching his rookies has continued. It'd be a blatant lie to say that Thibodeau has failed to develop young players in the past, but the time for patience is running out given the nature of the current opponent.
The Knicks have a seven-man rotation that can compete with the Pacers, but adding Kolek as the eighth player could push the team over the edge.
Tyler Kolek can give Knicks the floor general they need against Indiana
Kolek was introduced to a prominent role on Mar. 22, with the Knicks reeling from Brunson's injury and in the midst of a stretch during which they went 3-4. In need of stability, Thibodeau trusted his rookie to help guide the team away from its isolation tendencies.
Kolek did exactly that, averaging 6.5 assists to just 1.0 turnover in 17.8 stellar minutes per game over the next six outings.
New York went 5-1 during that time, helping to stabilize the team's efforts to secure home-court advantage. Brunson returned soon thereafter and Kolek returned to the bench, but that admittedly limited sample size was a confirmation of why the Knicks drafted him in the first place.
Kolek's draft stock was built on his ability to run an efficient offense—a strength that caused New York to trade up at the 2024 NBA Draft to acquire him.
Clearly, Leon Rose and Thibodeau saw something special in Kolek. That was confirmed late in 2024-25, when Thibodeau gave the former Marquette Golden Eagles star a chance to make an impact in the midst of a stretch that could've decimated the Knicks' momentum.
The time has now come to call on Kolek once more to operate as a pace-controlling and tone-setting floor general who can help the Knicks operate at a more sustainable pace.
Knicks need balance on offense
Indiana is too explosive offensively for New York to get into shootouts on a nightly basis. It needs to be able to slow things down, conserve energy for defense, and generate offense that can break some of their isolation tendencies.
For perspective: New York ranks third among playoff teams that played more than one series in isolation frequency and dead last among all postseason participants in assist percentage.
The isolation players on the roster are undoubtedly gifted, but the Knicks need to find a way to run offensive sets that emphasize ball movement. The Pacers are too explosive for the average possession to come down to breaking an opponent down individually, even if it has worked for two series.
Indiana ranks No. 1 in the playoffs in assist percentage and are unsurprisingly No. 2 in offensive rating—scoring 6.5 more points per 100 possessions than New York.
With Kolek on the court, the Knicks can start to move the ball more responsibly among the scorers and generate efficient looks at the basket. His minutes will likely be somewhat limited, but he has the tools to change the pace of a game and give New York's supporting players more favorable odds of making an impact.
As a competitive defender and proficient playmaker, Kolek could be the missing ingredient to the Knicks' NBA Finals dreams.