Knicks Coach Explains Growth Process

The New York Knicks aren't skipping steps in their development.

Jeremy Brener | Oct 26, 2024

Sep 30, 2024; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau speaks during a media day press conference at the MSG training facility in Tarrytown, NY. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

In this story:

New York Knicks

The New York Knicks aren't expected to be the team they want to be right out of the gate, and the team's first two games prove that it isn't a finished product yet.

None of the 30 teams, especially the new-look Knicks, have any expectation to be at their peak at this point in the season, and coach Tom Thibodeau has his team knowing the weight behind that.

“The games reveal exactly where you are, it tells you the things you need to work on, and even if it’s going well, if you have slippage, you’re gonna have to sort it out," Thibodeau said h/t Posting and Toasting. "So it’s constant throughout the course of a season, and that’s why you go in wanting to understand why you won or why you lost, make the necessary corrections and move on.”

It's up to Thibodeau to get his players to buy into that concept, and it appears that Mikal Bridges has certainly embraced that train of thought.

"It's not going to be right away," Bridges said via SNY. "It's going to take time and building. You can be a mediocre, a solid to okay team, but that's not what we're striving to be. We have to continue and get better every day."

Eventually, the Knicks will prioritize wins and losses as it will affect their place in the standings. But for now, these games early in the season are all about building towards the future and figuring out how to win as a group.

If the Knicks can do that, the wins will come, and they will begin to find themselves where they want to be in the hierarchy of the Eastern Conference.

The Knicks will play their next game on Monday against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Madison Square Garden.

Make sure you bookmark New York Knicks On SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!

Published Oct 26, 2024

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.