While the Knicks backcourt bench tandem of Derrick Rose and Immanuel Quickley have outplayed the opposition in the last three games entering Monday’s meeting with the Atlanta Hawks, they also have outplayed the starting backcourt.
While Elfrid Payton has been a target of the fan base, RJ Barrett, starting one game before Rose arrived, has struggled of late, too. Barrett has averaged just 23.4 minutes per game in those four games after leading the league in total minutes to that point. And he has shot just 26.8% for 7.8 points per game.
"It’s more the way the bench is playing," Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said of the reduced minutes.