Judging by the eye test, Jalen Brunson and Tyler Kolek sharing the court doesn't seem like a foolproof plan.
Both players are undersized guards with defensive limitations. But the New York Knicks, specifically head coach Mike Brown, did not give up on the idea of them playing alongside one another. Even after the Boston Celtics' guards bullied the duo in early December.
"But now, the Knicks have. Brunson and Kolek are a regular twosome, at least for now," The Athletic's Fred Katz wrote Wednesday. "And it’s helped Kolek — a second-year former second-round pick, someone who barely played during his rookie season, when he wasn’t yet ready to contribute, especially on the defensive end — emerge as one of the Knicks’ feel-good stories."
Kolek's increase in playing time is a part of Brown's recent tactic of using players at the end of the bench. Something ex-Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau rarely did.
Rookies and two-way players are being given a chance
Over the last few weeks of games, Brown has used several players off the bench who normally would not receive minutes on other top teams in the NBA.
"During Monday’s win in New Orleans, the Knicks played 12 guys just in the first half," Katz wrote. "This is, of course, an organizational shift."
Rookie Mohamed Diawara has made four starts, and Kevin McCullar Jr. Is suddenly a regular in the rotation and making an impact off the bench. The Knicks hope their recent success can blossom into a breakout similar to Kolek's.
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