With the Knicks trailing and disjointed for most of their nationally-televised, playoff-intensity contest, head coach Mike Brown turned to two of his bench guards — Tyler Kolek and Jordan Clarkson — to provide a lift late in the ball game. The poised floor general and sparkplug scorer went beyond their job descriptions, mounting massive runs that scored their team a decisive victory, further adding to their pedigree and readiness for the championship hunt ahead.
Does this story sound familiar to Knicks fans? It should, as it seems to happen every other week now.
What started off as a low-risk, high-reward veteran’s minimum flier and rocky second-year development project have turned into a devastating combination for opponents and a surprise surge of depth for a team that’s struggled with the issue for two years now. They’re winning New York the biggest games on the biggest stages of their schedule, and if that’s any indication of what’s to come in the playoffs, the Knicks will be at a new level of formidable.
But let’s start at the beginning. New York drafted Kolek 34th overall in the 2024 NBA Draft, but he failed to find consistent playing time in his rookie season.
There were stronger, more veteran options, and though Kolek had impressed in Las Vegas Summer League and some spot backup minutes, he didn’t look fully confident and prepared defensively. Entering this training camp with a new coach but similar competition, Kolek was seemingly at risk of being moved before a surprise retirement announcement from Malcolm Brogdon.
He was unremarkable in preseason and in spot minutes to start the year, but when Landry Shamet went down with an injury in late November, Kolek seized his opportunity. He’s since averaged 7.1 points, 3.8 assists and 0.8 assists in 16.6 minutes per game on 57 percent shooting from two, 38 percent from three, and very few giveaways.
Kolek’s brought a new level of defensive intensity to his court presence, and seems to have found a liking to Brown’s offensive system. His veteran teammates also have a newfound trust in him to control the ball.
Clarkson is 33 years old and came to the Knicks with far less to prove than Kolek but just as much to accomplish. He played for three teams prior, his latest stop in Utah, where he cemented himself as a Sixth Man of the Year winner and reliable postseason contributor.
His production slowed with age, and the stakes around him disappeared with the talent. With a chance at bringing his plug-and-play ball handling and scoring to a contender desperately needing it, he took the veteran’s minimum to sign in New York.
It wasn’t the hottest or most consistent of starts, but Clarkson’s gotten more comfortable as the season has progressed, climaxing in the last couple of weeks. He scored 15 in the Cup Championship, 18 the game after, and 25 on Christmas, helping will the Knicks to three victories that looked out of reach.
Kolek and Clarkson have had great individual performances, but it’s been their production as a tandem that’s flipped entire games on their heads. First in the Cup Championship, when the two controlled the fourth quarter, finishing the game with a combined near-30 off the bench.
Then, with the Knicks looking hapless and trailing by 17 in the fourth quarter, they totally shifted the momentum again. Both were constantly pushing the ball, getting into the paint and connecting from three.
The two combined for 41 points and 11 assists in the clutch victory, with Clarkson chipping in three steals. In both wins, Brown trusted the combo deep into the final period, even grouping them with Jalen Brunson for stretches.
Just Kolek and Clarkson as a pairing, now seen much more frequently since the injuries to Shamet and Miles McBride, is outscoring opponents by 6.6 points per 100 possessions in 192 minutes. It will be interesting to see how Brown keeps this duo intact once those pieces return.
In the meantime, the Knicks are happy to have such a weapon off the bench as the season enters its midpoint and the starters’ legs start to get heavy. Not only will that help steal them regular-season wins when the stars don’t have it, but potentially a playoff series down the line.
Kolek and Clarkson having these huge nights to win the Cup and then beat the Cavs on Christmas Day brings major confidence that they can do the same in a pivotal playoff game. The Knicks scrambled to find those kinds of guys at the end of their bench in past postseasons, but seem to finally have it.
