Knicks guard Mikal Bridges talks to a referee during the NBA Finals
Knicks guard Mikal Bridges talks to a referee during the NBA Finals
The Knicks got their full schedule Thursday, or at least most of it. Two NBA Cup flex games still need opponents and dates.
The 80 fixed games already contain 13 back-to-backs.
Thirteen is a lot for a defending champion with Jalen Brunson coming off wrist surgery, Karl-Anthony Towns handling a heavy frontcourt workload and several veterans who cannot be pushed through every rough patch in November.
This schedule is going to test the rotation early.
Knicks wing Mikal Bridges defends a shot during the NBA Finals
Mikal Bridges contests a Stephon Castle shot during Game 5 of the NBA Finals.
The Knicks face several ugly back-to-back sets
The first one arrives Oct. 27 and 28: Detroit at Madison Square Garden, then a flight to Chicago. Two weeks later, Milwaukee visits before Cleveland comes to New York the next night.
Some of the later sets are worse. The Knicks play in Boston on Jan. 13 and host Miami on Jan. 14. They visit the Clippers on March 10 and the Lakers on March 11. On April 8, they play in Milwaukee before returning home to face Detroit one night later.
Those are not automatic losses. They are nights when the coaching staff has to make a choice between chasing one regular-season win and keeping the core ready for another postseason run.
Mikal Bridges cannot become the Knicks’ excuse
Bridges has built his career around availability. He averaged 14.4 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists last season while taking the toughest perimeter assignment most nights.
His durability is useful. It should not become permission to overplay him.
New York cannot ask Bridges to cover every difficult wing for 38 minutes on consecutive nights because he rarely misses games. The same goes for OG Anunoby and Brunson. A championship roster still needs help from its bench during the regular season.
The Jose Alvarado and Jordan Clarkson additions matter here. Tyler Kolek, Mohamed Diawara and the younger players will also have chances to earn real minutes. If the Knicks do not trust those options in October and November, the schedule will force the issue by winter.
New York already learned that national attention will follow this title defense everywhere. The workload is part of the price.
The current count is at least 13 back-to-backs because the Cup flex games are not set. The Knicks should plan as if the number will not get any friendlier.