There was a bit of a surprise Tuesday evening when the Knicks starters were announced. It wasn’t that OG Anunoby was returning — that was expected — but rather Josh Hart was also in the starting five.
In the cut-and-dry world of Tom Thibodeau’s rotations for the past four seasons, there had been established positions in the starting lineup: There’s one lead guard, one traditional center, one power forward, two wings.
It’s predictable, largely effective and designed to win the rebounding battle while protecting the paint — the staples of the Thibodeau era.
The coach’s facial hair evolved more often than his lineup philosophy.
