INDIANAPOLIS — The Knicks got back their top shot-blocker and a key force to last season’s league-leading defense.
Center Nerlens Noel, who missed all four preseason games and the first seven regular-season games, made his season debut Wednesday against the Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Noel had been out with vague hamstring and knee soreness, though the Knicks had cleared him to play in recent games. Noel chose to wait, and coach Tom Thibodeau kept saying he had to “trust the player.’’
Noel signed a three-year, $32 million deal in August and made headlines suing former agent Rich Paul for mismanaging his affairs.
During his contract season of 2020-21, Noel finished third in the NBA in average blocked shots at 2.2.
“We don’t know what that’s gonna look like, but the things that he brings, we want him to do that,” Thibodeau said before the game. “So, the shot-blocking, the protection of the paint, great pick-and-roll defender. Just go as hard as you can.”
Noel’s last action was Game 5 against Atlanta on June 2 when the Knicks were eliminated from the first round. He’s done a few five-on-five scrimmages the past week. He was the first center off the bench as Mitchell Robinson retained his starting role.
“Conditioning-wise, we know that games are a lot different,” Thibodeau said. “There’s far more intensity to an NBA game than a practice, so there’s nothing we could really do to replicate that other than he just has gotta get out there.”
Taj Gibson, who sprained his ankle against Toronto and had to leave the game, was also available Wednesday. Thibodeau has to decide whether he will play all three. That would cut into Obi Toppin’s minutes even further.
But Noel should be a boost for a defense ranked in the middle of the pack.
“We saw how valuable he was to us last year, in terms of when Mitch got hurt. He stepped in and was terrific as the starter,’’ Thibodeau said. “He’s great coming off the bench. I love what he brings to that bench group. Taj is terrific in whatever role we ask him to play. And that’s the value of having the depth that we have. Everyone’s team-first and everyone is willing to sacrifice, and that’s important.’’
Meanwhile, Thibodeau is still winging his point guard platoon of Kemba Walker and Derrick Rose.
Walker starts and whoever is doing better normally finishes. That’s a different structure than last season, when Rose almost always finished and knew his set minutes since Elfrid Payton played sparingly for a backup.
In the last two games in particular, Rose struggled massively, scoring five and four points respectively against New Orleans and Toronto. He shot 4 of 14 combined in both games and hasn’t had a real bust-out performance yet.
Asked if he’s struggling with a lesser role with Walker a more important figure than Payton, Rose said, “That’s why I’m here. Whenever he needs me. I know later on down the line I’m probably going to play more, but it’s whatever the game needs. It’s up to me to be a professional, come in and give the energy. The last two games I felt like I wasn’t there.’’
The Knicks haven’t had a back-to-back yet. They will negotiate their first one Sunday against Collin Sexton’s Cavaliers and Monday in Philadelphia. Walker said he’s playing it by ear but Rose knows he will be the starter when Walker sits for load-management days to rest his troubled left knee.
“I’ve just got to stay ready,’’ Rose said. “If you stay ready you don’t have to get ready. That’s my mindset. It’s whatever Kemba feels. If he feels like he can play — whatever situation may play out, I’ve just got to stay ready throughout the entire year.’’