Knicks' Andre Drummond Benched, Expresses Frustration Over Lack of Explanation
Drummond was pulled from Sunday's game after a defensive lapse, with coach Tom Thibodeau stating that all reserve spots are open for competition.
New York Knicks center Andre Drummond was benched during Sunday's loss to the Orlando Magic and expressed frustration over not receiving an explanation for the decision. "Control what I can control. I can’t do s–t about not playing,” Drummond stated. “All I can do is cheer my teammates on and hope for the best.”
Midway through the second quarter, Drummond was observed jogging back on defense and was subsequently beaten in transition by Orlando's Wendell Carter Jr., resulting in an open layup for the Magic. Following this play, head coach Tom Thibodeau called a timeout and removed Drummond from the game. James Wiseman then entered the game to play backup center minutes, but struggled, missing all five of his shot attempts.
Drummond indicated he was unaware of the specific reason for his benching. "You can make the guess for me," he said when asked why he was pulled, adding that he likely was "not" owed an explanation.
The 33-year-old veteran, who was signed in the summer to provide depth behind Mitchell Robinson, also saw limited playing time in the Knicks' previous game against the Celtics.
Despite the benching, Thibodeau confirmed that Drummond will start as the backup center in Tuesday's game against the Detroit Pistons. "I felt our transition defense wasn’t good during that time, not just because of [Drummond], but I wanted to go with a change," Thibodeau explained. "Wiseman’s been playing well in practice. I wanted to give him an opportunity and I thought he was pretty good in his first stint [in the first half]. And so I decided to go with him for a second stint. But Andre will go out there as a backup in the next game.”
Prior to Sunday's game, Thibodeau had cautioned that all reserve positions on the team were subject to competition. "First thing I wanna make clear is we have our starting five. Other than that, anybody can play," he said. "When you’re a backup in this league, that doesn’t mean you’re always gonna be the seventh man or you’re always gonna be the eighth man. No, no, no, no, no, no. It’s competitive. And it’s less so with the starting group if your starting group is established, which ours is, but everybody else after that starting five, I can throw in front of the next guy in a heartbeat.”
In other team news, Jose Alvarado missed Sunday's game due to an ankle sprain. Tyler Kolek played 15 minutes in his absence, recording nine assists but no points.
Late in the game, Magic's starting point guard Jalen Suggs appeared to suffer a significant knee injury while driving to the basket. His leg buckled, causing him to collapse in pain as his teammates gathered around him.