7× Knicks all-star compares Tom Thibodeau to NBA champion coach

Over the past couple of years, the New York Knicks have knocked on the door of contention. However, there have been mixed reviews about Tom Thibodeau. While some believe he is the right guy to lead them to a championship, others aren't so sure about his rotations.

Knicks legend Walt Frazier has compared him to the legendary Red Holzman in the past but in an interview with Sports Illustrated on Saturday, he said that Thibodeau needs to be better at picking his rotations and trusting the second unit.

Q: "You've mentioned that Thibodeau reminds you of Red Holzman. How can he further solidify that comparison in your eyes?"

"He's got to make adjustments," Frazier said. "He's been criticized for playing the guys too long. (More recently), he substituted early. He has second-string guys out there early, so he's trying to make that adjustment and get the team back to where we thought they would be when they won nine consecutive games."

The Knicks are third in the Eastern Conference and have the talent to be a championship contender. However, the starters have looked exhausted at times.

Tom Thibodeau's Knicks need to beat the elite

As good as the New York Knicks have been this season, Walt Frazier still doesn't think the Knicks have established themselves against the creme of the crop.

When discussing the Knicks and what Tom Thibodeau needs to do to get the team to the top, he believes they need to prove themselves against the best teams in the league.

"They just haven't distinguished themselves against the elite," Frazier said. "Haven't beaten Cleveland, Boston blew us out the first game, blown out by Oklahoma City. These are the elite teams that we're talking about. We're on a par with them but we haven't been able to beat them, even compete."

The Knicks could look to flip Mitchell Robinson's contract to add more talent before the trade deadline.

However, their success will also depend on what they can get from the second unit. Jalen Brunson was gassed out at the end of last season and wasn't as efficient as he was in the regular season. Saving him for the playoffs and managing his and the other starters' minutes could be the difference for the Knicks this season.