Fisher defends quick hook for Knicks starters

Derek Fisher had seen enough after just 6:40 of action.

With the New York Knicks trailing the Dallas Mavericks 26-11 at that point, the Knicks head coach pulled all of his starters in unison, attempting to send a strong message to a five-some that looked bored to be there.

Considering the Knicks don't exactly have a stout reserve corps, the strategy of a full-blown hockey substitution raised some eyebrows. After the game, Fisher justified the move quite simply:

I thought the start was not the right way to start a professional basketball game. Those guys that were in there to start the game, that was a disappointment to their teammates more than anything. Guys that start the game have to mentally and physically be ready to play, and they couldn't put that out there.

It's his prerogative as coach to make such a change, and it was mildly effective, with the team winning the rest of the quarter 13-10. The Knicks would ultimately lose 107-87. With each of the starters - aside from Quincy Acy - playing 29 minutes or more, the punishment and effect were both short-lived.

Maybe the issue isn't the starting lineup, but the fact that there's a different lineup being played every night. Due to injuries, matchups and struggles, the Knicks have used 12 different starting lineups in 27 games, never using the same one three games in a row. It sounds as if Fisher may once again shake things up, but there may be something positive in introducing stability to the unit.

The Knicks have struggled to find fivesomes that play well together, with only eight of the 26 different units that have played at least 10 minutes together posting a positive net rating. Tuesday's starters have been outscored by 18.2 points per-100 possessions in 26 minutes together over five games, absolutely laying down on the defensive end.

It's unclear what the solution is for Fisher. Carmelo Anthony and Jose Calderon are set as starters, like Iman Shumpert probably is when healthy, but the other positions remain in flux. At 5-22, nobody's role is really safe. Though, the trade off between continuity and experimenting with chemistry is a tough one to navigate.