With NBA’s toughest opening schedule, Knicks could struggle to start season

CHARLESTON, SC — 10-13, 12-6, 11-15.

No, those are not winning lottery numbers for your next trip to the corner store.

That’s how the Knicks have started each of the past three seasons, amassing just a 33-44 record to start each of the years Tom Thibodeau has coached in the Big Apple.

Thibodeau loves that his team gets better over time.

“All three years we played significantly better at the end,” the coach said at the McAlister Fieldhouse on The Citadel’s college campus after Day 3 of Knicks training camp on Thursday. “And that’s attributed to the players working each and every day, not taking any shortcuts, working together and bringing the best out of each other.”

But can they get off to a strong start to the season in Year 4? Is it even realistic to think so given the daunting season-opening schedule they face right out of the gate?

“It starts with having a great training camp. Having a great first day,” Thibodeau said. “You don’t go from the first day of training camp to the first day of the regular season. There’s a lot of steps in-between. And understanding how important it is to go as hard as you can each and every day.”

Forget the preseason, where the Knicks will play the world-beating, more-improved Boston Celtics twice; Anthony Edwards, Karl-Anthony Towns and the Minnesota Timberwolves once; then finish the exhibition slate hosting Kyle Kuzma, Jordan Poole and the middling Washington Wizards.

The Knicks have the toughest opening seven games of the regular season, according to data from Positive Residual. And it’s not even close, with the Timberwolves, Golden State Warriors, Denver Nuggets and the cross-bridge rival Nets as distant runners up.

It all pales in comparison to what the Knicks have to face: Opening night at The Garden against the Celtics, who added Jrue Holiday to the Big 3 of Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Kristaps Porzingis. A trip to Atlanta to face Trae Young’s Hawks, followed by a redeye flight to New Orleans to play Zion Williamson and the Pelicans in the second leg of a back-to-back the next night. Then a trip to Cleveland to face Donovan Mitchell and a Cavaliers team that improved on paper since the Knicks eliminated them five months ago. Then back to The Garden to host the same Cavs before catching a flight to Milwaukee, where Damain Lillard joined forces with Giannis Antetokounmpo to form a Bucks superteam out midwest.

And just when you thought it was over, the Knicks come home and host Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and the Los Angeles Clippers.

All likely playoff teams. Three bona fide contenders in the Bucks, Celtics and Clippers. Two matchups against the same team they faced in the first round of the playoffs. Four of the first seven on the road, including a road back-to-back.

Even a preseason back-to-back at Boston then home against the Wizards.

Only after the first seven games does the schedule ease up with matchups against the San Antonio Spurs (not a cakewalk now that Gregg Popovich has gotten a hold of Victor Wembanyama) and Charlotte Hornets (another sleeper team with the return of Miles Bridges and the addition of No. 2 overall pick Brandon Miller) — before the Knicks travel to Boston to play the Celtics for the fourth time in preseason and regular season play.

And then the Knicks play Young’s Hawks again.

Thibodeau says his team can’t get ahead of itself.

The Knicks are re-establishing their style of play in training camp, even if the style has largely remained consistent with Thibs at the helm. That’s an emphasis on the glass, on three-point shooting, on taking care of the ball and hitting free throws — what Thibodeau has consistently referred to as his team’s base.

The Knicks have also brought back the same core as last season with the exception of new addition Donte DiVincenzo. They plan to start the same five as last season — Jalen Brunson, Quentin Grimes, R.J. Barrett, Julius Randle and Mitchell Robinson — unless DiVincenzo plays his way into the starting lineup.

“Start with the individual fundamentals and build up to team, all your team schemes, but every year you have to start at zero,” Thibodeau said on Thursday. “You can’t shortcut it. You can’t jump ahead. You’ve got to go through that whole process and for the younger guys, the newer guys, bring energy to the group.

“And the challenge for the veterans is not to take shortcuts, to make sure you’re doing each little thing that you’re supposed to be doing, otherwise it’ll be reflected in your performance when you start taking shortcuts. So we know how important that is.”

Recent history and the upcoming schedule, however, suggest the same thing: The Knicks could struggle out the gate. Even if they’ve had the same coach for three-going-on-four years and are bringing the same team back from last season.

It’s also worth mentioning in two of the last three seasons, the Knicks have turned the tide to make the playoffs. Last season, they finished 37-22 after removing Evan Fournier from the starting lineup. Two seasons before, acquiring Derrick Rose was the catalyst that saved the Knicks’ season.

“I think the really important thing is — we want everyone to feel, whether you’re a player or coach, that you’re not finished. You’re not a finished product,” Thibodeau said. “Just keep working [sic]. You want to keep building and building what you’ve established, and you get everyone committed to playing for each other and working together. That’s how you bring the best out of each other.”