There is no quick fix for Tom Thibodeau’s lack of trust in Knicks depth

INDIANAPOLIS — There comes a point in most seasons, if not all of them, when you have to stop giving stock to the words relayed in a news conference.

Actions are like a screeching microphone. They drown out the words, often harshly and uncomfortably.

So even though Tom Thibodeau has lauded his team’s depth — interspersing two of his favorite phrases, “We have more than enough” and “I love our depth” — it’s clear he doesn’t actually believe that.

At least not yet.

In the past three defeats, the coach basically ran a six-man rotation in the second half. Miles McBride was the only reserve with meaningful playing time. Tyler Kolek and Jericho Sims combined for 15 minutes in those three second halves, including three minutes total in Sunday’s disheartening defeat to the Pacers.

Perhaps not coincidentally, the Knicks (4-5) starters blew leads and ran out of gas down the stretch. Their defense didn’t match the energy of the moment. They entered Monday as the NBA’s third-worst team in fourth quarters, losing those minutes by 32 points.