It’s been a minute since the Knicks were the most likely title contender among NY sports teams
As someone that hasn’t watched many games yet this season, what is happening during our losses? It seems like certain teams have beaten us handily, and it worries me that all it will take is an Indiana that has all the right matchups to expose us to ruin a title run. So what is it this year and how do you think they solve it?
I would like to see the metric that has us as the 4th best defense. That seems like a mistake.
Wake me up in May
Are we actually fourth in defensive rating? [NBA.com](https://www.nba.com/stats/teams/advanced-leaders) has us at 12, which I think is actually pretty good with OG missing time and Mitch playing limited minutes.
4th best defense? U sure?
What metrics are they using for these rankings? Our offensive rating is currently 3rd and our defensive rating is 12th
And OG and Brunson have both missed time during this run (OG still MIA). It feels like MB has been tinkering with lineups and learning how to optimize everyone’s skillset. Running McBride and Brunson together gives them two capable ball handlers and shooters and opens up the offense a bit. KAT is doing his thing and is just always a problem for opposing defenses. Bridges is bringing a lot of perimeter defensive energy lately, which is sorely needed without OG. Hart is doing Hart things, high energy and effort, finding his shot more lately, which helps a lot. He mostly needs confidence in his shooting just enough to open up space.
Off the bench, Clarkson is a great scoring option and has stepped up while Shamet is down. Yalu is getting more quality minutes lately (like Hart, it helps to just let him be an energy and effort guy, he doesn’t need to be a big source of offense). And Mitch has been on a class by himself working the glass.
We are seeing the benefits of the offseason bench moves. Last year’s post season was marked by teams with depth excelling (Pacers and Thunder were two of the deepest teams in the league). This season the Knicks have quality depth unlike anything they have had in the last few years. I loved Achiuwa and Cam Payne, but this season they’ve effectively replaced Presh and Layne with a healthy (for now) Mitch, a stretch big in Yabu, and a very adept and capable scorer in Clarkson.
I’m really excited to see this teams ceiling. Detroit is a great team, but very beatable, and the Knicks were able to handle them in a playoff series last year. No one else has really separated themselves. Cleveland and Orlando have underachieved so far. Miami has played well, but is relying a lot on Jacques continuing to excel (I hope he does, he was a ton of fun at UCLA, but I’m still not scared of the Heat). Toronto is talented but has a roster that lacks post season experience and success. Philly and Chicago have faded fast after quick starts. The east is wide open for the Knicks.
Barring any serious injuries, anything less than the Conference Finals should be considered a failure, and honestly, anything less than a trip to the dance should be a little disappointing. The window is now. Don’t blow things up. This team has the talent. Build chemistry. Find the lineups that work. Develop the playbook. Improve defensive schemes and effort. Manage minutes. They can do it.
4th best net rating at 7.4 – 5th is Detroit at 5.8 then Magic at 4.9 – so a pretty big gap there.
not sure where they got the other ratings from though. i see the knicks have the 3rd best offense (behind nuggets and rockets) but defense is tied for 11th.
Fire Mike brown, trade everyone.
When the fuck did we get the 4th best defense and hiw
Nearing championship levels.
Yes. But we haven’t won the cup yet this year or even a playoff series. So clearly they are a failure. /s
I’m starting to believe RemindMe! 4 months
The Knicks have been protecting home court and won some taking care of business games on the road.
They do still feel really undersized so I’m curious to see if they can redeem themselves against the Magic, and how they fair against the Hawks, Pistons, Houston, San Antonio, Toronto not on a back to back, Denver etc.
The Knicks are 12-2 in games that don’t involve a team from Florida so they are really good against 49 states lol
16 comments
It’s been a minute since the Knicks were the most likely title contender among NY sports teams
As someone that hasn’t watched many games yet this season, what is happening during our losses? It seems like certain teams have beaten us handily, and it worries me that all it will take is an Indiana that has all the right matchups to expose us to ruin a title run. So what is it this year and how do you think they solve it?
I would like to see the metric that has us as the 4th best defense. That seems like a mistake.
Wake me up in May
Are we actually fourth in defensive rating? [NBA.com](https://www.nba.com/stats/teams/advanced-leaders) has us at 12, which I think is actually pretty good with OG missing time and Mitch playing limited minutes.
4th best defense? U sure?
What metrics are they using for these rankings? Our offensive rating is currently 3rd and our defensive rating is 12th
And OG and Brunson have both missed time during this run (OG still MIA). It feels like MB has been tinkering with lineups and learning how to optimize everyone’s skillset. Running McBride and Brunson together gives them two capable ball handlers and shooters and opens up the offense a bit. KAT is doing his thing and is just always a problem for opposing defenses. Bridges is bringing a lot of perimeter defensive energy lately, which is sorely needed without OG. Hart is doing Hart things, high energy and effort, finding his shot more lately, which helps a lot. He mostly needs confidence in his shooting just enough to open up space.
Off the bench, Clarkson is a great scoring option and has stepped up while Shamet is down. Yalu is getting more quality minutes lately (like Hart, it helps to just let him be an energy and effort guy, he doesn’t need to be a big source of offense). And Mitch has been on a class by himself working the glass.
We are seeing the benefits of the offseason bench moves. Last year’s post season was marked by teams with depth excelling (Pacers and Thunder were two of the deepest teams in the league). This season the Knicks have quality depth unlike anything they have had in the last few years. I loved Achiuwa and Cam Payne, but this season they’ve effectively replaced Presh and Layne with a healthy (for now) Mitch, a stretch big in Yabu, and a very adept and capable scorer in Clarkson.
I’m really excited to see this teams ceiling. Detroit is a great team, but very beatable, and the Knicks were able to handle them in a playoff series last year. No one else has really separated themselves. Cleveland and Orlando have underachieved so far. Miami has played well, but is relying a lot on Jacques continuing to excel (I hope he does, he was a ton of fun at UCLA, but I’m still not scared of the Heat). Toronto is talented but has a roster that lacks post season experience and success. Philly and Chicago have faded fast after quick starts. The east is wide open for the Knicks.
Barring any serious injuries, anything less than the Conference Finals should be considered a failure, and honestly, anything less than a trip to the dance should be a little disappointing. The window is now. Don’t blow things up. This team has the talent. Build chemistry. Find the lineups that work. Develop the playbook. Improve defensive schemes and effort. Manage minutes. They can do it.
4th best net rating at 7.4 – 5th is Detroit at 5.8 then Magic at 4.9 – so a pretty big gap there.
not sure where they got the other ratings from though. i see the knicks have the 3rd best offense (behind nuggets and rockets) but defense is tied for 11th.
Fire Mike brown, trade everyone.
When the fuck did we get the 4th best defense and hiw
Nearing championship levels.
Yes. But we haven’t won the cup yet this year or even a playoff series. So clearly they are a failure. /s
I’m starting to believe RemindMe! 4 months
The Knicks have been protecting home court and won some taking care of business games on the road.
They do still feel really undersized so I’m curious to see if they can redeem themselves against the Magic, and how they fair against the Hawks, Pistons, Houston, San Antonio, Toronto not on a back to back, Denver etc.
The Knicks are 12-2 in games that don’t involve a team from Florida so they are really good against 49 states lol