High Scoring Knicks Fall to Hawks
When Knicks team chemistry was A+, Julius Randle proclaimed Coach Thibs “has us on a sting” on defense. With their third loss in a row, Coach said that the team wasn’t “tied together” on D. What we have seen from the Knicks in the last three games has been a group of players that has not been “tied together” on either end. New York did match Atlanta’s 27 assists, thanks to the Hawks equally woeful defense. But their offense remains basically ISO, with Jalen Brunson being much more a scorer rather than a distributor. The Knicks have enough fire power to win most games if they are “tied together” on the defensive end.
In these last three losses, the Knicks have given up 27, 28 & 27 assists. No Eastern Conference team averaged 27 apg last season. Boston was tops at 26.8. Across an entire season, a superior assist rate is an indication that a team’s offense is running smoothly, moving the ball and finding the open man. In individual games, when an opponent has a high number of assists, it is an indictment of the defense. In the Knicks’ case, it means cushions are too soft, passes are unchallenged, passing lanes are wide open, as are the shooters. New York scored 124 points and lost the shoot out by 15.
Both the ‘eye test’ and the +/- stats indicate that RJ Barrett is the weakest link on D. Watch now as RJ readies himself to do battle. There he is at center court, crouching, slapping his had against his left hip, ready to tear into the opponent’s second leading scorer.. Then, as if his man’s sweat and body odor offend him, the cushion is bigger. Barrett gratefully accepts a switch that puts him on a weaker player. Finally, if RJ picks up a foul, it is either an offensive or an ‘excuse me’ infraction where he inadvertently bumps someone. A rough and tumble player on offense, RJ Barrett turns into a shrinking violet on D. His promising five personals night against the Wizards on Jan. 13 was obviously an aberration. We have never seen the same before or since.
Jericho Sims played well, but his rebounding radius and defensive presence is not nearly as great as Mitchell Robinson’s. Sims is going to require stronger work in front of him if the Knicks are to avoid a seven game losing streak before they face the Lakers on Jan. 31st. The thought that New York could win 75% of their remaining games now seems ludicrous, even if Mitch were healthy.
Here’s one final observation. The New York Knicks are getting the benefit of most of the 50/50 calls and still losing.
Box score: https://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore/_/gameId/401468839