The New York Knicks have undergone a major philosophy change offensively this season. So far, it’s yielded strong results, but their defense has left a lot to be desired.
This season, the Knicks have allowed opposing teams to shoot 39.4 percent from three-point range, the third-worst mark in the NBA. Additionally, their defensive rating of 114.9 ranks 13th in the league.
While their offense has set numerous franchise records already in the young season, their defense has held them back from being one of the top teams in the NBA so far.
It’s a common theme that has plagued the Knicks even during the Tom Thibodeau era. New York simply allows too many open threes. Head coach Mike Brown spoke with The Athletic’s James L. Edwards III about the emphasis on defensive intensity.
“We have to do a better job of our shifts and recognizing who we’re shifting off. We have to do a better job with our closeouts,” Brown said. “It’s something we’ll continue to work on throughout the course of the year because, in that specific area, we can get better.”
Luckily for the Knicks, it’s still early in the season, and they’ll have plenty of time to turn things around defensively as they aim for title contention this season.
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