The New York Knicks have a good season. They are sure enough to stay a seeded among the first three at the Eastern Conference. The trade in the cities of Karl-Anthony looks like a Home Run. Cities and Brunson are heading for all-NBA selections. Josh Hart flourished in one of the most impactful players in the League. The offense is the elite. Most of them stayed in good health, and the only guy they were, Mitchell Robinson, is about to make his debut in season.
There is only one problem with the Knicks season so far: they cannot beat the Nba elite teams. In fact, they can’t even get closer to the NBA elite teams. Friday, with a defeat of 142-105 against the Cleveland riders, the Knicks are now 0-6 against the best three teams in the League (OKC, Cleveland and Boston). They lost all the matches except one by two figures – one per 37, two per at least 25, another per 23, with an average margin of defeat of 21 points.
Yikes.
It should be noted that Hart did not play on Friday. Knicks are not the same without him. But he played in other defeats against these best teams. Og Anunoby, although he played on Friday, is not completely healthy at the moment. Towns and Brunson had good figures with 49 points combined on 32 shots, but the Knicks were less than 27 in the 3-point column and dragged by 27 at halftime. It was never a game.
Big Picture, New York’s defense seems to be an after-season problem. It was supposed to be a force with the trio perimeter of Anunoby, Hart and Mikal Bridges. Put Robinson back on return will surely help the protection of painting, but we are now when it does not seem that this team has the defense juice.
The Knicks rank just outside the last 10 of defensive efficiency, and during their six defeats against Cleveland, OKC and Boston, they made an average of 126 points. These are not operational championship figures, even with a high -end attack.
Knicks have staff to be better defensively, despite the lack of protection of cities rims. But it must come from the aforementioned perimeter trio. It’s strength. It is the BluePrint New York was written specifically to be able to associate with a predominantly two -track programming like Boston. Until now, this part is clearly not part as planned.
