Knicks Defense This Season Versus Last Season
Ranking third in the league in defensive rating and surrendering the least amount of points per game to their opponents last season, the New York Knicks were virtually impenetrable on the defensive end of the floor. This year though, they have suddenly become a very easy team to score against and they have given up at least 110 points in four of their last six games.
In 72 regular-season games last year, the Knicks gave up at least 110 points to their opponents 21 different times and so far this season, they have surrendered this amount to their opponents in half their games so far!
At this rate, their defense is on pace to give up at least 110 points in 41 of their 82 total games this season, which is very unlike the New York Knicks given their success on the defensive end of the floor last year.
“In critical moments, we’re not getting stops consistently and we’re giving teams confidence early. We got to be better,” All-Star Julius Randle commented on his team’s play after their loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers earlier this week. “I think it’s our energy, fight and will. I’ve said this from the first day: We’ll be fine if we play defense. Offensively we have enough talent.”
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Offensively, this team truly does have enough talent, and their numbers on the season back this up. Ranking 6th in the league in points per game (110.8) this season and having five players averaging double-figure scoring so far this year, New York is getting all the production they need on offense, but they just cannot seem to put things together on the defensive end of the floor.
With Mitchell Robinson, Nerlens Noel, and Taj Gibson in the paint, the Knicks are allowing an average just 39.7 points in the paint per game to their opponents, which is the best mark in the league, but they are not defending the three-point shot well whatsoever.
Last season, the Knicks led the NBA in defending the three-point shot, allowing their opponents to shoot just 33.7% from deep on 35.6 attempts per game. So far this year, the Knicks are allowing their opponents to shoot 37.6% from three-point range (26th in the league) on 41.7 attempts per game.
In addition, the Knicks are also allowing the most made threes per game to their opponents at 15.7 made 3-point shots per game and there does not seem to be a sense of urgency out on the perimeter for this team defensively like there was last season.
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“Sometimes we aren’t contesting shots,” Randle said after the Knicks’ most recent loss at home to the Milwaukee Bucks, a team that shot 26-50 (52%) from three-point range against them. “We have to start contesting shots more.”
