The New York Knicks have spent the last few weeks cementing their status as one of the better teams in the NBA. In January, since they traded with the Toronto Raptors, New York has gone 10-2 and is one of the hottest teams in the league.
The Knicks have improved their record to 27-17 despite some obstacles to overcome. Point guard Jalen Brunson missed two games with a calf injury while starting center Isaiah Hartenstein is now battling Achilles tendinopathy.
Playing without Brunson showed just how much the team relies on him. He has performed very well on the defensive end, but it is his offensive prowess the team was missing most. Already short-handed when it comes to ball-handlers and shot-creators, it was hard to watch the Knicks offense without him in the lineup.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Jalen Brunson, OG Anunoby, Josh Hart New York Knicks Updates
When at full strength, the Knicks have one of the most efficient offenses in the NBA. They have the third-highest point differential in the Eastern Conference and are 10th in the league in offensive rating with 118.1.
New York bludgeons their opponents on the offensive glass, creating extra scoring opportunities to make up for their 46.6 shooting percentage, which is 21st in the NBA. Where the Knicks thrive is shooting 3-pointers, as the team connects on 37.2 percent of those attempts, which is 11th.
Tom Thibodeau’s scheme on offense funnels a lot of shot attempts to the corners, where New York has elite shooters in OG Anunoby, Donte DiVincenzo and Quentin Grimes. Miles McBride is working his way into the conversation there as well with his recent shooting spree.
However, one of the players whom New York plays a ton in position to knock down 3-pointers is Josh Hart. Hart does a lot of things well on the court; he is the kind of player that every successful team has in their rotation as the ultimate glue guy.
Alas, he has been a major liability when shooting from the perimeter, making his usage at times head-scratching. As shared by DJAceNBA on X, formerly Twitter, Hart has the highest 3-point shot quality of any player on the Knicks.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Jalen Brunson, OG Anunoby, Josh Hart New York Knicks Updates
He received an A+ shot quality grade, but is connecting on only 32 percent of his attempts. Given how many wide-open 3-pointers he is attempting, the Knicks need Hart to show some improvement otherwise their rotation will have to be adjusted.
Hart’s shot quality is so high, in part, by design. Opponents are going to dare him to beat them from the perimeter, loading up on players such as Brunson and Julius Randle. The two most ball-dominant players on the team have been willing passers, relying on their teammates to make shots.
Unfortunately, Hart has not found his groove shooting as he did when he first came over to New York from the Portland Trail Blazers at least season’s trade deadline. Despite having by far the best shot quality, Hart has the lowest 3-point percentage outside of Randle, who has an F for his shot quality grade and is making only 31 percent.
The Knicks offense has been humming at a good level since Anunoby was inserted into the lineup for Barrett. He is a much better fit as a 3-and-D player, excelling in spot-up shooting situations.
But, there is another level for this offense to reach. If Hart can improve his shooting percentage to even 35 percent, it would open things up for the rest of his teammates as opponents will no longer be able to just ignore him on the perimeter.
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