As the New York Knicks start the second half of the 2023-24 NBA season, they will need to see more from the newly acquired Alec Burks.
Just before the NBA All-Star break, the Knicks made some big moves to help improve their roster for the stretch run toward the playoff. One of the moves the Knicks made was in a trade with the Detroit Pistons ahead of the deadline.
The Pistons are one of the worst teams in the NBA this season, and the Knicks were able to take a couple of their key players to help bolster their roster. New York acquired Burks, along with Bojan Bogdanovic, from Detroit, and the results have been mixed.
While Bogdanovic has found some comfort in his role in New York due to injuries in the front court, Burks has struggled a bit. So far with the Knicks, Burks is averaging 10.8 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 0.8 assists per game.
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The numbers for Burks are certainly disappointing, especially when looking at his efficiency. So far, Burks is shooting 32 percent from the field, and 35 percent from 3-point range. The inefficiency from Burks is the area that is hurting the Knicks, especially when they haven’t been using Miles McBride off the bench as much.
McBride was a player finding his groove before the trade deadline, as he was shooting the ball quite well. In addition to his shooting improvements, McBride also brings it on the defensive end of the court. However, with Burks coming over, McBride has been relegated to a lesser role.
With the Pistons, Burks was shooting over 40 percent from 3-point range and was a real weapon from the outside. So far, we have yet to see the best of Burks with the Knicks, but the sample size is small. Alas, as the Knicks continue to try and move up the standings, they need Burks to be better.
If Burks continues to struggle, it will be interesting to monitor if head coach Tom Thibodeau turns back to McBride some more. He did in the team’s victory over the Philadelphia 76ers; will he be willing to do it again more consistently down the stretch?
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