The Knicks Need To Figure It Out in Crunch Time

Offensive Struggles in the Fourth Quarter

The New York Knicks struggle with offensive efficiency during significant moments. The team sits dead last in NBA pace at 96.06 possessions per game. Their slow and methodical style often works against them when games matter most. Their shot clock usage shows troubling trends as they take rougly 12.8 shots per game between 7-4 seconds, amogst the highest in the league. Additionally, they fifth from last with 11.1 attempts in the final four seconds. The Knicks’ offense struggles against teams that switch on defense. They have dropped three out of four games when facing switching defensive schemes. Jalen Brunson faces increased defensive pressure, despite his skillful play. 

As great as OG Anunoby’s shot looks, and his offensive game is trending in the right direction, that does not mean he can isolate and score at will with only 7-10 seconds to work with. The team’s offense loses momentum as players search for favorable matchups. This heavy emphasis on isolation basketball clashes with the NBA’s modern offensive principles. The team’s ball movement vanishes against aggressive defensive schemes. They struggled so much that they went 23 minutes without a three-pointer against Indiana. Players become spectators during isolation attempts rather than creating scoring opportunities, and side-to-side movement practically disappears. High-pressure situations make this stagnation even worse. The team’s offense suffers because players often skip good shots while hunting for perfect ones. This indecision guides them toward rushed attempts and poor execution at the time it matters most.

Inconsistent effort in closing out shooters

The Knicks struggle significantly with their perimeter defense. Their opponents convert 35.3% of shots from beyond the arc, ranking them 11th in the NBA. Some games like opening night in Boston, the Celtics simply could not miss. In other cases, the situation worsens with the Knicks allowing these open threes after seeing their defense getting broken down. The Knicks don’t deal very well with defensive rotations due to poor communication. Their recent games show these problems clearly, as the Pacers knocked down 8 three-pointers in the final ten minutes of their matchup. Defensive breakdowns hurt the team at critical moments. Myles Turner took advantage of these gaps against Indiana and went 3-for-3 from deep in the fourth quarter. The Hawks found similar success and connected on 15 of 38 attempts from downtown.

Unleash Mikal Bridges

Give this man the green light to score the basketball. Mikal Bridges can help discover the Knicks’ offensive potential. His Brooklyn tenure demonstrated his scoring abilities with an impressive 26.1 points per game across 27 games. Bridges’ offensive potential shines through his impressive statistics. His time as a Net produced 60 games with 20+ points and 21 thirty-point performances. He even reached new heights with six 40-point outings. The numbers speak volumes about his shooting prowess, as he maintained nearly 37% accuracy from three.

Bridges dominates defensively with his impressive seven-foot wingspan and exceptional perimeter defense. Knowing how to create his own shot adds a significant dimension to Bridges’ game. His expanded offensive role in Brooklyn has elevated his midrange game and nearly doubled his attempts from that area. This skill set works perfectly with Brunson’s playmaking and Towns’ interior presence. The Knicks need Bridges to take on a scorer’s mindset while he excels defensively. He knocks down corner threes at over 50% this season, which creates valuable spacing when games are on the line.

Bench Production and Rotation Management

Tom Thibodeau’s rotation management faces the most important challenges this season. The Knicks’ bench has become one of the league’s least productive units that ranks near the bottom in points per game, rebounds and 3.0 three-pointers. Multiple injuries have weakened the roster depth considerably. Mitchell Robinson’s extended absence combined with Precious Achiuwa’s hamstring strain has disrupted the frontcourt rotation. Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby have had to play over 36 minutes per game just to give themselves a chance to win. 

The Need For Tyler Kolek as the backup point guard

Tyler Kolek shows promise as a valuable depth addition at point guard. His impressive Summer League showing has elevated him above Cam Payne on the depth chart. Thibodeau’s enthusiasm for Kolek’s playing style influenced the decision to draft him. The rookie currently ranks behind McBride and Payne, but potential injuries could give him a chance to demonstrate his capabilities. Thibodeau’s current rotation patterns raise questions about long-term sustainability. Recent games show this clearly:

-Five starters played 37+ minutes in early November games

-Miles McBride stands alone among reserves with more than 10 minutes

-The team runs with just an eight-man rotation

The coaching staff needs a better approach to these rotation issues. Thibodeau likes short rotations that work well in short bursts but could wear players down during the 82-game season. As much as fans love Miles McBride, he is a great utility scoring guard and when he has to play a true Point Guard for the second unit it takes away from his true skillset. He is a scoring two guard. What the Knicks lack is a scoring wing, whose mind prioritzes scoring the basketball. Providing that spark plug in case Deuce is not bring the spark off the bench on any given night.