Knicks Need Critical Boost for Title Shot

The New York Knicks need to have a better defense.

Feb 11, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers guard T.J. McConnell (9) shoots the ball while New York Knicks guard Josh Hart (3) defends in the second half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

The New York Knicks have been one of the best offensive teams in the NBA this season, but their defense is holding them back from being one of the top overall squads in the league.

It's a bit of a surprise considering the fact that the Knicks were one of the best defensive teams in the NBA last season, but that proves how much of an impact Isaiah Hartenstein had on the group.

Now that he is with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Hartenstein is part of a championship-level team again while the Knicks are trying to become one. Knicks Film School analyst Jonathan Macri believes that the defense could turn a corner after the All-Star break.

"Is there a solution, other than hitting the “play better” button? If the focus remains how the Knicks will fare against Boston in the playoffs, perhaps the goal should be to implement more switching 1-5 regardless of the personnel in the game. I’d also like to see more experimentation with OG guarding fives than we’ve seen so far, but that may be an ace up the sleeve saved for spring basketball," Macri writes.

"One cause for hope: New York is giving up the fourth fewest wide open threes by frequency and is league average in frequency of opposing open threes. Both of these numbers have gradually improved over the course of the season as they’ve been getting more disciplined in their coverages (albeit at the expense of close range shots, which the Knicks are now giving up at the sixth highest frequency in the NBA)," he continued.

The Knicks also are supposed to have Mitchell Robinson coming back around March 1, and his presence could give New York exactly what it is looking for to build a playoff-caliber defense that a contender needs to advance in the postseason.

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