Knick knacks: Early observations of this year’s New York Knicks
It’s too soon for trends, but not for things that make you go hmmm . . .
It’s early – waaaay too early – to make any confident claims about the 2024-25 New York Knicks. But 15 games in is the perfect time to simply note some observations – no judgements; just casual fun. So let us, like birdwatchers, observe what the world has to offer, if instead of northern cardinals and cedar waxwings it gave us advanced stats and Tom Thibodeau.
The GOAT Knick gotta be rolling over in his ambassadorial non-grave
Relative offensive rating, a stat that goes back to the 1950-51 season, rates a team’s scoring efficiency in the context of the league that season. In 23 seasons from 1950-1973, the Knicks had a plus rating 19 times (all numbers in this section from basketball-reference). Since the franchise went away from starting five Hall of Famers, the ratings have, not surprisingly, stunk: this year’s team is putting up just the 15th positive rating in the last 50 years. That alone is worth celebrating. But it’s the extent of their offensive eloquence that really stands out.
The two highest ratings a Knick offense ever reached were +3.3 by the 1989 Bomb Squad and +5.2 by 2013’s Slow And Steady From Deep Wins The Race Knicks. I would imagine the reason those two top the list ahead of the Golden Age 1970s Knicks people still rhapsodize today is because there was no 3-pointer in 1973, whereas the ‘89 and ‘13 teams made it a (relative to their time) dominant feature. This year’s team is making 14 threes a game so far, so that explains some of their +9.7. But that’s not only the best mark in a nearly 80-year history; it’s better than the prior top two combined!
If you watched the ‘90s Knicks, you remember waaaay too many boxscores like this.
This year’s Knicks are 9-6. They haven’t won a title, much less an ECF. Theirs is a story yet to be written. But we’ve at least caught a glimpse of the cover image, and there’s definitely some red in it. This shit is flammable — and not just one dude.
Josh Hart leads the league in 2-point accuracy. Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby are making more than 60 percent inside the arc. Jalen Brunson leads the team is shot attempts while draining more than half his twos and 40 percent of his threes, which would be more impressive if Karl-Anthony Towns wasn’t hitting 57/50 of his. It’s not a competition, of course – though then again, it is, at least with the rest of the league. It is “relative” offensive rating, after all.
ICYMI... Kat and Cap combined for 70 points in our dub last night 🔥
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@ny-knicks.bsky.social) November 21, 2024 at 3:46 PM
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These Knicks remind me somewhat of the Seven Seconds or Less Suns, which is ironic given that team tried to play as fast as humanly possible and these Knicks often get into their offense slower than rush hour Midtown traffic. The similarity is that their efficiency is so literally exceptional it warps the way I watch a game.
In Wednesday’s win over Phoenix, I was losing my mind in the third quarter after the Suns hit a couple of lightly contested threes. Normally a 6-0 flurry fundamentally alters a game’s tilt, e.g. going from up four to down two, or from an 11-point lead to five. When the ‘90s Knicks and Heat met in the playoffs, when men were men and points rarer than painite, a 6-0 run could single-handedly win or lose the game. After giving up that flurry Wednesday, the Knicks were still up double-digits. The ease with which this team puts up points is tangibly soothing to my nervous system. That’s really all one can ask for from an offense.
The other shoe dropping?
Now that I’ve built up the offense, two observations that aren’t negative but do raise an eyebrow.
First, despite dropping threes like manna from heaven, the Knicks have been outscored from distance this season by 18 points. They’ve also been beaten at the charity stripe, where they’re -6 this year. As is true for all of us, the Knicks’ salvation comes from within: they’re +120 on twos. It will be interesting to see how that evolves (or doesn’t) as the season progresses, and if it does how postseason defenses retaliate. Normally you go after your opponent’s strength, but it’s difficult to imagine teams trying to make the Knicks shoot more threes with five of their top-seven guys making at least 37% from deep.
Second, would a drop in the the team’s shooting impact their slight rebounding edge, and if it did, does that make any difference? Last year’s Knicks were an elite offensive rebounding unit; this year they’re 22nd, grabbing about the same number they’re giving up. They have an edge on the defensive glass, but when you’re second in the league in 3-point accuracy and third on twos and ones you’re not giving teams a chance to grab many defensive rebounds. If injuries or the vagaries of mortality were to put a crink in their swishing, they could soon sport a deficit on the glass. Paging Mitchell Robinson and Precious Achiuwa, STAT.
A grab bag of whatchamacalits
I know not what to make of these numbers (all from nba.com); I just think they’re neat.
The Knicks are 26th in average offensive speed. They’re 16th in defensive speed. I’ve no idea what to make of either fact; I just learned this was a stat yesterday. But I imagine if Thibs had to choice which end he wants him team to be speedier, this is how he’d play it.
The Knicks rank 26th in contested 2-pointers, but second in contested 3-pointers. Depending on your orientation, either God or the devil is in the details: Knick opponents have the best field-goal percentage in the non-restricted area paint as well as the best mark shooting threes from the right corner. The Knicks themselves are third in non-restricted area paint accuracy, second in midrange marksmanship and second in above-the-break 3-point shooting. Got thoughts on what any of that means? Comment below, baby.
The basketball gods smiling?
After the 1999 lockout, the Knicks played 50 games in three months, including 13 back-to-backs, one of which was a back-to-back-to-back. If your knees aren’t screaming just from reading that, bear in mind a majority of those sets (8) came within less than a week of the prior B2B, including four that came within 2-3 days. This year’s team doesn’t see another back-to-back until after Christmas. Given the starters are all averaging 33-39 minutes per, the gods, for now, may be smiling upon them. Doesn’t make up for P.J. Brown . . . but it’s a start.
Climbing the charts like a hoarse, barking bullet
If the Knicks win 55 games this season, Tom Thibodeau will pass Pat Riley for fourth on the franchise’s list for wins by a head coach. Unless they win at least 58 games, he will pass Mike D’Antoni for the sixth-most losses in Knick history. If Thibs gets through December without being fired, he’ll pass Hubie Brown for fourth in most games coached by a Knick. And should they happen to win the title this year, Thibodeau will match Joe Lapchick for the fourth-most playoff wins in franchise history.
And, in a last bit that has nothing to do with Thibs and everything to do with divine justice, did you know Don Chaney and Lenny Wilkens, both scapegoated and fired by Isiah Thomas when the inmates were running the asylum, both have more wins and higher winning percentages as Knick coaches than Zeke? That’s been true for nearly 20 years, but I just learned it now. That’s how nice it is following the Knicks today: even the darkest bits of the past seem a little bit brighter.
