If the New York Knicks don’t throw ball three consistently, they will at least have to be able to defend it. In recent seasons, that combination of flaws has proven more expensive than almost anything else that has plagued the Knicks.
This continued in 2019-2020, when New York was the Association’s second worst team to defend the outside shot, despite being the worst converting it.
New York is currently in 28th place in a goal on three points allowed at 13.3 per game. In this regard, two teams can sit under the Knicks, but the Milwaukee Bucks rank in this way due to the volume – 38.6 attempts against a higher level game – in terms of efficiency – 18% in percentage.
New York, meanwhile, ranks 29th in the NBA in the opposing three-point goal field percentage at 38.1 percent, an unjustifiable number for a team that has fought in this regard for too long.
The Knicks finished 24th in the opposing three-point goal percentage in 2018-19 and 20th in 2017-18. This is a disappointing truth if you consider that New York was eighth in the opposing three-point goal field percentage in 2016-17, even if in another losing season.
It may not be the definitive solution, but if the Knicks are able to defend the three-point shot consistently, even the slightest signs of improvement in the attack will be magnified.