The New York Knicks pride themselves on the defensive end of the floor.
That’s where they have built their identity and it has led them to become one of the better teams in the league.
The Athletic insider Fred Katz believes the Knicks could walk away with the top defense in the NBA in the upcoming season.
“The Knicks have a chance to own the NBA’s most ruthless defense,” Katz writes. “Can they get there? A season ago, they finished 10th in points allowed per possession, according to Cleaning the Glass, which eliminates garbage-time statistics, but that was with injuries to two of their best defenders: Anunoby, who played only 23 games with New York last season, and Robinson, who played only 31. Now, they add Bridges to the fray.”
The Knicks had the 9th-best defensive rating in the league last season. The only teams with better defensive ratings were the Denver Nuggets, New Orleans Pelicans, Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, Oklahoma City Thunder, Boston Celtics, Orlando Magic and Minnesota Timberwolves, all of whom made the postseason.
The NBA is simple. If you have a good defense, chances are you have a good team. The Knicks often times can force turnovers that lead to points on the fast break and it becomes their offense.
Given the team’s injury history last season, there is reason to believe that they can improve. Will they make it all the way to No. 1? It will be difficult, especially considering the Timberwolves pose a unique challenge with Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns, while the Magic added one of the league’s best defenders in free agency in Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. However, the Knicks will have a shot if they continue to buy into coach Tom Thibodeau’s system and work as a team.
