New York Knicks: Keys to Making the 2016 NBA Playoffs

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Jan 28, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; New York Knicks guard Sasha Vujacic (18) gestures as he waits for guard Jerian Grant to make a play in the second half of a 103-93 loss to Toronto Raptors at Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports /

3. Move the Ball with a Purpose

Who’s ready for the most misleading statistic in NBA history? Thus far in 2015-16, only one team is averaging a higher number of passes per game than the New York Knicks.

As anyone who consistently watches the Knicks play will tell you, that statistic fails to tell the story of how abhorrent the Knicks’ offense has been.

Despite ranking No. 2 in the NBA in passes made per game, the Knicks are No. 24 in the Association in assists per contest. New York is also No. 3 in isolation possessions, which is a sign of what the high volume of passes are leading to.

Rather than passing to find the open man, New York’s ball movement borders on obligatory and crosses into the territory of, “Let’s just get this back to Carmelo Anthony.”

Rather than passing and then going ISO with the shot clock winding down, the Knicks need to pass their teammates open. That’s something that great teams do, and New York’s inability to achieve greatness is why Phil Jackson‘s squad is nine games below .500.

Until the Knicks move the ball with a purpose, these passes will accomplish nothing but the delay of an inevitable offensive collapse in the fourth quarter.

Next: Healthy and Aggressive

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