3. Nothing Comes Easy
When Joakim Noah played for the Chicago Bulls, his impact was felt whether he was on the floor or not. He held his teammates accountable by protecting the rim, crashing the boards, and setting a high standard for effort by putting his body on the line.
The theme from Noah’s Chicago days should carry into The Mecca: if you’re playing the New York Knicks, nothing will come easy.
Noah isn’t the only player who’s willing to put his body on the line to make a play. Lest we forget, Kristaps Porzingis’ didn’t injure his shoulder at the end of the 2015-16 season on a routine play.
Porzingis injured his shoulder by blocking a dunk attempt at the rim in a meaningless game—and that’s why Knicks fans love him.
Throw in Courtney Lee’s tenacious on-ball defense and New York has three competitive high-level defenders. Lance Thomas is cut from that same cloth, and the likes of Maurice Daly Ndour, Kyle O’Quinn, and Marshall Plumlee can say the same.
The Knicks may not have a surplus of traditionally elite defensive players, but they have competitors who will make everything difficult.
Next: The Hunger, Part I