3. The Supporting Cast
Though teams with star power tend to draw more headlines, championship-caliber organizations require depth. For instance, for as brilliant as Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Klay Thompson were over the previous two seasons, it was Andre Iguodala who won Finals MVP in 2015.
Carmelo Anthony, Kristaps Porzingis, and Derrick Rose aren’t nearly as established as a unit as Curry, Green, and Thompson, which is why they need even more help.
It was far from a flawless performance, but Anthony, Porzingis, and Rose combined for 52 points on 20-of-48 shooting against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The rest of the Knicks’ players combined for 36 points on 12-of-35 shooting from the field.
In other words, the Top 3 scorers on the roster shot 41.7 percent from the field and the rest of the team combined to shoot 34.3 percent from the floor.
Anthony, Porzingis, and Rose certainly have things to work on, but the rest of the team needs to step up. Courtney Lee and Joakim Noah—two starters who each played 20 minutes—combined for zero points on 0-of-6 shooting, and sixth man Brandon Jennings was 1-of-7.
The Knicks may not have the deepest roster in the NBA, but players other than Anthony, Porzingis, and Rose need to create consistent offense against the Grizzlies.