5. Defend The Pick & Roll
The Detroit Pistons have one of the best pick and roll duos in the NBA in point guard Reggie Jackson and center Andre Drummond. Fortunately for the New York Knicks, Jackson isn’t expected to be active on Tuesday, November 1.
The bad news for the Knicks is that both Ish Smith and Beno Udrih have managed to use the pick and roll to their advantage through three games.
Smith finished the 2015-16 regular season with career-best averages of 12.6 points, 6.5 assists, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.1 steals in 77 games played. He’s averaging 11.0 points and 7.3 assists through three appearances in 2016-17.
Though they’re not exactly household names, Smith has the recent track record to prove his proficiency as a facilitator and Udrih is an established veteran.
With Drummond on the dive, the Pistons are destined to succeed in running the pick and roll on a fair number of possessions. The key for Joakim Noah, Kristaps Porzingis, and the Knicks will be to limit the efficiency with which Detroit runs the play.
Containing the pick and roll would go a long way towards successfully containing a depleted Pistons offense.