2. Work On Defense
The New York Knicks allowed just 102 points against the Detroit Pistons. That isn’t necessarily a low number, but it’s normally a sign that a team played well enough on defense to secure a victory with quality offensive production.
The reality is, New York played atrocious defense for three quarters against the Pistons—a result of a lack of effort rather than ability.
The Knicks almost refused to put a body on players during Tuesday’s 102-89 loss. That includes Carmelo Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis, who all but refused to press Tobias Harris and Marcus Morris.
Harris and Morris both scored upwards of 20 points against the Knicks, which makes Wednesday’s clash with Trevor Ariza and Ryan Anderson—better shooters—even more concerning.
The Houston Rockets are going to score a fair amount of points, but the Knicks need to make them work for it. The transition defense must be better than it’s been in the first three games, and New York must close out with more intensity.
Houston may still reach 100 points against the Knicks, but if New York plays hard, a win will be attainable.