5. Ball Movement
The New York Knicks had a somewhat acceptable 18 assists during the 102-89 loss to the Detroit Pistons on November 1. Starting center Joakim Noah had eight of those dimes, however, and point guards Derrick Rose and Brandon Jennings combined for five.
Noah is a gifted passer who should continue to facilitate the offense from the high post, but Rose and Jennings must do a significantly better job the second time around.
New York is currently 3-0 when it eclipses 20 assists and 1-6 when it fails to reach that plateau. The one exception was a 93-77 victory over the Dallas Mavericks—the first and only game during which New York held an opponent below 100 points this season.
It’s also worth noting that 13 of the Knicks’ 18 assists came during the second half, when New York scored 57 of its 93 points.
As is the case with virtually every team, the Knicks are better when the ball is moving and isolation possessions are scarce. There are a number of phenomenal passers on the roster who simply need to tap into their court vision.
If the Knicks commit to playing team basketball and keep the ball in constant motion against a rugged defensive team like Detroit, victory will be attainable.