2. Maintaining Leads
At times in 2016-17, the New York Knicks have looked like a legitimate NBA powerhouse. They’ve taken double-digit leads into the fourth quarter, only to find themselves mere minutes away from a blowout win.
The Knicks haven’t yet learned how to play with a lead, which could end up costing them more than it has thus far.
New York has been fortunate to be on the receiving end of Carmelo Anthony’s clutch heroics in 2016-17. The reality is: the Knicks shouldn’t be needing Anthony to hit game-winners during games that were being decisively won.
Against the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Knicks led 99-82 with 7:27 remaining in the fourth quarter, yet needed Anthony to hit a game-winner in order to secure a 106-104 win.
The Minnesota game was more of the rule than the exception for the Knicks. In recent games, New York led the Sacramento Kings by 20 and won 106-98, and led Minnesota in a second game by 14 and won 118-114.
The Knicks are struggling to maintain leads during the first and second half, which has made potential blowouts more complicated than they should be.