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New York Knicks: What Every Starter Must Improve Upon After 20 Games

By Maxwell Ogden

Oct 10, 2016; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks head coach Jeff Hornacek (L) speaks to his players on the bench during the second quarter against the Washington Wizards at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 10, 2016; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks head coach Jeff Hornacek (L) speaks to his players on the bench during the second quarter against the Washington Wizards at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports /
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The New York Knicks have reached the quarter-mark of the 2016-17 NBA regular season. In which areas must the starters improve?

Oct 10, 2016; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks head coach Jeff Hornacek (L) speaks to his players on the bench during the second quarter against the Washington Wizards at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 10, 2016; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks head coach Jeff Hornacek (L) speaks to his players on the bench during the second quarter against the Washington Wizards at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports /

The New York Knicks have every reason to be confident after the first 20 games of the 2016-17 NBA regular season. Despite beginning the season at 3-6, the Knicks managed to reach the quarter-mark at 11-9.

In order for the Knicks to make the necessary improvements and turn early success into a postseason appearance, however, the starters cannot become complacent.

The starting lineup has played quite well when one discards the early blowout losses. Derrick Rose, Courtney Lee, Kristaps Porzingis, and Joakim Noah are developing a chemistry that’s beginning to reflect the genius of Phil Jackson’s vision.

In order for the starting lineup to gain traction on a championship-caliber level, the Knicks’ starters will need to continue making individual improvements.

The first year that a newly-formed roster spends together is a challenge for a multitude of reasons. Not only must the coach figure out his rotations, but the players must find their individual niche and then embrace and understand their teammates’ tendencies.

With the butterflies gone and the jitters shaken off, the Knicks are now entering the second stage of their development as a team: identifying individual flaws and how they impact the team.

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