New York Knicks: Cleveland Loss Proves Derrick Rose Is The X-Factor

1. Creating Penetration

The New York Knicks learned in 2015-16 just how ineffective an offense can be without the ability to create penetration. Even the best shooting teams in the NBA need at least one player who can consistently get to the rim.

For as strong as the Knicks have looked in 2016-17, the 126-94 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers was a clear display of how lost the offense is without Derrick Rose.

As a team, the Knicks average 21.4 drives per game—No. 29 in the NBA—and 15.1 points via drives per game—No. 24 in the NBA. As an individual, Rose averages 9.8 drives per game—No. 14 in the NBA—and 7.7 points via drives per game—No. 8 in the NBA.

In other words, Rose accounts for 45.8 percent of the Knicks’ drives and 51.0 percent of their points via drives on a per game basis.

The numbers aren’t lying here; Rose is creating more than half of the Knicks’ team offense via penetration. That doesn’t even account for the fact that Rose is averaging roughly an assist per game via drives, which adds even more points to his tally.

Though it’s often the other way around, the statistics prove what the game film shows: Rose is the only member of the Knicks who can consistently create penetration.

Must Read: What we learned from the loss to Cleveland

The loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers may have stung, but all it really did in the long-run was prove how valuable Derrick Rose is to the New York Knicks.