3. Guard Play Is Becoming A Strength
For the first time since—this may take a while, so let’s just let that point stand for what it is—the New York Knicks have quality guard play. Derrick Rose and Courtney Lee complement one another quite well, and Brandon Jennings and Justin Holiday are exciting players of the bench.
The game against the Los Angeles Lakers tested and proved how well the Knicks’ guards can perform under pressure.
Madison Square Garden played home to two of the greatest guards in NBA history during the 1970s: Walt Frazier and Earl Monroe. New York later acquired the likes of Mark Jackson and Micheal Ray Richardson, but their tenures were brief for varying reasons.
Since John Starks departed in 1998—and even then, the Knicks had a revolving door of point guards alongside him—quality guard play has been unsustainable in New York City.
With Rose and Lee starting, and Jennings and Holiday coming in off the bench, that’s finally been fixed—for now. Lee and Holiday provide invaluable energy and defense, and Rose and Jennings are two of the most dynamic playmakers in the NBA.
After winning 32 games with the worst backcourt in the Association in 2015-16, the Knicks appear poised for a big season in 2016-17.