Westchester Knicks: Do The Issues Fall On The Defense?

The Westchester Knicks are 3-9 since February 1st. Do the team’s issues fall on the offensive or defensive end of the floor?

With the talent the Westchester Knicks possess, scoring isn’t much of an issue compared to their defense. The Knicks have many players who can score 15-to-20 points a night.

Players like Courtney Fells, John Jenkins, and Von Wafer can lead the team on the offensive end, along with several other players chipping in.

Even though the Knicks have plays who can score, the issue lies on defense. While the team has talented scorers, it’s struggled recently on the defensive end.

When the Knicks faced off against the Greensboro Swarm, they hoped to get their third victory over the Swarm in their inaugural season . At the time, Greensboro was at the bottom of the league in many offensive categories.

The Swarm were 16th in points per game, 17th in field-goal percentage, and 22nd (last) in 3-point 3-point percentage.

In the middle of the final quarter, Westchester almost took the lead from Greensboro. But then, there was a brief delay due to water on the court. When the game resumed, the Swarm took over and increased their lead.

In the following five minutes of the game, Greensboro went on a 16-4 run, which sealed the Knicks’ defeat.

“I think we got soft overall. I think our whole 4th quarter was soft,” Courtney Fells said following Westchester’s loss to Greensboro. “They was beating us to the ball. Even with the schedule, they just flew in here today at 2 o’clock. You came and played last night. We should have been the guys attacking them instead of them attacking us. It’s just disappointing. I’m very frustrated with our effort.”

In their third meeting against Greensboro, the team posted 105 points on 53.3 percent shooting from the field and 40.9 percent shooting from 3-point range. In 12 games since Feb. 1, Westchester has given up at least 105 points on eight occasions.

The Knicks are 3-9 in that span.

“I think that goes down to our effort and we’re giving up too many offensive rebounds,” Fells said. “Small guards [and] big players in the post. It doesn’t matter. Everybody in the game are getting offensive rebounds on us and that’s extra possessions [and] extra shots. How are we going to win like that? Can’t win.”

In their following game against the Erie BayHawks, things looked a tad different. The Knicks had some help from three assignment players (Ron Baker, Maurice Ndour, and Marshall Plumlee).

All three players contributed in a significant way on both ends of the floor, which helped propel Westchester to its 16th victory of the season.

The Knicks defense looked solid in the final quarter of the game, as they held Erie to 18 points. In addition to the productivity of the Knicks’ assignees, Fells, Jenkins, and Wafer helped boost the team’s offense.

With all the scorers that Westchester has, Fells thinks the team’s focus should be more on the defensive end.

“If we focus our attention more on defense, I think everything else will take care of itself because we have scorers and that’s going to come with the game,” Fells said.

In their following game against a potential playoff team, the Canton Charge, the Knicks were clicking on both ends of the floor. Westchester held the No. 7 scoring team to 18 points in the opening quarter and held a double-digit lead at halftime.

The Knicks’ defense let up in the second half, as the Charge cut the deficit to five points after three quarters of play. In the final frame, Canton exploded for a game-high 38 points to secure the win.

Kay Felder and Gerald Beverly helped lead the team on the offensive end in the fourth quarter, as the two totaled 17 of Canton’s 38 points.

Must Read: Westchester Knicks: Are The Playoff Hopes Slipping Away?

The Westchester Knicks have a tough challenge ahead of them. The Knicks face off against the Maine Red Claws in back-to-back games on the road.

The Red Claws are one of the top 3-point shooting teams in the NBA D-League, as they average 12.4 3-pointers made per game.

Out of the five teams in the Atlantic Division, the Knicks hold their own against the Red Claws. Maine averages 106.7 points per game, but Westchester has held it to 88.5 per contest in their two meetings this season.

If the Knicks match their success on the defensive end against Maine in their next two games, there’s a chance the Dub Knicks can close out their road trip on a positive note.