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New York Knicks: Five takeaways from the season opener

By Maxwell Ogden

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - OCTOBER 19: Alex Abrines #8 of the Oklahoma City Thunder and Kristaps Porzingis #6 of the New York Knicks battle for the ball during the first half of a NBA game at the Chesapeake Energy Arena on October 19, 2017 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. (Photo by J Pat Carter/Getty Images)
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - OCTOBER 19: Alex Abrines #8 of the Oklahoma City Thunder and Kristaps Porzingis #6 of the New York Knicks battle for the ball during the first half of a NBA game at the Chesapeake Energy Arena on October 19, 2017 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. (Photo by J Pat Carter/Getty Images) /
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OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – OCTOBER 19: Ron Baker #31 of the New York Knicks drives around Raymond Felton #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder during the second half of a NBA game at the Chesapeake Energy Arena on October 19, 2017 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. (Photo by J Pat Carter/Getty Images)
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – OCTOBER 19: Ron Baker #31 of the New York Knicks drives around Raymond Felton #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder during the second half of a NBA game at the Chesapeake Energy Arena on October 19, 2017 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. (Photo by J Pat Carter/Getty Images) /

4. Ron Baker Has Value

Ron Baker needs to become more decisive when he has the ball in his hands. His hesitation allows the opposition to reset defensively and anticipate the actions that could have caught them off guard had he acted with haste.

Acknowledging that as true, Baker played far better against the Oklahoma City Thunder than he’s being given credit for—and he did so by establishing his value on the defensive end of the floor.

Baker finished the season opener with six points, four assists, two rebounds, and three steals in 23 minutes of action. He buried a three-point field goal, created for his teammates, and was a hound on the defensive end of the floor.

Many were upset to see Frank Ntilikina riding the pine, but Baker played well and shouldn’t be viewed as one of the reasons New York lost the game—primarily because he wasn’t.

Baker recorded a +/- of +4, and was a key to New York’s strong defensive showing. During his 23 minutes on the court, the Knicks accumulated a defensive rating of 87.4—a number that plummeted to a team-worst 106.9 in the 25 game minutes that were played without Baker.

New York defended at a high level and moved the ball better when Baker was on the court—facts that should have Knicks fans excited about his future with the team.

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