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New York Knicks: The five keys to NYK’s recent success

By Maxwell Ogden

NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 27: Kristaps Porzingis #6 of the New York Knicks shoots the ball against the Brooklyn Nets on October 27, 2017 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 27: Kristaps Porzingis #6 of the New York Knicks shoots the ball against the Brooklyn Nets on October 27, 2017 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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NEW YORK, NY – OCTOBER 21: Tim Hardaway Jr. #3 of the New York Knicks reacts during the game against the Detroit Pistons at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York on October 21, 2017. Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY – OCTOBER 21: Tim Hardaway Jr. #3 of the New York Knicks reacts during the game against the Detroit Pistons at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York on October 21, 2017. Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) /

4. Improved Shooting

Over the course of the first three games of the 2017-18 regular season, New York Knicks shot just 24.2 percent from beyond the arc. That mark ranked No. 30 in the NBA and played a defining role in New York’s 0-3 start.

During the Knicks’ three-game winning streak, however, they’ve become one of the top 10 teams in the NBA in three-point shooting.

New York has improved from 24.2 percent shooting during the first three games to 40.2 percent shooting in the three that have followed. It ranks No. 9 in three-point field goals made per game during that stretch, burying an average of 11.7 shots from distance.

That transformation from an abhorrent shooting team to one of the NBA’s elite may be surprising, but it’s within the realm of sustainability.

New York shot historically poor during the first three games, with a number of high-quality shooters simply missing the mark. Tim Hardaway Jr. played below his standards, and the likes of Courtney Lee, Doug McDermott, and Kristaps Porzingis all missed the shots they normally make.

The recent turnaround isn’t the product of New York playing at an unexpectedly high level; it’s the result of proven shooters converting at their expected rate..

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