The New York Knicks have regressed on defense without Kristaps Porzingis. Veteran shooting guard Courtney Lee offered sharp criticism of his teammates.
The New York Knicks have entered the evaluation stage of the 2017-18 NBA regular season. With the postseason out of the question and the 2018 NBA Draft becoming the primary focus, the Knicks have begun to determine the long-term value of the current players on the roster.
With few players stepping up on the defensive end of the floor, however, the Knicks are finding it difficult to make positive evaluations.
A number of players have provided reason for intrigue during the 2017-18 campaign. With the Knicks’ defense continuing to falter and the veterans joining the head coach in calling out the effort levels, however, the long-term potential of individual players is being questioned.
According to Ian Begley of ESPN New York, veteran shooting guard Courtney Lee called his teammates out and stated that they need to hold themselves accountable.
"“I think you should be mad at yourself if you watch film and your teammates are calling you out,” he said, presumably referencing a team film session on Monday. “You should not want to let them down, and if you’re seeing that it’s you repeatedly then you need to, but yeah if you don’t make that adjustment then that’s just telling us you don’t care. So I definitely at points get frustrated with it.”"
Defense may be a skill, but it’s impossible to teach a player a system if they aren’t willing to put forth the effort to learn and execute it.
Offensive skill may be what makes the highlight reel, but defense is what made the Knicks a perennial contender during the pre-Dolan era. It also became the identity of the 2012-13 team that won 54 games and reached the second round of the playoffs.
Unfortunately, the Knicks have lost all signs of progress on defense in 2017-18 since rim protector and franchise player Kristaps Porzingis suffered a season-ending knee injury.
It’s hardly surprising that New York has regressed, but to simply give up on defense is a concerning development at any stage of the season.
Some have implied that the Knicks have tuned out head coach Jeff Hornacek, although recent comments made by Tim Hardaway Jr. and Enes Kanter clearly state the opposite. In Lee’s eyes, it’s a problem that the individual players must address themselves.
Whether it’s a matter of discipline or insecurity with their knowledge of the system, the players must play with more effort and intensity if the defense is to improve.
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The New York Knicks have built a solid foundation for future success, but Courtney Lee knows that talent won’t be enough if the effort on defense doesn’t improve.