NY Knicks: 3 goals Tom Thibodeau should set for Kevin Knox
2) Improve Kevin Knox’s footwork
If Kevin Knox could set one goal this offseason, it should be to strengthen his lower body to improve his footwork. His poor footwork was ever so evident on both ends of the floor. On offense, it led to many weak drives – and misses – around the rim. Knox shot 32.2% on drives, which was beyond terrible, yet somehow only the second worst mark on the Knicks roster above Moe Harkless. It’s true that poor footwork can be result of genetics and body frame, but some issues are correctable.
Because of these awkward misses, Knox is often out of position when either attempting to grab an offensive rebound or running back on defense. As a result, the Knicks’ defensive floor spacing is off balance, resulting in an easy layup or open three for the opposition.
Same problem here, but worse consequences. This miss resulted in Knox being out of balance on defense as Isaac Bonga got an easy layup on the other end. Perhaps one more dribble would have changed the entire sequence. Bad shot, bad defense.#Knicks #NewYorkForever 4/ pic.twitter.com/HKsZw53npQ
— Vivek (@vdadhania) August 16, 2020
A lack of defensive intensity plagued Knox over his first two seasons. He easily gets lost on defense, especially off-the-ball. What compounds the issue is that his feet are often planted flat on the court, thus giving him very little flexibility to use his athleticism to catch his opponents. This result is easy blow-by layups or just wide open threes due to poor defensive rotations.
Footwork can help solve some of his issues on both ends of the floor. On the defensive end, it can allow him to use his 6’11 wingspan to actually disrupt a play. Being in the proper position can mitigate instances when the opponent tries to drive past him. On the offensive end, proper footwork is the difference between a made basket or an easy transition basket for the opponent.