New York Knicks need to let Obi Toppin shine
By Adam Kester
New York Knicks’ rookie Obi Toppin’s shooting and passing can help the team with their offensive woes as they head for a road trip out west.
The New York Knicks are feeling good as they come off of a two-game win streak and head out for a Western Conference road trip. The Knicks’ last two wins have come from terrific team defense. Tom Thibodeau has the team playing hard, and the Knicks currently rank among the best in the league across numerous defensive metrics.
The back-to-back wins came after a disastrous 5-game losing streak. While the Knicks have momentum, there are adjustments that can still be made. Three of the New York’s next four opponents rank in the top-10 in offensive rating.
While the Knicks defense has been fantastic, the offense has remained lackluster. The Knicks don’t need to sacrifice their identity of being a hard-nosed, grind-it-out team at the expense of looking for new ways to improve the offense.
No one expects the Knicks to be one of the top-scoring teams in the league. They simply don’t have the high-octane natural scorers that so many other teams do. So they have to look within the roster they currently have in order to improve their offense that is currently ranked 27th in the league in offensive rating.
One player who may be ready for an expanded role is rookie Obi Toppin.