New York Knicks: Evan Fournier’s shot-making
The catalyst to New York’s turnaround is no secret. For the first time in recent memory, the franchise has a clear identity and direction.
In a league where offensive firepower is at an all-time apex, the Knicks have uniquely built their roster. The club finished last season ranking 26th out of 30 teams in scoring, with an average of 107 per game. For the sake of context, the league-best offense (and eventual NBA champion) Milwaukee Bucks posted a 120.1 PPG average.
That’s a noticeable gap. And the Knicks seem content with it. The goal isn’t to overwhelm their opponents with offensive output. It’s to slow down the other team’s output.
The moment head coach Tom Thibedeau joined the fray, the Knicks began to build their organization around defense. And it’s worked swimmingly thus far. The team held opponents to the fewest total points in the league last season (7,540). That’s over 100 total points less than the next best team (the Lakers with 7,686).
While the team’s calling card is their defense, the franchise will benefit tremendously from a player who can create their own shot. This is the issue that handcuffed the team during their postseason series against the Hawks.
Julius Randle’s number took a hit (due to underperformance and gameplan by the other team). This left Rose as the only consistent go-to scorer on the team. Fournier’s presence will make a notable impact in this area.
The former 1st round pick has always been a threat to score. He has averaged a respectable 14.3 points per game during his nine-year NBA career. This figure has raised to 17.1 PPG over the past five seasons.
The veteran is capable of scoring at every level. He is a 38% career shooter from beyond the three-point line, a 50% shooter overall, and an 80% shooter from the free-throw line. He also brings good size and the ability to shoot well from several difficult angles.
Look at this game-winner from a few seasons ago.
Fournier can get off a quality shot despite having a defender closely guarding him. He also has the presence of mind to take a dribble to create the necessary space. The defense is still close enough to contest well. But Fournier’s shot creation gets the job done.
This is just one isolated highlight. But it serves as an example of the type of savvy that Fournier brings to the table on a nightly basis. This will be a welcomed skill set in NYC.