3 Reasons to believe in the New York Knicks 3-point success
By James Ryder
As of this writing, the New York Knicks offense is among the best in the NBA. The Knicks are 4th in points per game (115.1) and 3rd in offensive rating (112.2).
To the New York fanbase, this has been a sight for sore eyes. This team was one of the worst offensive teams in basketball last season.
New York Knicks: The transformation on offense
There are many things that can be attributed to the Knicks’ early offensive achievements. Among them are the additions of Kemba Walker and Evan Fournier, the scoring leaps of RJ Barrett and Obi Toppin, and the overall push for a more aggressive and modern playstyle by coach Tom Thibodeau.
And naturally, when discussing the NBA’s modern scoring landscape, the most impactful practice is the long ball. Three point shooting is invaluable today, and the Knicks have fully embraced this ideology to the tune of great success so far.
The Knicks are 5th in three-point percentage leaguewide, shooting 37.6% this season. They are also 2nd in 3s made per game and 11th in attempts per game. I didn’t even mention the team broke the franchise all-time record for three’s made in a game (24 3PM on 54 attempts) in just the second game of the season vs the Orlando Magic.
This is a huge difference from 2020-21 squad, when New York was a bottom five team in attempts and bottom ten in makes, although they were still one of the most efficient shooting clubs (4th, shooting 38.8%).
So, clearly the team has benefitted a ton from the efficiency success of last season translating to this season with a higher volume of attempts.
Unfortunately, it just so happens they are coming off their worst shooting game of the season which came against the Indiana Pacers. The Pacers defeated the Knicks 111-98. NY shot a horrific 20.8% from three-point land, making just 5-of-24 attempts.
But, regardless of how the shooting went versus Indiana, there are plenty of reasons to feel encouraged. These are the three reasons why you should believe in the Knicks to continue having this level of success specifically when discussing their 3-point shooting.