The New York Knicks were certifiably elite in catch-and-shoot efficiency, but seemed to run from one of their greatest strengths in 2024-25.
The New York Knicks won 50 games, reached the 2025 Eastern Conference Finals, and developed one of the best starting lineups in the NBA. On that front, the 2024-25 season was an unavoidable success. Unfortunately, the Knicks also neglected what should've been a strength.
Whether the Knicks poach Chris Finch from the Minnesota Timberwolves, hire Jason Kidd from the Dallas Mavericks, or go an entirely different route, their next coach must prioritize ball movement.
By the end of the 2024-25 season, it became abundantly clear that the Knicks had four different players who could score upward of 20 points on any given night. Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns were known commodities in that regard and earned All-NBA recognition for their efforts.
OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges, meanwhile, took undeniable steps forward as scorers, especially when Brunson went down with a sprained ankle in March.
For as intriguing as it is to know that four different Knicks averaged at least 17.6 points per game, an issue persisted. The Knicks weren't necessarily against off-ball movement, but their possessions lacked the unpredictability that the current NBA Finalists benefit from.
That much is thoroughly established in the simple fact that the Knicks were elite in catch-and-shoot three-point efficiency, but bordered on neglecting the opportunity to generate said opportunities.
Knicks must embrace off-ball movement, catch-and-shoot opportunities
New York finished the 2024-25 regular season ranked No. 7 in catch-and-shoot three-point field goal percentage. That top-10 ranking reflects the quality of the shooters on a roster that can punish opposing defenses from every angle of the court.
Unfortunately, the Knicks rendered that strength almost meaningless by finishing No. 27 in catch-and-shoot three-point field goal attempts.
New York has the unique luxury of being able to feature lineups in which all five players on the court can space the floor. Karl-Anthony Towns is the shining example of that versatility as a center who shot 46.2 percent on catch-and-shoot threes in 2024-25.
Jalen Brunson, meanwhile, knocked down 42.1 percent of his attempts, while Miles McBride checked in at 40.4, OG Anunoby shot 37.9 percent, and Mikal Bridges converted 37.2.
Despite having five players who fall somewhere in the range of respectable and elite in catch-and-shoot situations, the Knicks neglected this strength. Instead, they arguably overemphasized isolation sets and played a style that often required them to grind out wins instead of creating pockets for their starters to rest with hot streaks from beyond the arc.
That's reflected in the fact that New York ranked No. 18 in passes made, No. 24 in potential assists, had eight games go to overtime, and perhaps even that they went 15-23 against teams that went .500 or better.
By no means a selfish team, the Knicks still made a concerted effort to create chances for one another. Their statistical rankings, however, speak to New York not necessarily maximizing the opportunity to utilize the talent on the court in decoy roles to create an even better look that focuses less on the first pass and more on high-efficiency threes that can lighten the on-ball workload.
The Knicks still came within two wins of the NBA Finals playing the way they did, but to reach the next level, the blue and orange must embrace their most underutilized strength.