The New York Knicks have built a roster that feels destined to dominate on the defensive end of the floor. All-NBA scorers Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns are flanked by what may very well be the best collection of defensive wings that the Association has to offer.
With a 29-16 record and a manageable 2.0-game deficit in the push for the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference, all signs point toward that vision being realized.
Through 45 games, however, this Tom Thibodeau-led team has won in a way that few expected them to. New York is currently No. 3 in the NBA in offensive rating, fittingly trailing only the 36-6 Cleveland Cavaliers and 30-13 Boston Celtics in that regard.
New York is a respectable 14th in defensive rating, which most expect it to improve upon given Thibodeau's track record and the ramifications of injuries and significant roster changes.
The burning question facing the Knicks, however, is how long they can remain patient on the defensive end of the floor. Ranking in the top half of the league in defensive rating is acceptable at this stage, but New York needs to reach a higher tier if it hopes to overcome Boston and Cleveland.
More importantly, the Knicks need to address their most surprising flaw to date: Their status as one of the worst teams in the NBA at defending the three-point shot.
Knicks are somehow among the worst in the NBA in 3PT FG%
A team with a defensive perimeter led by OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, and Josh Hart should be among the best in the NBA at defending the three-ball. Unfortunately, that simply isn't how the season has played out for New York thus far.
Through 45 games, the Knicks rank 25th in three-point field goals allowed per 100 possessions and 27th in opponent three-point field goal percentage.
Placing in the bottom four of the NBA in opponent three-point field goal percentage is the epitome of an unforseen development. New York built the trio of Anunoby, Bridges, and Hart due to their immense potential as a defensive trio, and admittedly may yet reap those rewards.
Up to this point in the season, however, that group hasn't been enough to prevent opposing teams from burying the outside shot at virtual will.
The primary reason for concern is that both Boston and Cleveland are elite from beyond the arc. The proof is in the numbers, as the Celtics rank No. 1 at 17.8 three-point field goals made per game and the Cavaliers check in at No. 2 with 16.2.
Cleveland also ranks No. 1 in the NBA in three-point field goal percentage, which suggests that New York is the perfect opponent for them.
Considering the Knicks are all but destined to encounter at least one of those two teams in a potential pursuit of a title, something needs to change. Their top competition in the Eastern Conference just so happens to be the best in the area New York might as well be the worst.
If the Knicks fail to find a sustainable solution to this shocking issue, then it's fair to assume a trip to the NBA Finals will prove monumentally more difficult.