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For the first time in years, the Knicks appear to be entering a new season with an established identity.
Opposing players and fans are well aware that when New York comes up on the calendar they should expect a bruising effort, a fight on the glass, and tough defense. But one facet of the game not so closely associated with these Knicks is shooting.
They hovered around league average in three-point percentage last season, and are better known for their smash mouth, 90s brand of basketball. But at the same time, they boast three of the more reliable catch-and-shoot marksmen in the league in Jalen Brunson, Donte DiVincenzo, and OG Anunoby.
After their major late-January injuries, they finished third in the league in three-point attempts per 100 possessions, followed by finishing second in three-point percentage during the postseason with a 37.5 percent clip.
Looking down the roster and across their offensive playbook, the Knicks could put together the best shooting season in the league if things break right. Let’s dive into why…
As mentioned above, it starts with the individual shooting talent. Brunson shot 40.1 percent from three last season, and a sizzling 42.2 percent prior to Julius Randle going down with his shoulder injury.
Now that Randle is back healthy and a new secondary playmaker in Mikal Bridges is on the roster, Brunson should convert at a high efficiency with the lessened on-ball load. The return of New York’s two-time All-NBA power forward should benefit the team at large as well.
The Knicks shot 38.6 percent from three — which would’ve been fourth in the NBA — with Randle on the court last season compared to 35.7 percent with him sidelined. His ability to bulldoze into the paint, pull in multiple defenders, and kick out to the open shooter was sorely missed down the stretch.
DiVincenzo and Anunoby each eclipsed 40 percent on catch-and-shoot looks from three last year, which is right in line with their career averages. Miles McBride spent a large portion of the year bench-ridden, but later exploded as a contributor behind his 42.2 percent spot-up clip, which we’ll see more of in a more defined role this season.
Bridges hit 38.5 percent of his catch-and-shoot looks last season, which is also consistent with his career averages. And the Knicks probably aren’t riding on this as much, but Josh Hart was able to turn his shooting around during the playoffs.
At the same time, there are also weaknesses to be found, as Randle has only hit 32.6 percent of his threes the past three seasons, and he is only slightly better on spot-ups alone.
The Knicks also don’t have a pull-up three-point shooting threat outside of Brunson. He was the only Knick to attempt those looks with any kind of volume last season and found better success punishing defenders playing under his screens in other ways.
DiVincenzo and Bridges should find some looks there, but not as a primary avenue for offense. If McBride can become a bigger threat on the pick-and-roll, it would open up these looks for him.
Even with those drawbacks, the Knicks still have a path to finishing atop the league in three-point attempts and accuracy.
Not only does their talent measure up, but they’ll be feeding off easy looks generated from Randle and Brunson. Both have proven impossible to guard with a single defender and are capable of peppering their teammates with passes behind the arc.
New York had to get creative once Randle went down last season, and added more off-ball action to the playbook, opening up weak-side shooters with defenses focused on Brunson.
Given their litany of weapons, expect more of the same this season.
After the Anunoby trade, their defense also went to another level both in efficiency and activity, creating easier looks from deep in transition that should also carry over into this year.
All of these contribute to the quality of looks the Knicks get from three.
New York was fourth in three-point attempts per game from the corners, and ninth in percentage — hitting 40.7 percent. With Randle and Anunoby healthy in January, they were also leading in volume, but knocked down a whopping 47 percent of their corner threes.
If Knicks fans had their way, the team would be crowned the best in the league and look no further into the details, content with the results. But to get there, they’ll need to be the best in every part of the game — even ones that are not part of their identity.