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Forget Kevin Durant: 5 stats to keep Knicks fans optimistic
Chuck Modiano
CHUCK MODIANO
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS Tuesday, July 5, 2016, 10:06 AM
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Kevin Durant heads to the super-team Warriors, but let’s focus on the Knicks.
Kevin Durant heads to the super-team Warriors, but let’s focus on the Knicks. (NOAH GRAHAM/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES)
Let’s pretend Kevin Durant did not announce that he is joining the Golden State Warriors.
Let’s pretend LeBron’s Cavaliers do not exist.
Let’s imagine an injury-free competitive year for the brittle Knicks.
Or let’s not, and just enjoy that for the first time since Patrick Ewing, the Knicks have a team that can reasonably compete deep into the playoffs.
FOLLOW THE FRENZY WITH NEWS' 2016 NBA FREE AGENT TRACKER
Let’s do it for Carmelo Anthony who never had a real Knicks team surrounding him. Let’s give him a shot at Knicks dignity. Let’s try it out.
Getting excited about the new Knicks requires lowering the championship bar for now.
Have you forgotten about a possible Golden State dynasty yet? Is your mind right?
Good.
Phil Jackson misses out on big splash but still finds upgrades
If you were excited about the Knicks 24 hours ago, don’t let KD steal your joy!
Here are five stats related to five starters that should make Knick fans feel encouraged by the upcoming season.
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Derrick Rose
Derrick Rose (MARY ALTAFFER/AP)
Derrick Rose: 47% Shooting Post-All-Star Break
Rose’s field-goal percentage was 41% before the All-Star break but 47% afterward. This is encouraging.
Rose played in 66 games last season, and here is what his field-goal percentage looks like when we divide his season into three parts.
Courtney Lee Photoshops face over Dwyane Wade’s in Knicks post
.378 – first 22 games
.439 – middle 22 games
.461 – last 22 games
The progression of Rose’s shooting suggests a growing confidence with his body’s recovery from injury.
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Kevin Durant announced in a post on The Players' Tribune that he will sign with the Warriors. Sources told ESPN he is expected to sign a two-year deal with a player option after the first year.Joakim Noah: 14.5 Rebounds Per 36 Minutes Last Year
In Phil Jackson’s first and worst major move in 2014, he inexplicably shipped off Tyson Chandler to Dallas for Jose Calderon and the promise of Samuel Dalembert. That season, the Cleveland Cavaliers would surrender two-first-round picks for center Timofey Mozgov.
Chandler would become the fifth-leading rebounder in the NBA with Dallas in 14-15, while the already poor rebounding Knicks would become second worst in the NBA, and no Knicks player has averaged above eight rebounds since.
Last season, Carmelo Anthony led the Knicks with 7.7 rebounds per game in a 3-headed team rebounding effort with Kristaps Porzingis and Robin Lopez that moved the Knicks to the middle of NBA pack.
Former All-Star Joakim Noah agrees to HUGE contract with Knicks
While last year’s acquisition of Robin Lopez felt like Chandler minus great rebounding, the expected signing of Noah feels like Chandler plus great passing.
Noah’s 14.5 rebounds per 36 minutes was the fourth best in the NBA last year. While this rate was boosted by limited minutes against a second unit, his Chandler-esque career per-36 rate of 11.5 is just what the Knicks have been missing. A frontline of Noah, Porzingis, and Anthony looks like a top-5 rebounding team — a Knicks staple of the early 1990s.
As for Noah’s limited and declining scoring prowess, unlike the Bulls, the Knicks don’t really need it. Carmelo, D-Rose and Porzingis should have that department nicely covered.
Knick fans will just love Noah, his rebounds, energy, defense and exceptional passing.Not since Patrick Ewing has a Knicks center amassed even two assists in a season. With past black holes like Marcus Camby, Eddy Curry, Chandler and Lopez, some could mistake Noah for Walt Frazier.
Over the last three years, Noah has averaged an impressive 5.6 assists per 36 minutes, an even higher rate than Rose (5.5) over that span.
But expect Rose’s assists to rise again — with spacing help from Courtney Lee.
Courtney Lee: 39% from 3-Point Range Over Last Two Years
Courtney Lee, a 45% career shooter, has shot at least 40% from three-point range in half of his eight seasons. Expect another one on the Knicks.
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Lee is the perfect complement for a penetrating guard like Rose, and will space the floor nicely for Rose to drive, dish or kick-out. His defense on opposing guards will also be critical.
The Knicks have not had a combination of a penetrating point guard and high-percentage shooting guard since Stephon Marbury and Allan Houston teamed up 2003-2004 — Houston’s last full healthy season.
That year Marbury was traded mid-year to the Knicks and in their only year together, they clicked as Marbury’s ability to penetrate, break down defenses, and kick the ball out for open looks aided Houston’s long-range shooting. During that split season, Houston’s 3-point shooting would increase from 38% before Marbury’s arrival to 51% afterward. And it wasn’t just Houston. Outside shooters like Tim Thomas, Keith Van Horn and Shandon Anderson also saw significant improvement on their 3-point shooting after Marbury’s arrival.
The Marbury-Houston backcourt pairing was stylistically perfect, but lasted only 38 total games. During the rest of Marbury’s Knick career, his penetration skills would be minimized as never wouldn't be paired with another sharp-shooting guard and few shooters overall.
Bill Simmons rips James Dolan as 'Any Given Wednesday' improves
Lee is a natural fit for Rose, and the guess here is that Lee’s shooting percentages and Rose’s assist totals will rise this coming year.SECTIONS
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NEXT ARTICLE
Forget Kevin Durant: 5 stats to keep Knicks fans optimistic
Chuck Modiano
CHUCK MODIANO
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS Tuesday, July 5, 2016, 10:06 AM
55
Tweet
Kevin Durant heads to the super-team Warriors, but let’s focus on the Knicks.
Kevin Durant heads to the super-team Warriors, but let’s focus on the Knicks. (NOAH GRAHAM/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES)
Let’s pretend Kevin Durant did not announce that he is joining the Golden State Warriors.
Let’s pretend LeBron’s Cavaliers do not exist.
Let’s imagine an injury-free competitive year for the brittle Knicks.
Or let’s not, and just enjoy that for the first time since Patrick Ewing, the Knicks have a team that can reasonably compete deep into the playoffs.
FOLLOW THE FRENZY WITH NEWS' 2016 NBA FREE AGENT TRACKER
Let’s do it for Carmelo Anthony who never had a real Knicks team surrounding him. Let’s give him a shot at Knicks dignity. Let’s try it out.
Getting excited about the new Knicks requires lowering the championship bar for now.
Have you forgotten about a possible Golden State dynasty yet? Is your mind right?
Good.
Phil Jackson misses out on big splash but still finds upgrades
If you were excited about the Knicks 24 hours ago, don’t let KD steal your joy!
Here are five stats related to five starters that should make Knick fans feel encouraged by the upcoming season.
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Knicks free agency list: most likely, backup options by position
Derrick Rose
Derrick Rose (MARY ALTAFFER/AP)
Derrick Rose: 47% Shooting Post-All-Star Break
Rose’s field-goal percentage was 41% before the All-Star break but 47% afterward. This is encouraging.
Rose played in 66 games last season, and here is what his field-goal percentage looks like when we divide his season into three parts.
Courtney Lee Photoshops face over Dwyane Wade’s in Knicks post
.378 – first 22 games
.439 – middle 22 games
.461 – last 22 games
The progression of Rose’s shooting suggests a growing confidence with his body’s recovery from injury.
Courtney Lee agrees to four-year, $48 million deal with Knicks
Rose was cautious with his body and sat out when his hamstrings came up sore. Hamstrings are one of the trickiest injuries and the most susceptible to re-injury — even when your body feels they are fine (note: this author has pulled and re-pulled both hamstrings in far less intense competition).
Twice during the year, Rose sat out three games with hamstring tendinitis, and including the All-Star break, Rose had three mid-season stretches where his body rested for at least eight days.
It would be wise for Rose and the Knicks to follow a similar “listen-to-your-body” pattern.
In his last 22 games, Rose's overall shooting was impacted most by a sudden increase from 3-point range, which saw increases from 23% to 26% to a grand leap of 40%.
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Rose is a career 30% shooter from behind the arc. And while no one expects him to shoot at a 40% clip for a full season, it could be a sign that an evolving Rose can surpass his 2014 3-point season-high of 34%.
a nov. 1, 2015, file photo
Joakim Noah (KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI/AP)
Joakim Noah: 14.5 Rebounds Per 36 Minutes Last Year
In Phil Jackson’s first and worst major move in 2014, he inexplicably shipped off Tyson Chandler to Dallas for Jose Calderon and the promise of Samuel Dalembert. That season, the Cleveland Cavaliers would surrender two-first-round picks for center Timofey Mozgov.
Chandler would become the fifth-leading rebounder in the NBA with Dallas in 14-15, while the already poor rebounding Knicks would become second worst in the NBA, and no Knicks player has averaged above eight rebounds since.
Last season, Carmelo Anthony led the Knicks with 7.7 rebounds per game in a 3-headed team rebounding effort with Kristaps Porzingis and Robin Lopez that moved the Knicks to the middle of NBA pack.
Former All-Star Joakim Noah agrees to HUGE contract with Knicks
While last year’s acquisition of Robin Lopez felt like Chandler minus great rebounding, the expected signing of Noah feels like Chandler plus great passing.
Noah’s 14.5 rebounds per 36 minutes was the fourth best in the NBA last year. While this rate was boosted by limited minutes against a second unit, his Chandler-esque career per-36 rate of 11.5 is just what the Knicks have been missing. A frontline of Noah, Porzingis, and Anthony looks like a top-5 rebounding team — a Knicks staple of the early 1990s.
As for Noah’s limited and declining scoring prowess, unlike the Bulls, the Knicks don’t really need it. Carmelo, D-Rose and Porzingis should have that department nicely covered.
Knick fans will just love Noah, his rebounds, energy, defense and exceptional passing.
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Not since Patrick Ewing has a Knicks center amassed even two assists in a season. With past black holes like Marcus Camby, Eddy Curry, Chandler and Lopez, some could mistake Noah for Walt Frazier.
Over the last three years, Noah has averaged an impressive 5.6 assists per 36 minutes, an even higher rate than Rose (5.5) over that span.
But expect Rose’s assists to rise again — with spacing help from Courtney Lee.
Courtney Lee: 39% from 3-Point Range Over Last Two Years
Courtney Lee, a 45% career shooter, has shot at least 40% from three-point range in half of his eight seasons. Expect another one on the Knicks.
Knicks prez Jax reminds us all there's no escaping the triangle
Lee is the perfect complement for a penetrating guard like Rose, and will space the floor nicely for Rose to drive, dish or kick-out. His defense on opposing guards will also be critical.
The Knicks have not had a combination of a penetrating point guard and high-percentage shooting guard since Stephon Marbury and Allan Houston teamed up 2003-2004 — Houston’s last full healthy season.
That year Marbury was traded mid-year to the Knicks and in their only year together, they clicked as Marbury’s ability to penetrate, break down defenses, and kick the ball out for open looks aided Houston’s long-range shooting. During that split season, Houston’s 3-point shooting would increase from 38% before Marbury’s arrival to 51% afterward. And it wasn’t just Houston. Outside shooters like Tim Thomas, Keith Van Horn and Shandon Anderson also saw significant improvement on their 3-point shooting after Marbury’s arrival.
The Marbury-Houston backcourt pairing was stylistically perfect, but lasted only 38 total games. During the rest of Marbury’s Knick career, his penetration skills would be minimized as never wouldn't be paired with another sharp-shooting guard and few shooters overall.
Bill Simmons rips James Dolan as 'Any Given Wednesday' improves
Lee is a natural fit for Rose, and the guess here is that Lee’s shooting percentages and Rose’s assist totals will rise this coming year.
Carmelo Anthony
Carmelo Anthony (MICHAEL PEREZ/AP)
Carmelo Anthony: 4.2 Assists Per Game
Not only did Carmelo Anthony lead the Knicks in scoring and rebounding last year, but also led the team with 4.2 assists per game — fifth-best in the NBA for non-guards.
With Jose Calderon's inability to drive and penetrate defenses, Anthony often played the role of point-forward. It was not the first time. In the 2011-2012 season, coach Mike D’Antoni asked Carmelo to play point-forward and averaged 4.4 assists per game to hold an injured team together prior to the “Linsanity” phenomena.
Carmelo has always been a capable passer.
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A close watch of Carmelo through the years shows that streaks of selfishness are often tied to frustration and his lack of belief in his teammates' ability to hit a shot. For years, Knick fans have seen Carmelo hit the bench and the team would fall apart within minutes. Carmelo is also watching this from the bench. Then Melo might slip into a mode of “if nobody else can score, then I have to do it myself.” Melo is human, and watching Knicks bricks takes a toll.
When Melo has quality teammates around him he is far more likely to convert passes into points.
With Rose and Noah, expect ball movement
Kristaps Porzingis: 8.4 Fastbreak Points by Knicks
The Knicks have been dead last in the NBA in fastbreak points the last two years with just 8.4 points per game.
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That will now change with Rose at the point and there may be no greater beneficiary than the Knicks' present and future, Kristaps Porzingis, to see more alley oops and throw downs.
Here is what Kristaps says about the Rose acquisition:
"I love his game, how explosive he is, how quick he is, how he runs in transition. That will help us play faster and not be static all the time. I think he's going to really help us win. ... One thing I'm already imagining, he's a point guard that loves to drive and he's explosive. After he misses layups I can get those put-backs. That's one thing I'm thinking about already.”
Knick fans, too.
Kevin Durant probably regrets this tweet about LeBron James
The 20-year-old Porzingis is the future. Bodies that are 7-foot-3 and move like his with his aggression and skill are once in a generation. Porzingis has the potential ceiling to be a cross between Dirk Nowitzki and a young Ralph Sampson, before injuries ruined his career.
If that’s a dream, let’s dream a little.
For at least one year, the length of Derrick Rose’s probationary contract, let Knick fans dream of a real team.
Why? Because losing in the 1990s to the Bulls every year wasn’t so heartbreaking in retrospect.
Kevin Durant probably regrets this tweet about LeBron James
Let’s dream for Melo.
And if it all falls apart, then blow it all up, and build around Porzingis.
Until then.
Forget Durant.
Encouraging Info for the doubters
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