The New York Knicks ended their preseason Friday with yet another loss. They went winless in the preseason with a record of 0-5. Their play foreshadowed that the Knicks will endure a tough season going forward. It will include a lot of growing pains as the young players establish themselves without a lot of veteran leadership, little defense, and a lot of losing. They had some glaring deficiencies and a few bright spots as they head into the opener next Thursday against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
New York Knicks Will Endure Tough Season
Defense Still an Issue
The Knicks defense has been an issue for years now. The preseason displayed that this year will be no different. Their rotations on defense were slow and at times non-existent. Jeff Hornacek emphasized the importance of defense in the offseason. He wants to instill this mindset for this young team.
However, the preseason portrayed how much they still must learn on that side of the ball. They let teams score at will at times. There were a plethora of open lanes and shots for the opposing teams. This is glaring because a player’s defensive ability is more of to do with effort than skill.
It is understandable for the Houston Rockets to come to the Garden and beat the Knicks soundly, but the eye opener is when they lose by 30 points to the Brooklyn Nets. Winning starts with getting big stops, and at this moment, the Knicks do not seem reliable to get that big stop night-in and night-out.
Health of their Young Stars
If the Knicks want to compete on a nightly basis, they must ensure Kristaps Porzingis and Frank Ntilikina can stay healthy. With Carmelo Anthony gone, the Knicks need Porzingis to step up and become the star of this team. However, he can only be that star if he stays healthy. Porzingis has been in the NBA for two years and has yet to play a full season. Dealing with hip soreness this preseason, he is starting to get the label of being injury-prone.
Ntilikina has been dealing with a knee issue since the Summer League. Right before the Summer League kicked off, he came down with a minor knee injury. This caused the Knicks to keep him out of the Summer League altogether. In the preseason, he only played in the first game. He is falling behind other rookies around the league because most rookies got exposure in the Summer League and preseason. The health of Porzingis and Ntilikina is key for the Knicks to determine if they can be the foundation for long-term success.
Doug McDermott and Tim Hardaway Jr. can be Offensive Weapons
One of the positives coming from the preseason is the play of both Doug McDermott and Tim Hardaway Jr. They both can provide instant offense. On Friday night, McDermott came off the bench and hit his first five shots with Hardaway leading the Knicks in scoring. They can be good weapons to provide scoring help for Porzingis.
In the last seven years, the Knicks could give Anthony the ball when they needed a bucket. However, with Anthony no longer there, the Knicks will need players to step up and help Porzingis score when he is in foul trouble or as defenses look to stop him.
Both McDermott and Hardaway have the offensive prowess to take pressure off Porzingis. McDermott, however, can become the sharpshooter the Knicks need, and he impressed with his drives to the basket. He portrayed the willingness to drive and get an easier shot. Hardaway has gotten better since he came into the league and took a step forward last year. He is looking to carry his success and improve more on his game.
The Knicks can look forward to seeing their young players develop this year. It will be essential in determining if they have the players to build around. Unfortunately, that means this season will be full of growing pains. Their play in preseason proved the Knicks will endure a tough season.
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