Nine games into the season, the Knicks’ offense seems focused on launching threes and crashing the glass. Not two minutes into Sunday’s 134-98 win over the Brooklyn Nets, Jalen Brunson knifes into the paint, drawing extra defenders seemingly en route to a layup. He elevates at first, then at the last second, kicks it out to Karl-Anthony Towns. Towns makes the extra pass to Mikal Bridges, whose defender is too preoccupied with Brunson’s drive to close out properly.
He cashes the three, one of his four makes for the night. Twenty seconds later, it’s Bridges’ turn to initiate. He pushes the pace, attacking four Nets in transition. For a second, he’s the only Knick past halfcourt. Instead of hesitating, Bridges accelerates, dribbling to the right block. He drops off a bounce pass to a trailing OG Anunoby, who hits the corner three. By and large, this will be the Knicks’ offense this season.
The Knicks’ Offense: Launch Threes and Crash the Glass
Taking and Making More Threes
While they had a top-five offense last season, the Knicks ranked 27th in percentage of points from three. This season, they’re third. The team is sixth in percentage of field goals attempted from three, and first in three-point makes and attempts from the corner. Notably, the increase in attempts comes with improved accuracy. The team leads the league in corner three percentage and is first in catch-and-shoot threes made per game at 13.
Furthermore, the Knicks are fifth in catch-and-shoot attempts from three and first in percentage. Led by Anunoby, Bridges, and Brunson, the team has adopted a “let it fly” approach that’s fueling their top-ranked offense. Scoring an impressive 123 points per 100 possessions, the Knicks have attempted more than 40 threes in all but one game this season. They’ve even increased attempts on the kind of threes they don’t hit, sitting just outside the top ten in pull-up threes attempted per game.
The Knicks hit pull-up threes at the third-worst rate in the league, but right now, it’s the thought that counts. First thing to remember, this is all part of Mike Brown’s new offensive philosophy. Run hard, share the ball, and fire away.
Symbiosis Between Offensive Rebounds and Threes
Offensive rebounding has been a staple of the Knicks’ offense for the last five years. The team has been in the top ten in offensive rebounding percentage since the 2021-22 season. Despite Mitchell Robinson missing five games and only playing 16 minutes in the four he’s been healthy for, the Knicks are 3rd in offensive rebounding percentage this season.
As I covered in a previous article on the Knicks’ offensive strengths, this team is built to crash the glass. The Knicks are fourth in second-chance points per game. That can only bode well for a team that takes and makes this many threes. They already convert their misses at a top-ten rate. Not only do they grab offensive rebounds, but they also find ways to turn them into points. If those offensive rebounds end with three points instead of two, the Mazzulla Math works in the Knicks’ favor.
Room for Improvement
It’s not all roses and sunshine. The Knicks still struggle hitting threes above the break (and on pull-ups) as mentioned. Thinking ahead, they’ll need to hit those shots to have a realistic shot in the playoffs, when defenses tighten up and easy shots are harder to come by. Despite Mike Brown’s emphasis on pace, the team is 23rd in fastbreak points per game and just 16th in points off turnovers.
A paltry 27th in percentage of shots within four feet of the basket, the Knicks’ shift in focus has led to fewer finishes at the rim and fewer trips to the line. After finishing fifth in points in the paint last season, they’re 25th this year. It’s a story of tradeoffs. Sixth in the league in drives per game, the Knicks still get to the rim; they’re just choosing a different option when they get there.
Passing out for a three instead of taking a tough contested two. It’s why they sit top-ten in passes and assists generated off drives. Consequently, the roster married with Brown’s offense has this team positioned to be tremendous offensively as they continue to gain confidence in the approach and results.
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