WHEN THE PLAYERS DO!
Fizdale knows Knicks’ defense will improve . . .
David Fizdale believes his system — while unrecognizable with this roster — will work with better players.
Navigating the third-worst defensive-rated team in the NBA, the Knicks coach acknowledged his scheme is designed with the summer additions in mind.
“Our defense won’t really, really get to where it’s at until we start to really fill in the gaps with the type of guys we think can take our defense to the next level,” Fizdale said. “Add maybe another forward defender or another perimeter defender that has a reputation for that. Those kind of guys are the ones that elevate your system to the next level.”
When asked whether it’s possible to shape a defense around hypotheticals, Fizdale said, “We’ve already kind of started that – the idea of the type of players we want and the type of defense we want to play.”
Fizdale can’t name names, but Kevin Durant — a two-way monster and arguably the best player in the NBA — is at the top of the list. Neither Kemba Walker nor Kyrie Irving are great individual defenders, but other top free agents can make that claim — Kawhi Leonard, certainly, as well as Jimmy Butler and Klay Thompson. Anthony Davis, who has requested a trade with the Knicks among his preferred destinations, has enough wingspan to protect a small country. Beyond the max-contract options, the defensiveminded free agents include Patrick Beverley, Trevor Ariza, Darren Collison, Danny Green and Thaddeus Young, among others.
Heading into tonight’s game against Leonard and the Raptors, the Knicks have allowed 114.4 points per game with a defensive rating of 113.2. Only the Suns and Cavs are worse.
Rookie Mitchell Robinson has the makings of an elite rim protector, but the Knicks were burned by opponents from the 3-point line recently. Kevin Knox and Emmanuel Mudiay, in particular, have struggled to keep their men from killing the Knicks.
Aside from Frank Ntilikina — who
has missed most of the last two months with a groin injury — the Knicks have zero guards who are positive perimeter defenders.
But Ntilikina has struggled mightily this season — especially offensively — while battling the perception he’s already a bust.
Still, Fizdale won’t publicly give up on the Frenchman. As scouts have observed, Ntilikina’s game and ego (he has no problem playing without the ball) is better suited to play alongside superstars like Durant. The key is that Ntilikina develops a consistent 3-pointer shot.
“It’s been a tough year, man. Obviously just alone with injuries, that part has been a rollercoaster for (Ntilikina). He’s had his ups and downs obviously with his performance,” Fizdale said. “But I asked him to do a lot of different things this year and he took them on all well. With Frank, it’s going to be a measure of when we fill in these gaps, Frank is a winning player. He knows how to play the game. The biggest thing is to get his health right to set him up to have a great summer.”
For the sake of Fizdale’s system, the Knicks also need a great summer.