Long-shot Knicks need long shots

Tom Thibodeau has a base of expectations, regardless of how the roster morphs. He acknowledged their weight on the game plan can change based on personnel, but his pillars are pretty basic and attune to today’s NBA winning style. Not surprisingly, the Knicks struggled with most of them last season.

“I think a big part of (our identity) will be who the personnel is, and then we’re gonna play to our strengths and cover up our weaknesses,” Thibodeau said. “But the foundation will be the defense, the rebounding, low turnovers and sharing the ball. Offensively, obviously you’re trying to get as many easy baskets as you can. You’re also trying to get to the free-throw line and you’re also trying to create as many corner 3’s as possible.”

Let’s start with the good because Steve Mills’ decision to sign an army of power forwards last offseason paid off in one area. The Knicks finished sixth overall in rebounds per game (46.5), and first in offensive boards (12).

Julius Randle, Mitchell Robinson, Taj Gibson and Elfrid Payton were all positives in that department. The Knicks were also solid at taking care of the ball despite no consistency from the lead guards, averaging 14.3 turnovers per game (good for 11th in the league).

Now for the ugly.

The Knicks’ 22.1 assists per game was 27th in the NBA, a year after they finished dead last. The young point guards (Dennis Smith Jr. and Frank Ntilikina) either regressed or stagnated. It left the Knicks in the market for yet another point guard, whether in the draft or from free agency.

Although the Knicks got to the foul line a decent amount (23.5 times per game, 12th in the NBA), they shot a leagueworst 69%. That dropped them to 24th in NBA in free throws made per game, and RJ Barrett’s 61% foul shooting was a major factor.

With 3-point shooting, the

Knicks have fallen behind the trend for six years and last season was no different. No team made fewer 3s than the Knicks. No team converted fewer corner 3s. Only 27% of their total points arrived from 3-pointers, which would’ve been high 10 years ago but is now last in the NBA. They finished 29th in overall attempts, and 27th in 3-point percentage at 33.7.

The Knicks were an awful 3-point shooting team, and their unimaginative offense was as much a factor (especially under David Fizdale) as their personnel.

It’s especially alarming when absorbing the NBA playoffs, where every team is averaging more than 30 three-point attempts per game and the scores are exploding.

“I think we’re seeing a lot more shooting on the floor,” Thibodeau said. “As you mentioned, the average amount of 3s has shot up over the last three years and we’re seeing the personnel on the floor is a lot different. We’re usually seeing a point guard, three wings and a center now. It’s more or less position-less basketball, so you’re seeing changing defenses some, but I also think people have put a premium on players that can defend multiple positions, so I think that’s creeping into it as well. But the offenses, they’re putting up… we’re seeing scores in the playoffs that we haven’t seen before, so it’s pretty significant.”

How can the Knicks keep up? Two of their foundational pieces — Barrett and Robinson — aren’t good shooters. Robinson doesn’t even bother outside the paint. Ntilikina and Smith Jr. are also poor from beyond the arc. Kevin Knox has potential, but that has translated to 33% three-point shooting in two seasons.

So the Knicks need upgrades to cement Thibodeau’s base in Year 1. Armed with t wo first-round draft picks and more than $40 million in cap space, they have enough resources to accomplish it by emphasizing on shooters.