Knicks mid-season report

The New York Knicks hit the midway point of their 2016-17 NBA season at 18-23, two and a half games behind the last Playoffs position in the Eastern Conference.

Is it possible for the Knicks to be better NOW? Are they in touch with reality? Who are the five most efficient at each position? And, which players have defensive ratings better than the team defrtg? These are the questions we will answer in our Hoop Obsession mid-season report.

Rose and the Knicks are not in a Playoffs position at the halfway point.

The Knicks have excellent forwards in Carmelo Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis. Derrick Rose, the Knicks starting point guard, is not what he once was. Rose is now a lower tier starter in the NBA.

We think the Knicks could be better with a couple of tweaks. Kyle O'Quinn has been their best defender and their most efficient player overall yet he plays just 15.4 minutes per game. We would start O'Quinn and bring Joakim Noah off the bench.

Justin Holiday was .100 Hoop Obsession efficiency points better than Courtney Lee in the first 41 games (that is a BIG gap, trust us.) Holiday only plays 19 minutes per game while Lee's inefficient game is rewarded with 30.7 minutes per game.

Are the Knicks in touch with their reality?

At this point we would have to say, no they are not. New York added veteran players as if they were ready to compete for something meaningful. What they should be doing is building around Kristaps Porzingis.

Porzingis is averaging 19.4 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 2.0 blocked shots per game. The 21 year-old is a model NBA stretch four at a time in the NBA when having an efficient one is of top value.

The Knicks, if they are ever to be good again, need to grow their roster organically with draft picks, and young players with upside. New York, when ready to win, will never have a problem drawing a prize free agent to the big city.

New York has their own 2017 first round pick and they have the second round picks of Houston, and Chicago.

Five most efficient by position

PG - Derrick Rose .479, SG - Justin Holiday .403, SF - Carmelo Anthony .581, PF - Kristaps Porzingis .578, C Kyle O'Quinn .733

Which players have defensive ratings better than the team defrtg? (players w/ 300 minutes played minimum)

The Bulls TEAM defensive rating is 110.8 (25th of 30). The players with defensive ratings better than the team average: Kyle O'Quinn 104, Joakim Noah 107, Willy Hernangomez 108, Kristaps Porzingis 109

Conclusions

NBA related. Trade targets.

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