Tom Thibodeau knew he must flip issues round after the Knicks traded for Karl-Anthony Cities within the offseason. Seven years prior in Minnesota, the top coach and Cities labored collectively to create the league’s No. 4 offense. The issue ? The Timberwolves ranked twenty fifth in protection.
Historical past repeats itself in New York.
With Cities, Thibodeau has his first top-three offense in 13 years as head coach. However the Knicks’ protection ranks twenty first within the league heading into their Wednesday sport in opposition to the Suns. Each of those numbers had been closely influenced by the crew’s new massive man.
Cities has been a marvel on offense, wanting like a innovative model of Dirk Nowitzki. The issue is he seems to be like a 46-year-old Dirk on protection, resulting in a mediocre 8-6 document for what was presupposed to be the No. 2 crew within the East earlier than the season began.
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Karl-Anthony Cities saved the Knicks offense
Cities has been unimaginable as a scorer this season. His stats converse for themselves: he averages 26.2 factors per sport with an effectivity that eclipses Nowitzki throughout his MVP season.
| Dirk Nowitzki (2006-07) | Statistics (per match) | Karl-Anthony Cities (2024-25) |
| 24.6 | Factors | 26.2 |
| 8.9 | Rebounds | 12.4 |
| 3.4 | Aids | 3.0 |
| 50.2% | Area purpose % | 54.4% |
| 41.6% | 3 factors % | 51.5% |
| 90.4% | free throw % | 84.7% |
| 52.9% | % efficient FG | 61.9% |
Cities has referred to as himself the best shooter of all time. He is obtained some actually good enterprise if he retains up this breakneck tempo. No NBA participant has ever shot over 50% from deep whereas making a minimum of 5 makes an attempt per sport. Cities and Kyrie Irving might be the primary to take action this season.
Cities is way from being a easy shooter, nonetheless. He additionally stepped up his 2-point makes an attempt, making much more pictures on the rim due to a wider open courtroom with out Rudy Gobert.
His place change from energy ahead to heart made him uncontrollable. Cities is just too quick for opposing facilities to maintain up.
When groups attempt to substitute smaller gamers for him, he’s too robust for even the hardest guards. like Dillon Brooks or trip Jrue to maintain out of the paint.
Cities has change into such a great shooter that defenders should shut arduous and fly previous him to remove his 3-ball. They guard him like he is the most effective heart ever to shoot the ball, and he is scored a ton of factors faking and attacking these closeouts.
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Karl-Anthony Cities torpedoed the New York protection
New York’s protection went from No. 9 final 12 months to No. 21 this 12 months. Whereas it isn’t honest to attribute all the things to 1 participant, that is principally the results of one participant.
The one space Cities contributes is on the defensive glass. The Knicks are the most effective defensive rebounding groups within the league, and Cities occupy fifth place in complete defensive boards. The remainder is not so nice.
As a lot as Cities opened up the Knicks’ offense by taking part in heart, he additionally opened up the center of the paint due to that very same place change. Among the many 56 massive males who defended a minimum of 30 pictures inside six ft, Cities come final in proportion of licensed basket.
Opponents are capturing 73.1 p.c in opposition to Cities across the basket. That is virtually double what Victor Wembanyama permits (38.8%). Even a below-average defender like Julius Randle is just permitting 61.7 p.c on the rim.
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The Knicks try to play Cities extra in drop protection, protecting him stationed close to the sting. He isn’t good on the cat-and-mouse sport wanted to cease pick-and-rolls, we too typically let the roll man get behind him for lob dunks. He would not anticipate gamers’ actions effectively in any respect, typically being so out of place that he cannot even compete in a contest. Any sort of hesitant motion put it in cement blocks.
Cities will not be 100% accountable for the crew’s struggles. Mikal Bridges’ protection was a disappointment. Jericho Sims has been a a lot better massive defender, however hasn’t been adequate on offense to remain on the courtroom. The crew is lacking the summer time departure of Isaiah Hartenstein and sorely wants the return of Mitchell Robinson from harm.
Till Robinson returns, the Knicks are going to be pressured to attempt to outplay groups. This can be a turbocharged model of what Cities skilled throughout his decade within the league, and that is not going to alter now.
