3. The Knicks can't stop, won't stop anyone
If it weren't for this season's Cavs, the Knicks would be flirting with ignominy -- on pace to threaten the record for most points allowed per possession. New York has allowed 113.5 points per 100 possessions; no prior team in the NBA's public database (which dates to 1996-97) has ever been worse. Ditto for Basketball-Reference's accounting, which encompasses all of NBA history.
Using points per possession is unkind to the Kazoos. Offense is way up leaguewide; in relative terms, the 2008-09 Kings and 2011-12 Charlotte Bobcats (of 7-59 infamy) were more porous than New York. (Such adjustments do not save the present-day Cavaliers, a full two points behind the Knicks.)
New York's centers --
Enes Kanter and the scorching
Luke Kornet -- need airtight perimeter defense in front of them, and New York's guards and wings, umm, don't provide that.
Frank Ntilikina has slipped a hair on that end.
Damyean Dotson can get out of whack away from the ball.
Courtney Lee has barely played.
The rest disintegrate at the mere sight of a pick.
Once opposing ball-handlers dribble into daylight, Kanter and Kornet do nothing to impede them.
Small-ball units with
Noah Vonleh at center have been stingy, but it's unclear if that would sustain over heavy minutes.
Mitchell Robinsonintrigues; he's second in block rate, barely behind Turner, with an old-school knack for keeping swats inbounds. He also fouls any nearby entity, in part because he is only learning the footwork and angles of NBA defense:
Kristaps Porzingis looms. But the Knicks need perimeter defenders who offer some resistance.