Knicks want more 'D' in D'Antoni's system
Knicks head coach Mike D'Antoni. Credit: Jim McIsaac
GREENBURGH, N.Y. -- The Knicks' defense is clearly their Achilles' heel, as Mike D'Antoni called it after Tuesday's loss, when 117 points weren't enough to protect it.
But with the three most integral parts of the team -- D'Antoni, Amar'e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony -- being known for their offensive work, it's not going to be easy to suddenly stress team defense when it has never been the forte of those enforcing it.
The Knicks, as currently constructed, aren't necessarily built to stop the opponent but to beat them down court and outscore them, hence averaging 106.6 points per game, the second-most in the league. But it's a system that's ineffective when trading baskets makes the Pacers look like the second coming of the Showtime Lakers and Tyler Hansbrough seems destined for multiple scoring titles.
Shawne Williams, who was vocal about the team's defense after allowing Danny Granger's game-winning shot in the Pacers' 119-117 win Tuesday night, believes that even in D'Antoni's system, the Knicks are capable of playing consistent defense.
"I don't feel like it's on the coaches, all they can do is put us in the right situations," Williams said. "I feel like that's totally on us, on manning up and just taking pride in stopping the ball and keeping the ball out of the paint . . . One thing about defense, energy will cure any mistake on defense and that's what we've got to do."
In 12 games since the Anthony trade, the Knicks have allowed 106.7 points per game, including five games of more than 110 points. The team wasn't exactly shutting down the opposition before the trade, but their defensive deficiencies in transition and their inability to prevent easy buckets without an inside presence have been glaring.
"Right now, it's one game we come in with one scheme, and another game we come in with a different scheme, and I think it's a little bit confusing at times," Anthony said. "We get confused out there on the court. There are spurts where we play some of the best defense out there, and then there are spurts where we don't."
The Knicks have shown flashes of defensive promise in wins over Miami, New Orleans and Atlanta, where they held each under 90 points.
"What we have to do is get better defensively," D'Antoni said. "We're going to be a good offensive team. That's our goal and that's our hurdle that we have to get over. The toughness and the energy we put into it right now hasn't been good enough yet. We'll see if we can do it."
