7 Things the New York Knicks Can Learn from Super Bowl-Bound New York Giants

The New York Knicks have the talent to be one of the top three teams in the Eastern Conference but have severely underachieved through the first quarter of the NBA season.

On the other hand, a month or two ago the New York Giants also looked like a team that would underachieved as well but have rallied as a team and now find themselves once again one win away from hoisting the Lombardi Trophy.

While it's a totally different sport, this Knicks team could learn something from the Giants and hopefully turn their season around.

Here's a look at seven things the Knicks could take from the Giants and make a playoff run of their own.

Playing Defense as a Team Is a Formula for Winning

The Giants do it. The Knicks don't.

They buy in to playing defense as a team.

The sport is different, but the concept is the same.

Until the Knicks completely buy in to playing at the defensive end of the floor as a team for four quarters on a nightly basis, they will never come close to achieving the potential success that the Giants are on the verge of completing.

That means everyone.

Even a guy like Amar'e Stoudemire, who has looked very disinterested at that end of the floor lately.

It takes five guys playing as a unit at both ends of the floor. Until that happens, this team won't do much.

The Giants Play as a Team

I understand that you want your best player to have the ball in his hands with the game on the line, but having the ball in your hand doesn't mean you have to shoot it as well.

Take the latest loss to the Denver Nuggets for example.

Carmelo Anthony took almost every shot down the stretch of the fourth quarter and both overtimes. In his 10-of-30 effort from the floor, Anthony forgot to use his team again and often forced up bad looks when double-teamed instead of finding the open man with a better look at the basket.

Sure, he has the ability to carry a team on his back, but there are multiple ways of doing that. The other four guys on the floor have to make plays as well. They have to be given the chance though.

Even the shot that Anthony knocked down to send the game to overtime really wasn't a quality shot to take. Anthony was just fortunate it went down.

It's similar to Eli Manning throwing only to Victor Cruz in a tight second half.

It doesn't happen. Other guys have to be given the opportunity to make plays. Yet when they are given that opportunity, they have to step up and make them.

That's what the Giants do, and the Knicks don't.

Must Have a Good Quarterback

The Giants have Manning. The Knicks don't really have anyone.

You can debate whether or not Iman Shumpert is a better option at the point guard or shooting guard, but despite having a good game through three quarters against Denver, the rookie got more pine time than playing time through the fourth quarter and two overtimes.

Someone has to be able to quarterback the Knicks offense, and Toney Douglas just isn't doing a good job doing it at the moment.

Turnovers Will Kill You

Just ask the San Francisco 49ers Kyle Williams.

The Giants make a habit taking away the ball; the Knicks make a habit of giving the ball away.

One is a formula for winning;the other is a formula for a 6-10 start to the season.

The Knicks came out of the locker room on Saturday with an eight-point lead at the half. They gave that away in 30 seconds as the result of four awful turnovers to start the third quarter.

Then with the game on the line, they can't make enough stops on the defensive end of the floor.

It doesn't matter the sport, if you don't value the ball, you're going to lose more often than not.

The Giants Rally Around Their Coach

After 15 weeks of the regular season, it was a real possibility that Giants coach Tom Coughlin's seat was getting scorching hot.

The Giants haven't lost since.

Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni's seat should also be very hot, but instead of the Knicks rallying around him, they keep making the same mistakes over and over.

Sometimes, it seems like they're trying to get him canned, with ultimately might not be a bad thing.

Coaching Matters

Coughlin and his coaching staff has the ability to make in-game adjustments throughout the course of a game. Especially in crucial moments.

D'Antoni doesn't have the same ability. It's just the same thing over and over and over again.

An NBA coach making a difference in five to six points per game is often the difference between winning and losing.

D'Antoni doesn't make that difference for the Knicks.

The Giants Are Winning

The Giants are doing exactly what this Knicks franchise wants to be doing.

Playing for a championship.

That's what it's all about. Period.