New York Knicks: Lack of Defensive Presence Gives Knicks Problems Against Nets

The Knicks and Nets engaged in a slug-fest on Monday night, as the teams pushed and shoved from start to finish. The aggressive style of play led to Tyson Chandler getting into foul trouble and leaving the Knicks with many offensive threats but a lack of defensive presence for the first three quarters of the game. The Knicks' other best defender Iman Shumpert was not available for the contest as he is having issues with tendinitis in the knees.

With a lack of an inside presence defensively and no one to pester the ball at the perimeter the Knicks had an extremely hard time controlling Derron Williams and Kris Humphries. Deron Williams feasted outside and Kris Humphries battled inside giving the Nets an 18-point lead going into the 4th quarter. Tyson missed the majority of his time in the 2nd and 3rd quarter, where the Nets were able to score 32 points in each quarter. 

Williams was lights out in the first three quarters, scoring 36 points. He could have been shooting blindfolded and still made his shots. He was hitting three pointers while getting fouled and even prancing up and down the court with a smug smile on his face. His stroke was on full throttle as he came to the Garden looking for revenge. Three pointer after three pointer he looked unstoppable.

Kris Humphries frustrated Chandler and Melo and the entire Garden crowd. The crowd booed aggressively every time Humphries touched the ball. He even placed his fingers over his lips and told the crowd to quiet down after hitting a free throw early in the fourth quarter. With a 14 and 14 double-double, Humphries brought solid hard work to the court and never let up. 

When Chandler returned to the game in the fourth quarter the Knicks began to make a run at a comeback. However, the cushion proved to be too much and the Knicks fell to the Nets in a disappointing loss to follow an emotional victory over the Mavs the day before.

The Knicks have found a point guard, retained some of their health in getting back Melo and Davis, and have also reawakened the Knicks' fan base, who was at the Garden early to watch shoot around.

However, with Tyson Chandler, the team's defensive captain, playing less than 25 minutes and no one to keep up with a boiling hot Deron Williams, the Knicks could not keep up.

This loss will be blamed on the return of Melo forcing the team to be out of sync, however, the Knicks defense was not there. When that gets combined with a superstar getting on fire you are destined to be in trouble.