Most Startling Statistics of the New York Knicks' Season So Far
At 3-8, the New York Knicks certainly hoped to get off to a much more promising start than the one they've suffered through so far. Still mastering Derek Fisher's system on both ends, the team has dropped games to the Utah Jazz and Orlando Magic after shocking the Cleveland Cavaliers in their opener last month.
Over the first 11 games, some eye-popping numbers have emerged. Some mark troubling trends in the team's style, while others signal that career years could be on the way.
Ahead, we break down the most intriguing statistics from the Knicks' first three weeks on the hardwood.
Dead Last in Free Throws Per Field-Goal Attempt on Both Ends
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A recurring theme so far this season for the Knicks has come at both free-throw lines. Not only has New York been unable to get to the stripe for easy points while the clock is frozen, but it's put the opponent there more often than any team in the league but one entering play on Sunday.
The Knicks' 15.9 free-throw attempts per game rank 29th in the league. Carmelo Anthony's 6.1 attempts per game lead New York, and no other player averages more than 2.3.
To make matters worse, the team has put its foe at the line 27.8 times per contest, ranking 29th league-wide. This could be a product of the adjustment to Derek Fisher's defensive scheme after more than two seasons of Mike Woodson's switch-reliant, double-team-heavy principles. Defenders are now being taught to stick to their man, and several are having trouble doing so without fouling.
Per 36 minutes, six Knicks are averaging at least four fouls, according to NBA.com (subscription required), led by Cole Aldrich's 7.9, Quincy Acy's 5.4 and Amar'e Stoudemire's 4.8. Iman Shumpert, the team's most capable defender, has already fouled out of a career-high two games and fouled 4.3 times per 36 minutes.
The fouling woes on defense could also simply be attributed to poor personnel. Aside from Shumpert and Samuel Dalembert, the Knicks may not have another plus defender on the roster. In terms of getting to the line themselves, Fisher's triangle could be the culprit thus far, with New York settling for a high rate of mid-range jump shots (more on this in the next slide).
The offense has registered a dismal .151 free throws per field-goal attempt, while the defense has surrendered .293 entering Nov. 16—both NBA-worst marks, according to NBA.com.
Lead the NBA in Mid-Range Attempts; Three-Point Attempts Down 30 Percent
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An argument against the triangle offense in 2014 is how reliant it is on mid-range shots, which have been proven to be the least efficient attempts in the game, according to Basketball Analytics. Though there's potential for the system to work with correct personnel and sufficient development, it's tough to blame doubters early on.
After being one of the league's more efficient offenses in each of the last two seasons by finishing top-five in three-point attempts, New York has cut back nearly 30 percent in three-pointers from a year ago. After firing off a league-leading 28.9 triples per game in 2012-13 and 24.9 last season, these Knicks have put up only 17.7 shots from beyond the arc on average—the franchise's lowest mark since 2007-08.
Instead, New York is leading the league in attempts from the mid-range (377) according to NBA.com (subscription required), with plenty of room behind them—the Los Angeles Lakers are second with 309, then the Charlotte Hornets with 286. They've nailed those shots at a 43 percent clip, good for sixth-best in the league.
NBA.com's John Schuhmann elaborated more on the team's turbulent offensive start in the triangle:
"The Knicks lead the way. They've taken 41.3 percent of their shots from mid-range, the highest rate we've seen since the 2008-09 Pistons. Derek Fisher's Triangle has reduced his team's 3-point attempts, its shots at the basket and its free-throw attempts. In fact, the Knicks currently have the lowest free-throw rate (FTA/FGA) in NBA history, getting to the line just 19 times per 100 shots.
The Triangle isn't necessarily a mid-range focused offense. None of Phil Jackson's Lakers teams ranked higher than 18th in percentage of shots from mid-range. And the lack of pick-and-rolls -- the Knicks rank last in the league in ball screens per game, according to SportVU -- doesn't necessarily lead to an inability to get to the basket. Philadelphia ranks 29th in ball screens per game and gets to the rim more than every team but one (New Orleans).
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Right now, the Knicks aren't shooting threes or getting to the hoop. Not exactly the most efficient way to run an offense by today's standards.
Iman Shumpert Shooting 53.3 Percent from Three
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Year 4 for Iman Shumpert was shaping up to be the 24-year-old's make-or-break season in the NBA. With raw potential but no extended tangible results over three seasons with the Knicks, his impending free-agent status makes his 2014-15 campaign all the more important.
Luckily for Shumpert, it seems as if he's finally put it all together.
Still not a perfect offensive player by any means, Shumpert has tightened up his handle and really honed his long-range jumper. His 53.3 percent clip (16-of-30) from downtown leads the Knicks and is good for fourth-best in the league.
We've seen spurts of reliable shooting from Shumpert, who came into the league as a non-threat from beyond the arc, never shooting better than 33.3 percent from there over three years with Georgia Tech. In 2012-13, after returning in January from an ACL tear for the season's final 45 games, he shot 40.2 percent on threes, leaving Knicks fans optimistic about his prospects as a catch-and-shoot option.
His stroke dropped off in 2013-14, finishing up at 33 percent, but a bit of added confidence under Derek Fisher seems to have done the trick. He's also shooting over 50 percent from the field, contributing to a career-high 12.4 points over 10 games.
If Shumpert can keep these shooting numbers where they stand now, considering how much he impacts the game on the other end, the Knicks are going to have a potentially expensive decision to make this summer when he hits restricted free agency.
Amar'e Stoudemire Rebounding at Career-Best Rates
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Even in his most dominant days as a Phoenix Sun, Amar'e Stoudemire never was a difference-maker on the boards. He's never posted double-digit rebounding numbers in any of his 13 NBA seasons and has failed to eclipse nine boards per game since 2008 as a 25-year-old.
This season though, even in limited duty, Stoudemire is hauling down boards at an astonishing rate for his career. Entering play on Nov. 16, he led the Knicks in rebounds per game with 7.9 despite averaging under 24 minutes.
He's grabbed 20 percent of all available rebounds, according to Basketball-Reference.com, and 28 percent of available defensive rebounds—both shattering his previous career highs.
Among players with at least 10 rebound chances per game, Stoudemire ranked 21st entering Sunday in contested-rebound percentage at 47.9 percent, with 3.8 of his nightly boards gathered with an opponent within 3.5 feet, via NBA.com and SportVu.
According to 82games.com, Stoudemire has spent most of his time at the 4 this season, with 27 of his minutes coming paired with Samuel Dalembert at center. His second- and third-most frequent five-man groups come with Jason Smith at the 5, who like Stoudemire isn't a natural center.
According to NBA.com (subscription required), when paired with Dalembert, Stoudemire's defensive rebounding percentage comes in near his career average at around 21 percent. When Dalembert is sitting, that number skyrockets to over 27 percent. When playing alongside Jason Smith, it's over 33 percent.
At a glance, Amar'e's rebounding numbers seem astounding. And judging by the Knicks' personnel, they may just be sustainable.
J.R. Smith and Carmelo Anthony Lead the Knicks in Assists Per Game—With Under 4
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The two Knicks most constantly ridiculed for stopping ball flow, Carmelo Anthony and J.R. Smith, currently lead the team in assists—Smith with 3.7 and Anthony with 3.6. Smith's mark would be a career high over a full season, while Anthony's would fall just short of the 3.8 he recorded in 2006-07.
Either way, these marks tell us two things about this Knicks season: The triangle is working to inhibit ball movement, particularly from the offense's focal points, but in order to stand a chance, they need Jose Calderon back badly.
Even more interesting, the Knicks were ranked ninth league-wide in total assists entering Nov. 16. Shane Larkin and Pablo Prigioni have combined for almost six assists per game, while Iman Shumpert has posted a career-high 3.2. All encouraging, but those figures won't cut it as tops on the team.
New York has assisted on 57 percent of its made field goals, which is up from last year's mark of 54 percent, according to NBA.com (subscription required). This has impacted their looks from all over the court, but especially in the mid-range. This year's mid-range jumpers aren't products of isolation as often as they're results of finding an open man. The Knicks have assisted on 58 percent of their mid-range makes this season, up from 43.2 percent last year under Mike Woodson.
The system gets the ball flowing, particularly into and out of the hands of its primary scorers—something the team's offense has lacked under Woodson. Once Calderon returns from injury, things should become even more fluid.
Unless otherwise noted, all metrics are current as of Nov. 17.
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