The Knicks are hoping to hide their interior deficiencies by keeping the game in transition as often as possible and, perhaps, taking their opponents' bigs out of the game with the speed-factor. They'll also have to rely on something they did very poorly last season: help defense. People often criticize D'Antoni for not coaching defense, but he spent time on defense each day throughout the week with an interesting 5-on-3 drill in which there were three defenders in a triangle zone and they had to shuffle, talk and play areas against five offensive players. It was a very intense drill and D'Antoni made it competitive by rotating in different three-man groups.
There's no doubt the Knicks have a load of talent on the perimeter. Perhaps Donnie Walsh can use his excess of guards (what do you do with Mardy Collins and Anthony Roberson if Stephon Marbury is to remain?) to find some shot-blocking help on the trade market.
Post edited.
