How do we fix our defense?

[RHODEY]

Anyone have any ideas?

I'll start. Bring Mitch back and put him next to Towns in the Meantime play Precious next to towns. If Mikal doesnt get his defensive act together I purpose...

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WARNING - Thibs would never do this...
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....benching him for McCullar. McCullar is 6'6"/67" and does all the things thibs likes. He's not known for shooting but his defense and hustle have been compared to Josh Hart. This due will actually guard people. Promote OG to 3rd option - he's certainly capable of that. Then all of a sudden our bench is sick with Mikal , Hart Duece, Precious, and Payne.

Starting lineup

Mitch
Towns
OG - back to his natural position
McCullar
Brunson

[spree8]

Switch

[Capn'O]

I mean, first off we have to see where a full squad gets us.

[Jalen Bluntson]

Wait for our defenders to get healthy. Go from there.

[kNicksGmen]

Switch

This. Doesn't mean switch right away or easily but if defender can't get over/around the pick in time just switch.

Thibs philosophy is don't give up the paint and concede the 3 but we seem to be unable to stop either.

Also feels like the defensive gameplan is the same regardless of matchups.

Thibs stubbornness is a concern and it's only the regular season. Playoffs could be exposed even worse

[sol537]

I honestly don’t think KAT and Brunson could work as a title team. We’ll always be pretenders unless the other three are all OG level defenders. That’s just not practical.

I think we will have to move on from KAT at some point and build around Brunson with better fitting pieces. I hope I’m wrong.

[Tomato Sauce]

I honestly don’t think KAT and Brunson could work as a title team. We’ll always be pretenders unless the other three are all OG level defenders. That’s just not practical.

I think we will have to move on from KAT at some point and build around Brunson with better fitting pieces. I hope I’m wrong.

Ya you’re dead wrong on this one.

[Iron Mantis]

Easy solution. We need a rim protector.

With a good rim protector, once the ball handler easily gets past our weak perimeter defense with a screen and gets into the paint......instead of daring to take a shot at the rim vs Mitch or Precious, the ball handler will hesitate, the defense will collapse, and it will force the ball handler to spray it out to an open three-point shooter. Defensive problem solved.

[3toheadmelo]

I honestly don’t think KAT and Brunson could work as a title team. We’ll always be pretenders unless the other three are all OG level defenders. That’s just not practical.

I think we will have to move on from KAT at some point and build around Brunson with better fitting pieces. I hope I’m wrong.

Agreed!

[sol537]

I honestly don’t think KAT and Brunson could work as a title team. We’ll always be pretenders unless the other three are all OG level defenders. That’s just not practical.

I think we will have to move on from KAT at some point and build around Brunson with better fitting pieces. I hope I’m wrong.

Ya you’re dead wrong on this one.

Our defense has looked awful so far. We can’t beat any competent team in the playoffs with this defense. Precious/Mitch/Deuce should help, sure, but I’m afraid it may not be enough to reach contention with the current core.

[Fat]

We fix our defense by playing better defense

[RHODEY]

I honestly don’t think KAT and Brunson could work as a title team. We’ll always be pretenders unless the other three are all OG level defenders. That’s just not practical.

I think we will have to move on from KAT at some point and build around Brunson with better fitting pieces. I hope I’m wrong.

Maybe maybe not. Denver Nuggets managed to win a chip despite there top 2 players not being great defenders. We on the other hand have way more defense in our surrounding pieces than they had, so maybe there's hope there.

[The KnicksFix]

Switch on the perimeter

[Context]

you dont know what the potential of your defense is 16 games in- first off and 2nd-- some of your players havent played with the new members of this team and finally- its only 16 games in.
And what do you know...Knicks are in 4th place in the east and 11th place out of 30 teams...

[MrDollarBills]

Stop playing drop coverage. Switching on screens would help cut back on the open looks.

Giving up wide open threes is suicidal coaching. Take the deep ball away. If teams want to post up Brunson or Hart, or let their ball handler go 1 v 1 versus KAT for a contested long two, by all means let them. But allowing teams to shoot wide open threes at a high volume is asinine. As we saw Saturday, even a garbage team can catch fire if you allow them open looks.

[sol537]

I honestly don’t think KAT and Brunson could work as a title team. We’ll always be pretenders unless the other three are all OG level defenders. That’s just not practical.

I think we will have to move on from KAT at some point and build around Brunson with better fitting pieces. I hope I’m wrong.

Maybe maybe not. Denver Nuggets managed to win a chip despite there top 2 players not being great defenders. We on the other hand have way more defense in our surrounding pieces than they had, so maybe there's hope there.

I thought about that but Jokic has become a smart, capable defender over that run and has amazing hands and body positioning. Almost elite in certain situations. KAT is well below that.

[Spree2Houston]

You need a rim protecting big next to KAT. If the team is hell bent on keeping KAT at Center , then you need a rim protecting defensive big at PF. Ideally Precious makes the most sense. But I have a feeling they won’t go that route and could make a move at the deadline to fix the rim protection. However our biggest issue has been defending the 3 and that squarely falls on coaching and Bridges being a huge bust so far

[3toheadmelo]

You need a rim protecting big next to KAT. If the team is hell bent on keeping KAT at Center , then you need a rim protecting defensive big at PF. Ideally Precious makes the most sense. But I have a feeling they won’t go that route and could make a move at the deadline to fix the rim protection. However our biggest issue has been defending the 3 and that squarely falls on coaching and Bridges being a huge bust so far

Finally admitting that we need rim protection after mocking it eventually more of you guys will fall in line

[Jalen Bluntson]

I honestly don’t think KAT and Brunson could work as a title team. We’ll always be pretenders unless the other three are all OG level defenders. That’s just not practical.

I think we will have to move on from KAT at some point and build around Brunson with better fitting pieces. I hope I’m wrong.

Agreed!

Are you saying the roster we have minus KAT plus some other dude? Or this whole starting 5 is a problem? What better fitting pieces?

It's been 16 games and we are 9-7. We are missing 3 key defensive players. The offense is not a problem. It's over before it starts? 16 games in and we will never contend with Brunson/KAT? You two should take Leon's job with this much foresight. No team has ever had 3 OG level defenders.

[Spree2Houston]

You need a rim protecting big next to KAT. If the team is hell bent on keeping KAT at Center , then you need a rim protecting defensive big at PF. Ideally Precious makes the most sense. But I have a feeling they won’t go that route and could make a move at the deadline to fix the rim protection. However our biggest issue has been defending the 3 and that squarely falls on coaching and Bridges being a huge bust so far

Finally admitting that we need rim protection after mocking it eventually more of you guys will fall in line

Yeah I’m back on Team Mitch now. Trying to outscore everybody is not who we are. We can sacrifice some offense for defense.