Throughout the season, Mikal Bridges gave you an honest assessment of Knicks’ defense.
At the beginning of December, He said that the knicks “choose” when they wanted to play defense. At the beginning of January, Bridges said the Knicks left missed gunshots in attack affecting their defense.
So when Bridges said on Monday evening that the Knicks “went in the right direction” in defense, that meant something. And the figures support the opinion of the bridges.
In their sequence of four consecutive victories, the Knicks are n ° 3 in forced turnover for 100 possessions. They are fourth in opposing triple and 10th as a percentage of goals on the opponent’s field.
And they slip towards the top 10 of the defensive note.
What has been different in the last games?
“Just time together, practiced, knowing that we need defense,” said Bridges after Monday victory over Memphis. “The offensive can earn us matches but not where we want to go. (We) we learn from each other. Think that we are going in the right direction.”
Bridges and knicks have bottled Ja more Monday, the 10 -point holder on 13 shots. He returned it four times and Memphis as a team experienced 26 reversals. Some were not forced, but most were the result of a Knick disturbing a game.
“I thought our defensive activity was great,” Tom Thibodeau said. “Greater Multiple Effort Game. Twenty interceptions. OG (Anunoby) And Mikal were everywhere. And that set us the tone. “”
Knicks will wake up Tuesday 14th classified as defensive efficiency. They are about 0.9 points for 100 possessions behind the 10th best defensive team. They have the offense n ° 2 in the league. In general, the teams that are in the top 10 in defense and attack play in May and June.
“When you look at us, you can see the understanding of the importance on this side of basketball,” Cities of Karl-Anthony said about the defense of the Knicks. “We have proven that from the end offensive, we are really very good, one of the best in the league. I think we want to be the best we can be on the other side, the defensive side.
“I think we are committed to having a great commitment to not only have a match where we play a great defense and the next match by trying to win by attack. Trying to be able to win the match anyway, with our defense or our attack.
Kat gets comfortable
Towns said that his right thumb injury has an impact on his perimeter shot. Upon entering the match on Monday against Memphis, he was 1 per 10 beyond the arc in the last three games since his return to the field with a bone chip in his threaded thumb. On Monday, he made 2 of the 4 shots beyond the arc and finished with 24 points and 11 rebounds.
“Dude, it was difficult, huh?” Said cities laughing. “It was bad. I don’t lie to you. I was worried about my fucking me.”
He credited his teammates for his scope shooting against Memphis.
“No matter what’s going on, the shooting mentality – the next – and continued to shoot basketball,” said Towns. “My teammates breathe a bunch of self -confidence, no matter what’s going on. And I just wanted to reward them for this kind of self -confidence, and happy that this evening I can hit some three to give more spacing on the side offensive. “
Has the shooting of cities improved on Monday because he was getting used to playing with the sprained / bone chip? Or was it a sign that his injured thumb feels better?
“It’s not the last (question). I think it’s more comfortable,” he said.
Towns obviously plays by discomfort and he plans to play through the rest of the season.
South Beach Julius?
THE Jimmy Butler Saga is the biggest trade history at the time before the trade deadline. According to reports, the Suns and / or Heat spoke to several teams of an agreement of three, four or five teams involving Butler.
Keep an eye on minnesota in a butler agreement. During the offseason, heat was one of the teams that expressed their interest in negotiating Julius RandleBy SNY Sources. Randle stayed on the Heat radar during the butler’s saga, according to sources.
I do not know if there are active trade negotiations between Minnesota and Miami. But the two teams were contacted in the butler professions.
As we all know, the Suns want to acquire Butler. The agreement is complicated by Bradley BealClause without exchange. Phoenix should send Beal to acquire Butler via trade.