Knicks Identify Where They Must Improve

The New York Knicks were a top-10 defense last season, but they have transformed into a bottom-10 unit this year.

Losing Isaiah Hartenstein was a big blow for the defense, and the team is still adjusting to its new players and surroundings, but they have figured out a specific part of the defense that needs to improve in order to see numbers start to go their way.

Knicks captain Jalen Brunson eyes an improvement when it comes to the team’s communication.

“We have to be more consistent, but for the most part, we’ve got to make sure we have each other’s back,” Brunson said h/t Posting and Toasting.“There’s going to be times it’s messed up or an assignment’s missed, or something happens on the defensive side of the ball, but we can’t point fingers. We’ve got to cover for each other. We don’t really point fingers, but we have to cover for each other.”

Brunson’s sentiments were echoed by his teammate Mikal Bridges.

“I think we need to just get stops, and communicate to each other a little bit more,” Bridges said. “I think it’s tough, we ain’t the only team, but it’s just human nature sometimes when you miss shots and kind of let down a little bit, and your voice kind of goes away. So we just gotta get past that and still communicate with each other. We can’t miss and then let that mess up our defense. If we miss, that’s gotta turn us up even more at the other end. We just gotta be better at that.”

If the Knicks can get past this lapse in communication, the defense will improve, and so too will their record.

The Knicks are back in action tomorrow night as they take on the Dallas Mavericks on the road.

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