Knicks Share Solution for Defensive Woes

The New York Knicks haven’t played as well on the defensive end of the floor as they would have liked to in the first month or so of the season, but they think they have an idea on how to fix it.

Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau offered his perspective on what needs to change.

“You have to hustle,” Thibodeau said h/t Posting and Toasting. “So any time you put two on the ball, you have to protect the rim, but you also have to rotate cleanly to challenge shots. Everyone’s gotta know what the next guy’s doing. … And we’ve gotta fix it quickly and get ready for the next game. It starts with your ball pressure, it starts with your bigs being in proper position, your shell being tight, rotating cleanly and finishing. You have to finish your defense. You have to challenge shots and you have to get the bodies.”

While Thibodeau is right, it’s not the only thing that needs to be fixed. The Knicks are a bottom-10 defense this season, and that usually means there are multiple problems to be had. Mikal Bridges gave his take on what’s been wrong with the defense.

“I think communication is the biggest thing,” Bridges said. “A lot of transition, just no communication, just not talking to each other. And it’s not like we don’t like each other or anything. It’s just that sense of urgency, trying to help each other out. We gotta understand that when we don’t talk to each other, it’s gonna hurt us, and so in transition, not saying nothing, so somebody’s gonna step up, and two are gonna go to the ball, and two are gonna go to one man, and you give up open 3s. We always talk on defense, but I think we can always be better.”

The sooner the Knicks figure out how to change things on the defensive end, the better. It will allow them to truly become one of the best teams in the NBA.

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