That being said, what could be the root of the Knicks’ early woes on offense? What parallels can be drawn from the way their offense is being executed and the reason why they’re not as adamant or effective from distance as they should be? Well, the Knicks are taking the fewest shots in the league (26.7 FGA) on zero dribbles. There’s a sizable 5.3 FGA margin between them and the next worst team, the Philadelphia 76ers. This means that they’re not converting enough on catch-and-shoot looks from beyond the arc. But it’s deeper than that.

For such looks to present themselves, New York needs to break defenses down either in the pick-and-roll or by getting the step on their defenders when attacking the rim. They are not being effective enough in forcing defenses to scramble, and on top of that, they are holding the ball far too long. The Knicks are taking the sixth-most shots from the floor (16.7 FGA) when players hold the ball for six or more seconds, and they’re operating in isolation more than 26 teams in the Association despite converting at only 41.4 percent in such situations.