Have the New York Knicks finally turned the corner on the season?

Have the New York Knicks finally turned a corner on the season? 

It appears that the New York Knicks have finally figured out what they need to do in order to win games consistently as they currently are on a five-game winning streak. After many seasons of disappointment and letdowns, will this be the time when they finally gel, develop chemistry and become one of the top teams in the league?

Or will they come crashing back down to earth like they normally do letting the fans down as usual? The aura around the group that they have now just appears to be different from the squads they had in the past few seasons as their recent winning streak just shows what they are capable of accomplishing if they can continue to understand that consistency is the key.

What has changed for the New York Knicks?

During the streak, the Knicks have held opponents to 98.2 points per game which is a vast improvement from the 113.2 points they are giving up on the season. Also during the streak, they have held three of their opponents under 100 points and became the first team this season to hold the Sacramento Kings under 100 points in a game.

In their recent victory against the Chicago Bulls, the Knicks shot an uncharacteristic 53 percent from downtown especially considering the fact that they are one of the worst three-point shooting teams in the NBA but it would add up knowing that the Bulls are the 5th worst team at defending the three-pointer.

Even though it took overtime for the Knicks to pull out the win, a big reason why they won was because of their hustle on the boards. The Knicks have had the advantage of being the 3rd best rebounding team in the league averaging  47.4 rebounds per game. During the streak, the Knicks have outrebounded their opponents tremendously.

During the past five games, they have averaged 52 rebounds per contest (which is better than their season average) while holding their opponents to only 39 per game. The biggest disparity has been the offensive rebounding numbers as the Knicks have also dominated in that area. They have a plus 3.2 differential over their last five games in that area which has helped with multiple possessions and 2nd chance points.

The trio of Jalen Brunson, Julius Randle, and RJ Barrett have been playing great as they continue to develop chemistry and camaraderie. The Knicks’ front office was criticized during the offseason for giving Brunson such a large contract. Many wondered how the Knicks could give a player who had one good postseason run such a lucrative contract.

He may not be considered or mentioned among the best at his position but he definitely has worked out so far as he continues to play at the level he is now and people’s opinion about him has changed. And even though the game was already won, Brunson put the icing on the cake when he crossed up Bulls defender Alex Caruso (widely considered to be one of the best on-ball perimeter defenders in the league) sending him to the floor as he knocked down a three-pointer with 28 seconds remaining to put the Knicks up by nine.

That is the reason why the Knicks pursued Brunson. With his ability to close out games and his knack for making big shots, he is an accurate and prolific shooter off the catch and dribble and can shoot well off of screens and dribble handoffs. Brunson is also capable of being the primary ball handler both in the pick and roll and also in transition. He is a crafty player who is shifty and can finish strong around the basket.

The reason Brunson should continue to close out games is due to his assists/turnover ratio. He ranks 16th in the NBA and it’s always a plus whenever your primary ball handler doesn’t have ball security issues and can create his own shot. Julius Randle played a great game as he scored 31 points, and grabbed 13 rebounds to go along with seven assists but he has to allow Brunson to control the offense in clutch situations.

Randle ran at least 15 seconds off the clock as he heaved an airball in the final seconds against the Bulls sending the game to overtime. Randle just needs to focus on doing the dirty work in the paint, securing rebounds, and playing good defense and not hurt his team by trying to do too much.

With Brunson and Randle being the top offensive threats on the team, this could be a huge year regarding the continued development of 4th year forward RJ Barrett. Barrett was drafted at a time when the Knicks were desperately pursuing a franchise player as he has been coming along nicely.

He has been playing great basketball of late contributing to the wins as no pressure will be on this young talented player to have to carry the team. Well, at least not for now. Tom Thibodeau usually allows Barrett to remain on the floor with the 2nd unit as the leader and it should pay dividends as his game continues to improve.

Last but not least is the emergence of Quentin Grimes. He has played well enough to earn a spot in the starting lineup and it shows that the Knicks have high hopes for this kid, especially after the pursuit of all-star guard Donovan Mitchell didn’t work out. It may be a blessing in disguise because Grimes is beginning to show that he deserves a chance to be a starter in this league.

Over the past eight games, he has been averaging right at 11 points per game and that’s great considering he is the 4th option and has to scrap to get his buckets. If he continues to improve, the Knicks need to look no further for a starting backcourt mate to complement Brunson. The Knicks’ next 4 opponents have a combined record of 53-60 and they are all winnable games for them if they continue to play as they have during this current streak.

Their next big test will most likely come on the national stage on Christmas day when they take on the Philadelphia 76ers in Madison Square Garden.