Knicks must fix season-long weakness in battle vs. Pistons

The Pistons severely exposed a Knicks weakness during nan regular play — and it’s not moreover peculiarly 1 of their ain strengths. 

In 4 regular-season games against nan Pistons — successful which nan Knicks went 1-3, including losing nan last 3 matchups — Detroit torched them from 3-point range.

The Pistons changeable 32.4, 50.0, 44.1 and 36.4 percent from down nan arc successful those 4 games, respectively. Combined, nan Pistons went 52-for-126 from 3 — bully for a stellar 41.3 percent. 

For context, nan Bucks led nan NBA successful 3-point percent successful nan regular play pinch a 38.7 percent mark. 

“[Tim] Hardaway [Jr.] is simply a 3-point shooter. [Malik] Beasley had a monster twelvemonth from 3. [Cade] Cunningham tin sprout it,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said aft believe connected Wednesday. “You look astatine it, you study it, and you person to hole for what you’re facing next.” 

The scary portion for nan Knicks is that nan Pistons are not moreover really known for their 3-point prowess. 

As a team, they changeable 36.2 percent from 3 during nan regular play — 17th successful nan NBA. They took 35.4 3s per crippled — 22nd successful nan league. 

But nan Knicks struggled to defender nan 3 passim nan year, a large portion of nan logic they regressed truthful dramatically connected defense from past year. It came pinch a unusual dichotomy, however.

Opponents changeable 36.7 percent from heavy against nan Knicks successful nan regular season, nan fifth-highest people successful nan convention and 1 spot worse than nan Pistons astatine 36.6 percent. But Knicks opponents took only 35.7 3s and made 13.1 of them per game, 5th and 10th slightest successful nan NBA.

So, nan Knicks don’t springiness up a batch of 3-point attempts, but erstwhile they do, opponents deed them astatine a precocious rate. 

“Improving communication,” OG Anunoby said Wednesday of really to hole that issue. “Closing retired better, effort to limit much 3s.” 

The Knicks will person their hands afloat trying to incorporate Cunningham, who dominated them successful nan 4 regular-season matchups.

And each that attraction connected him apt will create chances for Pistons secondary scorers to get unfastened shots and perchance wounded nan Knicks.  

It apt will person nan biggest effect connected Beasley. 

He averaged 16.3 points per crippled and changeable a career-best 41.6 percent from 3-point range. His 319 full made 3s were 2nd astir successful nan league. That included an elite 48.8 percent people against nan Knicks. 

Beasley thrives arsenic a catch-and-shooter from nan perimeter, an perfect fresh to feast disconnected double-teams connected Cunningham.

And Cunningham assisted 102 of Beasley’s 461 full made section goals successful nan regular season, per NBA.com’s search stats.  

“He’s ever been capable to shoot,” Karl-Anthony Towns, Beasley’s erstwhile teammate pinch nan Timberwolves, said connected Tuesday. “I’ve seen it firsthand. When he was pinch america successful Minnesota I judge he collapsed nan 3-point scoring grounds and Anthony [Edwards] conscionable collapsed it now. I’ve ever known he’s a tremendous shooter, 1 of nan champion shooters this convention has to offer. 

“And nan measurement he shoots, nan different types of 3s he shoots, conscionable proves his talent level. He’s a reliable defender obviously. We person personification I cognize well, person to decidedly find a measurement to limit his 3s.” 

Other than Beasley, Hardaway and Tobias Harris are tin of hurting nan Knicks from deep. They changeable 36.8 percent and 34.5 percent from 3, respectively. 

“We’re gonna effort to cardinal successful connected everyone,” Anunoby said. “They’re a squad afloat of awesome players. Malik tin really shoot. Tim tin really shoot. Tobias is simply a awesome player. [Jalen] Duren is simply a awesome player. They person a awesome team.”

Harris successful peculiar brings loads of playoff experience, having played 61 postseason games. 

“He’s ever been a really bully player,” Josh Hart said. “He tin sprout nan ball, he tin put it connected nan level and he tin play successful nan post. So, he’s a reliable matchup and he makes speedy decisions. When he’s unfastened he shoots, erstwhile he’s guarded he makes a play. We cognize really bully he is. We person to beryllium fresh for that.”