New York Knicks: 5 takeaways from 4-game West Coast trip

2. Perimeter defense struggles

The New York Knicks defense has not been great this season. They have some guys that try on that end of the court, but Frank Ntilikina and Mitchell Robinson are the only players, along with Damyean Dotson possibly, that would be considered strong defenders. That isn’t enough to get the job done, and throughout this road trip, that was painfully apparent.

The defense on the perimeter wasn’t great on this road trip. The Blazers and Kings both shot over 41 percent from the 3-point line. The Warriors were the only ones who struggled from distance, making only 27 percent of their shots. Denver shot a respectable 35.7 percent.

The guards the Knicks played against all had strong performances. Damian Lillard lit them up, knocking down eight 3-pointers en route to a 31-point performance. D’Angelo Russell, despite being essentially the only scoring option for Golden State, scored 32 points and made six 3-pointers. Buddy Hield scored 34 points, connecting on six 3-pointers as well.

While the Knicks were competitive in three out of these four games, their perimeter defense remains a concern. Until they can consistently contain opponents on the perimeter, they will struggle to string together wins.