Hoops Habit
Fansided

New York Knicks: 3 stats from the first half of the season

By Orestis Rantis

DETROIT, MICHIGAN - FEBRUARY 28: Derrick Rose #4 of the New York Knicks celebrates with RJ Barrett #9 during the second half while playing the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena on February 28, 2021 in Detroit, Michigan. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
DETROIT, MICHIGAN - FEBRUARY 28: Derrick Rose #4 of the New York Knicks celebrates with RJ Barrett #9 during the second half while playing the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena on February 28, 2021 in Detroit, Michigan. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
1 of 4
Next
New York Knicks
New York Knicks Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images /

When most New York Knicks fans wrote their letter to Santa Claus at the beginning of the season, asking for some sort of improvement from their beloved franchise, they definitely did not have that in mind.

Right at the All-Star break, they are sitting fifth in the Eastern Conference, with a record of 19-18. This is their most efficient season since the Carmelo Anthony days in 2012-13. In fact, for some reason, fans seem even more excited at present.

Now, they’ve got a pivotal second part of the season with some pretty tough games ahead. They face the top 3 seeds in the Eastern Conference, Brooklyn Nets, Milwaukee Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers, all within the first week of the season’s second half.

This newfound success is the result of a total team effort. Even the last guys in the rotation have stepped up and performed above expectations when called upon. Despite having a tough time with a few injuries, the depth of the roster has managed to maintain the team’s high standards.

Head coach Tom Thibodeau gets and should get most of the credit. Within the span of a few months, he has transformed a tanking laughingstock to a near playoff lock, in an Eastern Conference that is a ton better than last season.

The New York Knicks have been winning a lot and some key statistics instantly pop out that separate them from last season’s train wreck.

The team’s undisputed powerhouse, Julius Randle, earned his first All-Star nod and has performed a 180-degree turn, from an overpaid to an underpaid star. Unlike last season, he is not a burden to the team, but a proven leader that is key to the organization’s success.

The New York Knicks have decided to steer away from all that trade talk that has been polluting New York’s atmosphere, with countless reports linking them to every possible star around the league.

Instead, they chose to follow a more conservative route, by trading for Derrick Rose, a player that has a positive history with Thibodeau. Rose has been a huge pickup for the team either as a starter or as a sixth man that is overseeing the second unit.

Whether this productivity has been coming from the rookies or the vets, the New York Knicks have blessed us with some surprisingly pleasant feats from a statistical point of view.

Home/New York Knicks