Knicks' Slow Style Helping Offense

The New York Knicks have been elite on offense, and a big reason why is their pace.

Nov 23, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; New York Knicks guard Josh Hart (3) dribbles the ball against Utah Jazz guard Johnny Juzang (33) during the second half at the Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Creveling-Imagn Images / Christopher Creveling-Imagn Images

The New York Knicks have had a mixed start to the season, sitting at 9-7 and the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference. The team has had some impressive wins, but brutal losses as well, most recently against the Utah Jazz 121-106.

The defense has been a big weakness for New York thus far, as the team ranks 21st in defensive rating (115.7). The Knicks have not held the usual trend of being a hard-nosed defensive powerhouse, but the offense has been exceeding expectations. The team ranks second in offensive rating (120.9), only behind the 17-1 Cleveland Cavaliers (122.8).

Correlated with this has been New York's slow style of play. The Knicks are 28th in the NBA in pace (97.19), reflecting few fast breaks. This season the team ranks 17th thus far in fast break points per game (14.7).

New York has followed the same trend as last season. The team ranked dead last in pace last year (95.96), and was still an elite offensive team with a 117.3 rating (7th in the NBA). The only difference was the defense was notably better last season, as the Knicks clinched the second seed in the Eastern Conference.

Head coach Tom Thibodeau has encouraged the Knicks to run the offense with poise now that the team has added weapons in Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges. Josh Hart can still be seen running and pushing the tempo in transition, but New York has been extremely selective in its speed with the ball.

The slow pace has resulted in the Knicks having the fourth-fewest possessions in the NBA (1,555), but that only emphasizes how efficient the offense has been. A slow pace has allowed many teams over the years to elevate their offense and win championships. Two seasons ago, the Denver Nuggets ranked 24th in the league in regular-season pace and ended up winning the championship. In 2020, the Los Angeles Lakers were a bottom-six team in playoff-pace and ended up with a ring.

Conversley, the Milwaukee Bucks won the 2021 championship while having the second-highest pace in the regular season. It's all dependent on your offensive weapons. Clearly, the Knicks are built to run a slower offense, as all of their starters can faciliate and create on and off the ball.

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