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Jr Smith Knicks

February 17, 2012 by · Comments Off on Jr Smith Knicks 

Jr Smith Knicks, The knee jerk response falls in line with how most still view the Knicks — as an offense-only outfit featuring big scorers in Amar’e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony, helplessly hoping on defense.

The problem with that is that it’s the team’s offense that has failed them this season. Entering Friday night’s game against the New Orleans Hornets (are there any crummy teams left for Jeremy Lin to play?), the Knicks are 24th in offensive efficiency, but sixth overall in defense. The offense dipped and the defense improved a bit when Stoudemire and Anthony sat out a series of games over the last two weeks, but the pattern has sustained throughout New York’s 15-15 start.

So, yes. Another me-first chucker bent on firing at the rim incessantly can … help. When was the last time that happened to New York?

Landry Fields, New York’s current starting shooting guard and Lin’s best mate, hasn’t been terrible in his role. He plays good defense, helps with the New York ball movement that often doesn’t end with anything despite the well-meaning passing, and he’s hitting for double-figure points per game. He doesn’t shoot well from behind the three-point arc or at the line, and defenses can slide off of him to help with Anthony at his favorite triple-threat spots, or Lin and Stoudemire in the pick and roll.

With Smith out there? They’ll have to pay attention, because he’ll take a 30-footer. Literally. He will take a shot from six feet behind the arc. They’ll go in, sometimes, too.

For a below average offensive team, though, there will be plenty of hungry mouths to feed. Both Anthony and Stoudemire, honestly, have tried to play unselfish and sound offensive basketball this year, but old habits (mainly ones that end with long two-point jumpers) are hard to break. Tossing Smith into that mix is a bit much, especially when all three are the types that will take a one-on-one shot after not touching the ball for a while to, as the announcer will likely put it, “get themselves going.”

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