The New York Knicks will put their stellar defense to the test as they prepare to face the Phoenix Suns and their impressive offense in tomorrow night’s big game.
The Suns struggled with injuries during the 2023-24 NBA season, but now they have their big three in Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal back on the court. The three form the most potent scoring trio in the league and it will be a nightmare matchup for the Knicks. Can New York contain and slow down the Suns on their way to the necessary victory? An important key for the Knicks will be the Suns’ triumvirate in the first quarter. Booker has been one of the league’s best first-quarter scorers over the past three seasons, ranking sixth (8.5 PPG) in 2022-23, second in 2021-22 (9.3 PPG) and fourth in 2020-21 (8.3 PPG). .The numbers highlight Booker’s uncanny ability to come off screens early in the shot clock and take his place in the middle of the field. When Booker has the hot hand, it’s hard to slow him down. Similar to Booker, Durant has finished in the top five over the past two seasons and has wasted no time beating his defenders and settling into easy looks. With Beal, the Suns have enough strength to take an early lead, which will be difficult for the Knicks to overcome. Emphasizing the increased urgency of the defense in front of goal will be key for Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau to give their offense a chance to get going. With the departure of Chris Paul, the Suns used Booker and Beal in the backcourt in the first quarter of the season. As a result, Phoenix generates 26.1 assists per game, making them a mid-table team in this area.Beal is their best playmaker when all three All-Stars are on the court at the same time. Beal, while gifted at basketball, is more of a scorer than a distributor. Although Durant and Booker are the top scorers, they often feel a rhythm that comes from strong play in half-court sets.The Knicks may want to take advantage of denying the ball inbounds to make life difficult for Beal and other Suns ballhandlers. New York needs Quentin Grimes to play well as their top ball defender, even if he plays a minor role in the rotation. The Suns are a very efficient offensive team. They rank fourth in three-point percentage (38.2%) and free throw percentage (83.5%). Conversely, despite a stout defense, the Knicks allow opponents to shoot 37.2 percent from beyond the arc, good for No. 20 among all teams, but they commit the third-fewest personal fouls: 17.8 at night.The Knicks could get a break as sharpshooters Eric Gordon and Grayson Allen are both listed as Gametime Decisions. In any case, the Suns’ big three in collaboration with Yuta Watanabe and center Jusuf Nurkic have the firepower to light it up from deep. Nurkic has an airy touch around the basket, but struggles to receive passes out of the pick-and-roll, often leading to turnovers. The Suns as a unit do a good job converting points in the paint. Without the services of Mitchell Robinson, Isaiah Hartenstein, Jericho Sims and Julius Randle, there will be increased pressure to protect the rim.The Knicks have the size and defensive skills to limit the Suns. Durant, Booker and Beal didn’t have much in common either. If they interrupt their quest for continuity while implementing a solid defensive game plan, they will have the best chance of improving their record to 14-10 and returning to the playoffs in the East.
Leave a Reply