Inside look at Knicks-Hawks NBA playoff series
NY Post
Most NBA scouts view this first-round matchup between playoff neophytes who finished with the same record of 41-31 as the Knicks’ gritty defense versus Atlanta’s finesse-filled offense. But Knicks-Hawks is more than that. The Post’s Marc Berman breaks it down:
The 3-point shot has consumed the NBA. The top 12 teams in 3-point shooting percentage each made the playoffs. And the Knicks, shockingly, finished third at 39.2 percent, even though they don’t launch a bunch. That figured as their key weakness. When senior VP William Wesley lobbied in the war room to draft Immanuel Quickley, he bellowed about the need for 3-point shooting. Who knew Julius Randle would jump from 28 percent to 41.1 percent in his seventh season? And RJ Barrett from 33 percent to 40.1 percent? Reggie Bullock, at 41 percent, was one of five Knicks to shoot more than 40 percent. Even Derrick Rose finished at 41.1 percent. It’s probably not a fluke, though one scout said, “Barrett can just as easily go 1-for-7 as 5-for-5.’’ The Hawks defend the line, finishing third in 3-point defense (34.9 percent). Edge: EvenMore Related News