2017-18 TrueFan New York Knicks Season Preview

2017-18 TrueFan New York Knicks Season Preview

Written By Kyle Crabbe

Twitter: @KthetruestKnick

After a long and headline filled off-season, we are finally ready to start the 2017-2018 New York Knicks NBA season. Here at TrueFan we will preview what we can look for this season from the 2018 New York Knicks.

-Top 5 Anticipated Games

1) October 19^th – @ the Oklahoma City Thunder

Opening game for the New York Knicks. Will be the NBA debut for French Point Guard Frank Ntilikina, and in his first NBA game he goes up against defending MVP and triple double Superstar PG Russell Westbrook. This will also be Carmelo Anthony's first game against his protégé in Kristaps Porzingis and his former team in the New York Knicks.

2) October 21^st – Home against the Detroit Pistons

This will be the Knicks home opener in Madison Square Garden. Kristaps Porzingis for the first time in Madison Square Garden will be introduced as the team's face and Franchise Player. This will also be the Garden's first look at prized Lottery Pick Frank Ntilikina in the Garden for a game that counts.

3) December 12 – Home against the Los Angeles Laker

This will be Rookie of the Year favorite and star Rookie Point Guard Lonzo Ball's Madison Square Garden Debut. Could be a great match-up between Frank Ntilikina and Lonzo Ball. This game will feature two of the young teams in the NBA with brimming young talent, young coaches, with bright futures on the brightest stage.

4) December 16 – Home against the Oklahoma City Thunder

Many Knicks fans will have this game circled in their calendars. This game will be Carmelo Anthony's return to the place he's called home for the past 7 years, Madison Square Garden. Mr. Stay Me7o aka Number #7 return will be a huge event in New York City much like Lebron James' return to Cleveland in 2010.

5) December 25 – Home against the Philadelphia 76ers

The Knicks make their return to playing on Christmas and we can now start picture seeing the Kristaps Christmas Commercials coming in droves soon. This game will be a early Christmas gift for many basketball fans as it will pit the last two 1^st overall picks in SF Ben Simmons and PG Markelle Fultz against Knicks Rookie PG Frank Ntilikina. This game will also feature two of the NBA's brightest young stars whom are also modern-era big men in Knicks Kristaps Porzingis and 76ers Joel Embiid.

Record Prediction

Win-Loss: 42-40

Standing: 3^rd in Atlantic Division, 8^th in Eastern Conference

-I believe that given Head Coach Jeff Hornacek's track record with the teams he had in Phoenix in 2014 and 2015 he can have similar success with the roster that General Manager Scott Perry has put together this off-season. Hornacek's season will depend this year's team improving defensively and developing the Knicks young core talent.

Strengths

-Front Court Depth

The Knicks come into the season with a deep stable of capable big men on their roster. With the addition of C Enes Kanter in the Carmelo Anthony trade the Knicks now have PF Kristaps Porzings, C Joakim Noah, C Willy Hernangomez, PF/C Kyle O'Quinn. We can expect as some point the Knicks might look to move one these players, most likely Kyle O'Quinn or Enes Kanter.

-3-Point Shooters

The Knicks also sport a deep roster of players that are capable of shooting the 3-point shot effectively. From Frank Ntilikina to Kristaps Porzingis mostly everyone on the Knicks roster excluding Joakim Noah can make a 3 point shot. Players like SF Doug McDermott, SG Tim Hardaway Jr, PF Kristaps Porzingis, SG Courtney Lee, SG Damyean Dotson are talented long range shooters and excel at shooting 3-point shots. This can become a strength for the Knicks in Head Coach Jeff Hornacek's offense this year.

Weaknesses

-Defense

The New York Knicks in 2016-17 ranked as one of the NBA's worst defensive teams. The 2016-17 Knicks were 23^rd in points allowed per game, 25^th in team defensive rating, 30^th in defensive rebound percentage, 23^rd in steals per game, 30^th in opponent second chance points per game, and 24^th in opponent's points in the paint. For the NY Knicks to have a successful season, they have to improve on the defensive side of the basketball. Drafting the best defender in the 2017 NBA Draft in PG Frank Ntilikina should help but it will require a total team effort to better what we have seen from the New York Knicks defense in recent seasons.

-Youth/Chemistry

The 2017-18 New York Knicks sport 7 out of their top 10 players as age 25 and younger. That youth movement will be very exciting and promising but will need time and will endure some struggles. Like with any newly formed team, this team will need some time to gel to fit the pieces together. But it will be very interesting to see how PF Kristaps Porzingis(age 22), C Willy Hernangomez(age 23), PG Frank Ntilikina(age 19), SG Tim Hardaway Jr(age 25), Ron Baker(age 24), C Enes Kanter(age 25), and SF Doug McDermott(age 25) come together and play together this year and year's into the future.

3 Player Spotlight

A) PF/C Kristaps Porzingis

TrueFan Verdict:

-I believe Porzingis will have a huge season. Entering year 3 and now being the focal point of the team, Porzingis will have endless opportunities to reach higher levels of individual play. I see Kristaps Porzingis as a unique combination of Legends PF Kevin Garnett and PF Dirk Nowitski, therefore I look to their year 3 seasons as a indication of what we can expect from Porzingis this season. In season 3 for PF Kevin Garnett, he exploded in 1998 playing in all 82 games averaging 18.5ppg/ 9.6reb/1.8blk/1.7stl/49%fg while playing 39 minutes per game and taking 15.8 shots per game. For Dirk Nowitzki year 3 was very similar to Garnett. Nowitzki also played in all 82 games in year 3 on averages of 21.8ppg/ 9.2reb/1.2blk/1.0stl/47%fg while playing 38 minutes per game and attempting 15.2 shots per game. Porzingis also trained with his idol Dirk Nowitzki this off-season which should also help Porzingis to a great 2018 season. I see Porzingis having a All-Star season, becoming an first time All-Star and putting up numbers just like his predecessors did in year 3.

B) Tim Hardaway Jr

TrueFan Verdict:

-I believe Hardaway will have a very promising season. I believe Hardaway has a great deal of advantages in place for him to excel in New York this season. A) He already played 2 seasons in New York, B) He has improved his game greatly for this opportunity, C) He is a basketball legend's son and trained with NBA Legend Dwayne Wade in the off-season.In my opinion Hardaway will be in conversation for the All-Star Game and for the Most Improved Player this season. Given his talents and looking at his opportunity with the Knicks, their roster and Head Coach Jeff Hornacek's offensive system along with what Jeff Hornacek was as a player, that's enough evidence to gives= me the impression Hardaway is inline for an impressive season. My feeling is we can even compare what as a player Jeff Hornacek did in his year 5 in the NBA to Tim Hardaway 2017-18 season being it will be his 5^th year in the NBA and they sport similar skills sets( shooter, shooting guard, open-floor players). I believe that he can post similar number to Jeff Hornacek in his 1991 season, where Hornacek posted numbers of 16.9ppg/5.1ast/5.0reb/1.4stl/51%fg/41%3pt / 89%ft while playing in 80 games(starting in 77), playing 34.2 minutes per game and attempting 13.1 shots per game. Now I believe that Hornacek was a better shooter than Tim Hardaway but with Tim's skill set I feel he can post these kind of number's under Head Coach Hornacek's leadership this season.

C) Frank Ntilikina

TrueFan Verdict:

-French Star International Point Guard Frank Ntilikina is coming into a great situation in my opinion. I believe he was chosen to fit into a vision and not chosen simply off his talents, which haven't been highlighted much as of yet. First off Ntilikina is a rare breed of player, he sports a rare physical size that he can quite possible still be growing into. At 6'5 and a over 7'0 feet wingspan at age 19 he has the potential to grow to closer to 6'7 and 7'3 wingspan by the time he matures to age 25 of his physical prime. Ntilikina also has the perfect mindset for those rare physical advantage he possess. Ntilikina is a pass-first/defensive minded player, with his extreme size and length he can become a elite defender and at his size will be able to make passes only he can make because of his size. Many NBA fans being from the USA haven't seen much of Ntilikina on video or in live action. However I have watched a few of his games in France and I will say his offensive game might be the 2017 NBA Draft's best kept secret. In those games it showed me that Ntilikina can comfortably shoot pull-ups, post-ups, a floater game and shoot 3-pointers from deep with ease and within a offensive structure. Again at his size in the NBA, he would have no problem shooting over smaller guards. I feel the Knicks might of gotten quite lucky here a second time with another under-scouted International talent. However for his rookie season I do believe Ntilikina will struggle as did Porzingis in his rookie year. The player I compare Ntilikina to most is Hall of Fame Point Guard Gary “The Glove” Payton. Ntilikina's length as a skill and as a Point Guard defensive player makes him a great comparison to Payton. Payton like Ntilikina had a want to be a great defender from young stages in their respectable careers. Payton's size also tells part of the story, Payton was 6'4 but has a incredible 7'0 wingspan that allowed him to be the great wiry, pesky defender his entire career. So for Nitilikina's rookie year, I believe he will post similar numbers to Payton is his rookie campaign in 1991. Payton in his rookie year numbers were 7.2ppg/ 6.4ast/3.0reb/2.0stl/1.8tov/45%fg while playing and starting in all 82 games that season and playing 27 minutes per game. We can expect Ntilikina to post similar numbers in my opinion.

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