Do the Knicks have the best offense in the NBA? With the 1-2 punch of Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns and a five-game winning streak that includes back-to-back 143-point efforts against the Kings and Grizzlies, that’s what some people are saying. Lou Williams likes what he sees from Tom Thibodeau’s team, but he isn’t quite ready to crown the Knicks as the league’s offensive kings just yet. He explained why on today’s episode of the Run It Back podcast.
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LouWill talked about how the Cavs bench is capable of putting up 50 points, something the Knicks, who rank dead last in the NBA in bench production, just can’t match.
“They’re top-heavy. They’re gonna get a lot of production out of their starting five.”
It’s an interesting distinction to make. Is the best offense, the five-man lineup, capable of putting up the most points? Because if it is, then the Knicks are the pick.
“Now my concerns are when they go to the bench. What are you gonna be able to get out of the bench? For me, I still feel like the Cleveland Cavaliers are the best offensive team in the league, even though the Knicks are top-five in a lot of offensive categories.”
The Knicks offense needs more depth to be the best in the NBA.
“Cavaliers went out and got 50 from their bench last night…when the Knicks go to their bench are they going to be able to compete with these other teams?” – @TeamLou23
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— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) January 30, 2025
If the whole team is taken into account, then it’s the Cavs, and the numbers bear that out. Cleveland ranks first in the league in offensive rating, and the Knicks are just behind them in second. Brunson and Towns are averaging over 50 points per game by themselves, while Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, and Josh Hart combine for another 48. That’s nearly 100 points from their starting lineup alone. The Cavs score four more points per game but only get about 83 from their starters.
Is the Knicks’ top-heavy style a recipe for success or disaster?
The Knicks are extremely fun to watch right now, and their recent play has brought them to within a game of the defending champion Celtics for the 2-seed in the East. Still, Knicks fans have to be nervous that the team seems to have learned nothing from last season’s playoff exit.
For those who don’t remember, the Knicks beat the Sixers in the first round but were then eliminated by the 6-seeded Pacers in the Eastern Conference semis because they simply ran out of bodies. Seemingly everybody on the Knicks was injured by time the season ended. Brunson broke his hand in Game 7. Hart battled through an abdominal strain that severely limited him. Anunoby pulled his hamstring. Julius Randle missed the entire playoffs after undergoing shoulder surgery. Mitchell Robinson was taken out by an ankle injury. It would almost be comical if it wasn’t so sad.
The Knicks fought valiantly but came up short, and now their fans are getting their hopes up once again because the team looks so good. Be warned, though: A repeat may be coming. Three Knicks (Bridges, Hart, and Anunoby) are currently top-seven in the NBA in minutes played. Bridges ranks first. When you add Brunson and Towns, the entire starting five ranks in the top-30 in the league.
This is what Tom Thibodeau does, and Knicks fans have to hope that all that extra wear and tear doesn’t manifest itself again when it really matters. What good is it to be the best offense in the league when you’re eliminated?
