The season starts
tomorrow night vs the cavs.
...according to ESPN Stats & Information's Jeremy Mills, the Knicks' offensive efficiency has taken a slight dip since Anthony came back. New York had been playing to an offensive efficiency of 100.2 in the first nine games that Lin played major minutes (Anthony played in the first game, was hurt six minutes into the second and sat out the following seven).
In the three games since Anthony has returned, the Knicks' offensive efficiency (a measurement of points per 100 possessions) is 95.2. Their offensive efficiency for the season is 97.9. Three games is a very small sample size and five points per 100 possessions over that span isn't anything monumental.
But if it were to play out over a full season, the difference between 100.2 and 95.2 is 13 spots in the league rankings.
Still, Anthony hasn't done anything to completely dismantle the ball movement and spacing established by Lin.
He took 13 shots in the second half against Miami with Lin struggling. But other than that, his shot total has been reasonable and most of his attempts have come within the flow of the offense.
Translation: Carmelo If Anthony takes 20 shots, he is expected to make at least 8 of them. 8.6 puts him equal to the .435 that Kobe shoots from the field. Anything less is wackness and slackness.
Linsanity is now a part of the global lexicon. That translates into extra motivation for opposing guards who do NOT want to become unwilling participants player on a poster or highlight clip. Since taking over as the Knicks' starting point guard, Lin has committed a whopping 59 turnovers in 10 games.
Six turnovers per game is too many.
Translation: Using Miami as a model, the defensive pressure on Lin will be turned up five degrees.
At 6'3 190 Kyrie Irving is an ideal matchup for Lin to start the second half. Irving shooting 41 per cent from three point range is no typo.
2/28/2012 2:01 PM