CLEVELAND—Of all the questions swirling around the Knicks this season—and there are plenty—one has been a particular head-scratcher: Why isn't Pablo Prigioni, who is arguably the team's best point guard and certainly its best mover of the ball, in the starting lineup?

In his 16 minutes per game of floor time, Prigioni routinely injects ball movement into an offense that goes static far too often. And his record speaks for itself: the Knicks' 15-1 mark last season when Prigioni and Raymond Felton started together in the backcourt was the best that any starting duo has produced in at least 30 seasons, according to Stats LLC.

Coach Mike Woodson, who has experimented with different starting lineups all season—he tried yet another here on Tuesday against the Cavaliers, starting Metta World Peace for the first time—has acknowledged Prigioni's impact, but suggested that the backcourt is too small when the 6-foot-3, 180-pound Prigioni plays alongside Felton.

"Yes, we were good in that stretch where we played small-ball. But the East is bigger this year," said Woodson, who has started World Peace, J.R. Smith, Beno Udrih, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Kenyon Martin over Prigioni this season. "And it's tough to play two small guys and [Carmelo Anthony] back at [power forward] again."

Woodson has said he believes that a bigger lineup offers the best chance for playoff success—because it would prepare the Knicks for the physicality they'd see from taller teams like Indiana and Chicago—even if it means suffering through losing streaks as the team adjusts to a new style.

But the struggling Knicks haven't been beating opponents with their defense this season. Given the team's glaring flaws on that end of the floor, particularly in the absence of injured center Tyson Chandler, Woodson would be wise to maximize the team's offense. The Knicks won 20 of 24 games last season in which they scored at least 105 points. Entering Tuesday's game, they had reached that total just three times in 19 games.

Moreover, there is scant evidence to suggest that a group with Prigioni can't work on the bigger playoff stage. The Knicks are most lethal when Prigioni runs their offense, displaying the same brand of basketball they thrived with last season.

This season, more than 35% of the Knicks' shot attempts with Prigioni on the court have been three-pointers—a figure nearly identical to last year, when the Knicks took and made a record number of three-pointers. With Prigioni in the game, this year's squad has been more accurate (38.4%) from behind the arc than last year (37.6%).

And for all the debate over the sustainability of smaller lineups in the playoffs, Woodson might consider that the Knicks shot 44.6% from deep with Prigioni on the floor last postseason—up from 27.9% when he wasn't playing—against the Pacers and Celtics, the league's best and fourth-best teams at guarding the arc, respectively.

Woodson is correct to suggest that a two-point-guard lineup might weaken the defense; opposing ball-handlers have been more dominant against Prigioni than they've been against Felton this season, scoring a whopping 25.6 points per 48 minutes, according to 82games.com.

And it's unclear whether Prigioni, the 36-year-old, second-year Argentine guard, could have the same offensive impact against starting-caliber opponents if he were to replace Felton rather than play alongside him. Prigioni shot 52.3% when he shared the court with Felton last year, a huge boost from the 43.8% he shot without him, according to NBA.com.

Still, it's hard to see how Prigioni, who is third in the NBA in three-point shooting at 50%, wouldn't help the team's oft-selfish style. His pass-first game is a natural fit for Anthony and these Knicks, as he's taken just 9% of the team's shots while on the floor.

Indeed, Prigioni is a pure facilitator. Chandler, Felton and swingman Iman Shumpert all experienced boosts of at least 5% in field-goal percentage when sharing the court with him last year. Anthony saw benefits, too: Aside from a 3.5% increase in shooting percentage, his assist rate went from 13% to 17% in the minutes he shared with Prigioni.

"We [played] our best when we used two point guards—at the beginning [of last season] and the end," Prigioni said recently. "I just think everybody finds comfort with that lineup."

Everybody, it would seem, except for Mike Woodson.

Now with regard to playing Murry, I think just sending him out there with the mission to keep PG's in front of him and pick up full court pressure would be a great role for him. We need to at least try another option and he was signed because of his length and tenacity on D. SURELY he's better than Fatboy! It can't hurt to try. I think Murry, Shump and THJ could give this team some needed speed and quickness out there.

Oh you just gonna pretend you didn't see my thread? I thought we was twins?