Through just 21 games, the Knicks already have had more games with 30 or more assists (11) than they had in all of last year (10).
They surpassed last season’s total in a dominant win over the Orlando Magic on Tuesday.
Six Knicks scored in double figures against the Magic, who entered the game with the NBA’s best defensive rating. New York had 30 assists on 43 made field goals.
“When we got into the paint, just making the extra pass, creating the right space and then cutting – that got us going downhill,” Tom Thibodeau said after the game. “When you do that, everyone finds rhythm and you’re finding good shots.”
The Knicks have found plenty of good shots over the past few weeks. After a choppy start, they now have the NBA’s best offense. The Knicks lead the league in offensive rating, assist to turnover ratio and are No. 3 in assist rate (assists per 100 possessions).
“We’re building, I think, every game. We’re getting better, we’re getting more cohesive,” Karl-Anthony Towns said late Tuesday after a 23-point, 15-rebound, two-block night against the Magic.
As you’d expect, Jalen Brunson has been a driving force for the Knick offense.
He ranks fifth in the NBA in assist-to-turnover ratio (3.29) and is nine in assist percentage (33.6).
“He just finds a way to manipulate (the defense),” Orlando head coach Jamahl Mosley said on Tuesday. “You put two on him, he finds the right pass. You don’t put two on him, he’s going one-on-one, he’s isolating you in the middle of the floor. Step-back threes, once he gets in the mid-range, he’s got amazing footwork for the step-throughs and touch shots. So he just finds ways.”
Mosley knows this subject well. He was a top assistant in Dallas during Brunson’s tenure with the Mavs. He’s not surprised to see Brunson adjusting to yet another new role with this Knicks team.
“He just constantly embraces and does exactly what’s right for the team when it comes to winning basketball games,” Mosley said.
FOR THE CUP
The Knicks’ win on Tuesday clinched a berth in the NBA Cup quarterfinals. They will host the Atlanta Hawks next Wednesday at Madison Square Garden. If the Knicks beat the Hawks, they will advance to the semis in Las Vegas beginning on Dec. 14.
