Preseason Numbers That Stood Out For the Knicks
Knicks preseason is done and we are 4-1 I wanted to write down some of the numbers that stood out to me during preseason and see if it will be an occurring theme during this season.
Preseason Numbers from the 2024-2025 New York Knicks I Value
The New York Knicks had an interesting start to the 2024-2025 preseason. Offensively, the Knicks were ranked 7th in points per game as a team, averaging 114.2 points. However, the shooting efficiency is cause for concern. They ranked 27th in the league in field goal percentage at just 43.2%. This is especially alarming since the Knicks have consistently ranked in the bottom 10 in field goal percentage under head coach Tom Thibodeau. Since Thibs took over in 2020, the Knicks’ team FG% has been:
• 2020-2021: 44.4% (22nd)
• 2021-2022: 43.7% (27th)
• 2022-2023: 45.0% (22nd)
• 2023-2024: 45.2% (20th)
The trend is clear, and the poor shooting in the preseason continues this pattern. Maybe I’m overreacting on my regular State crap, at the same time I want this trend to end and end fucking now.
The Knicks were also ranked 26th in the league in 3-point shooting percentage at 30%.
This is frustrating because they have multiple players who shot over 38% from deep last season, including Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, Deuce McBride, and OG Anunoby. Given this shooting talent, they should be much better in this area.
A positive stat for the Knicks was their league-leading free throw percentage at 81.9%, a massive improvement from their past regular-season averages under Thibs:
• 2020-2021: 78.4% (11th)
• 2021-2022: 74.8% (27th)
• 2022-2023: 76.1% (22nd)
• 2023-2024: 77.3% (19th)
It’s encouraging to see this upward trend, especially since poor free-throw shooting has been a weak point for the Knicks in recent years.
One stat that annoyed me was the Knicks’ assist numbers. In the preseason, they averaged just 23.4 assists per game, which ranked 28th in the league. Over the past few seasons, the Knicks have relied heavily on isolation offense, and that’s simply not going to work if they aim to win a championship.
The Dallas Mavericks are a clear example of this issue; while they reached the Finals, the Boston Celtics dismantled the Kyrie Irving and Luka Dončić duo using a team-oriented approach. The Knicks must improve their ball movement this season. Their assist per game numbers under Thibs have been:
• 2020-2021: 21.4 (30th)
• 2021-2022: 22.1 (29th)
• 2022-2023: 22.9 (25th)
• 2023-2024: 23.1 (26th)
On a positive note, the Knicks were ranked 2nd in the NBA in least turnovers per game at 12.6. Thibodeau has always emphasized taking care of the ball, and that continues to be a strength for this team.
One stat I hope to see the Knicks improve is their blocks per game. In the preseason, they ranked 25th in the league at 4.2 blocks per game. With my aspirations for Mikal Bridges to make an All-NBA Defensive Team and OG Anunoby to win Defensive Player of the Year, along with the eventual return of Mitchell Robinson (who is 2nd in Knicks history in total blocks), this number should skyrocket by season’s end.
Lastly, the Knicks had a +7 net rating in the preseason, a solid indicator of their potential to compete this season.
Some numbers from individual players that stood out to me this preseason were Miles McBride’s 17.3 points per game. This shows the evolution of his scoring ability and how the Knicks’ infrastructure on the court is helping his growth. I love that McBride worked on his in-between game and getting to the basket, showing clearly more upper body strength in the preseason. Pacome Dadiet, the 6’8” 19-year-old from France, also showed a scoring punch and a rare ability to move off the ball at such a young age.
Young players usually struggle with off-ball movement, but coming from the European game, Pacome fits right in. He averaged 13 points per game, and with the release of Shamet and Precious Achiuwa’s injury sidelining him for a month, Pacome should get immediate playing time in the Knicks’ season opener against the Boston Celtics.
Tyler Kolek was another standout offensively, averaging 11.5 points per game while also displaying excellent playmaking ability.
Another thing I loved from the preseason is that five players averaged double-digit shot attempts, which shows that people can share the ball. Perhaps the team’s low assist numbers are partly due to the fact that shots just weren’t falling, as reflected by their low field goal percentage. A stat I hated was Karl-Anthony Towns’ poor shooting, with his field goal percentage at a putrid 37.5%. I don’t expect this to stay the same, especially considering he started one game 0-7 but still finished with 20+ points and 10+ rebounds. He’ll have to turn it around and quickly.
On the positive side, Pacome Dadiet shot an outstanding 55.6% from three in the preseason, showing elite off-ball scoring ability, and he made multiple plays off passes from Kolek and Jalen Brunson.
Precious Achiuwa also impressed, hitting 50% of his threes, though he will be sidelined for 2-4 weeks with a hamstring injury (I’d say closer to a month to be safe). One of the worst individual stats from the preseason was Mikal Bridges’ 10.5% from three—completely unacceptable. Mikal himself admitted to tweaking his shot, trying to get it back to his college form after years of adjusting since he entered the league. Last season, Mikal was one of the league’s best on catch-and-shoot opportunities, hitting 38.4% on 5.6 attempts per game, so it’s baffling that he’d make changes now. He will be playing alongside better teammates like Brunson and Towns, so the opportunities should only improve.
Karl-Anthony Towns also had a disappointing 3-point percentage at 17.4%, and he’ll need to find a balance between shooting from deep and attacking the rim. The last elite big man to win a championship playing outside-in was Dirk Nowitzki, whose 2011 playoff run was legendary.
Towns needs to learn to mix it up in the post and on the outside perimeter. However, one stat I was pleased with was his free throw shooting at 87%, something refreshing for a center. As a team, the Knicks led the league in preseason free throw percentage, and most of their key rotation players were solid from the line, with the lowest being OG Anunoby at 78.6%.
Towns’ rebounding was impressive, but he’s going to need help on the boards outside of Josh Hart. OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges need to step up in this area. Their preseason rebounding numbers were disappointing, with OG at 4.8 and Mikal at 3.3. Given what the Knicks gave up to get these two wings (RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley, Quentin Grimes, Obi Toppin, and six first-round picks), they need to deliver. Bridges, in particular, needs to have an impact like Khris Middleton did for the Bucks, and OG, who signed a $200+ million contract this offseason, must contend for Defensive Player of the Year while staying healthy for at least 70 games.
Jalen Brunson’s 4.3 assists per game were also underwhelming. His scoring no longer impresses me as much because for the Knicks to win a championship, he needs to become more of a quarterback, finding ways to get others involved.
Tyler Kolek, who notched 9 assists in one game, might be able to teach him how to throw alley-oops.
I also fully expect the Knicks to be a top-5 team in steals this season. OG Anunoby led the NBA in steals during his last fully healthy season, averaging 1.9, and in the preseason, he averaged 1.8, well on his way to a monster defensive campaign. Karl-Anthony Towns also impressed me with his active hands, averaging 1.5 steals per game. Mikal Bridges needs to improve in this area as well. By the way Ariel Hukporti put together a good preseason in my opinion showing good defensive IQ and setting great screens. Shows chemistry with Tyler Kolek already and has a huge frame for a young center. I expect Ariel to get a look early on in the season if we see any drop off from Jericho Sims on the bench. Thibs also has the luxury of running Karl Anthony Towns in some lineups at the Power Forward with Ariel or Sims at center. Jericho Sims didn’t impress me during preseason but it’s a wait and see with him, he’s been here for a couple of years paying his dues off the bench.
Blocks are another stat I’ll be paying close attention to, as they can easily lead to fast-break opportunities. It’ll be interesting to see how grimy and gritty Towns can get in the paint, and whether Thibs will allow switches across the board. There are many intriguing aspects of this Knicks season, and I can’t wait to see how it all unfolds.
Best of luck to the New York players, management (Leon Rose, Thibodeau), and James Dolan, and congratulations to the New York Liberty on their first WNBA championship, beating the Minnesota Lynx today!