The New York Knicks had a rough weekend in which they were pummeled by both the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Boston Celtics. Neither game was fairly close and they seemed to lack the energy that their opponents had.
Cameron Payne wants Knicks to communicate better on defense
The defense in particular was brutal and has been a constant issue for them all season. Backup guard Cameron Payne wants that to change, and he called for his team to come into games ready to be more communicative on the defensive end.
“It’s a thing we have: ELC, early, loud, and continuous,” Payne said (h/t SNY). “We need to be more louder, be more vocal. We’re in an arena, we need to be more loud. The communication part is a trust factor … Say if I got hit and I know he communicated, I know he’s got me.”
Payne has been a spark plug for the Knicks off the bench this season, providing energy on both ends. His hard-nosed style of play has been key for a team with very little bench depth.
The Knicks need to turn around their defensive struggles
Despite that, New York’s defensive woes are very real and are likely what will cost them a chance at a deep run through the playoffs. The Knicks’ offense has carried them to their 37-20 start, but the lack of defensive intensity is a big part of why they are 0-7 against the top three teams in the league (Cavaliers, Celtics, Thunder).
The hope is that the defense improves largely once center Mitchell Robinson returns, which could be any day now. However, Robinson is not a perimeter defender, and giving up too many threes has been a big problem with them right now. Until that changes, the Knicks will continue to struggle against good shooting teams.
The Knicks will have a chance to right the ship on Wednesday when they take on the depleted Philadelphia 76ers at Madison Square Garden. Joel Embiid is listed as out for the 76ers.