[Game] Kings @ Knicks- 4/4/2024 - 4:30PM PST/7:30PM EST (TNT)
- Thread starter QWERTYLICIOUS
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On defense for sure. Huerter being replaced with Keon is obviously a no duh, and it's not a Monk issue per se as much as now Brown is basically replacing a 6'-6'2" player with ones 6'8"-6'10". And now Davion is not having to be the one sliding in on help. He can stay on the ball and teams can't do what they've been doing lately and that's run sets that force Davion onto a F. When you rely on spacing defense that plays down then runs out to contest, size makes a huge difference. The Kings still aren't the quickest when playing big but they can stop teams from bulldozing them with a few screen plays or side pick and rolls now. The Knicks have stepped it up a bit here but last game it was a clear outmuscling going on.
Watching from the backboard, the Knicks keep driving to the basket, but find their way blocked, especially by Mitchell and Ellis. The dribbler crosses the key, then passes out to the corner or the wing. That player passes to the open man. Over and over again. It takes a lot of energy to stop the open looks.
The thing is all year it's been playing super small to fit both Davion and Monk in the rotation, and it's hurt the Kings pretty much all year. For a quick example Monk, Fox, and Ellis next to Domas and Keegan is a -15 net rating on the year and a mind blowing 130 net on defense. As long as the Kings scoring holds up Davion is clearly an upgrade to Monk defensively. Whereas Brown would pretty much run as many as 6-7 guards in his rotation, now he's brought that down to 3-4 depending on if Duarte plays. If the current scoring doesn't hold up then Monk being out probably kills this season though. Even with the defensive upgrade. But they aren't as reliant on that lately.
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