New York Knicks Aiming To Improve Effective Field Goal Percentage

New York Knicks head coach Jeff Hornacek is hoping the team can improve on its effective field goal percentage in 2016-17.

The New York Knicks had some struggles offensively last season. Carmelo Anthony led the way, with budding star Kristaps Porzingis as the sidekick. But beyond that, there was very little help. Derrick Williams was a sparkplug at times off the bench, but players like Arron Afflalo fell short of expectations.

The triangle offense looks good when you have the players for it, which the Knicks didn’t. So this offseason they made some fundamental changes. While Phil Jackson has said some elements of the triangle will stay, newly hired head coach Jeff Hornacek will undoubtedly have some different looks.

Jackson also went out and got Anthony and Porzingis some help. He traded for Derrick Rose from the Chicago Bulls and also added reliable outside shooter Courtney Lee. Brandon Jennings will lead the second unit and is capable of being a double-digit a night scorer.

Having Hornacek running the show should also help. While he coached the Phoenix Suns, Hornacek was lauded for his abilities to get the most out of his players offensively. He had an inventive mind, making the most of what was available to him. He never had a player as talented as Anthony, or someone with the potential of Porzingis. Both should flourish in his system and help the Knicks rebound from a tough 2015-16 season.

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Last season the Knicks averaged 98.4 points per game, ranking 27th in the NBA. They played at a slow pace, averaging 95.8 possessions per game. Without many shot creators or someone to break down the defense, the Knicks offense would bog down at times.

It resulted in a poor 43.9 shooting percentage for the season. They shot 34.6 percent from deep, as they just couldn’t generate many clean, open looks. For the season, the Knicks had an effective field goal percentage of 48.3 percent, 28th in the NBA.

Effective field goal percentage is a statistic that adjusts for the fact that a 3-point field goal is worth one more point than a 2-point field goal; it uses the formula of (FG + 0.5 * 3P) / FGA.

It is a number that shows just how much the Knicks struggled offensively. Jeff Hornacek is hoping that he can help turn that around.

"“I thought that for a team, it was pretty low last year for guys,” Hornacek said. “That should be above 50 percent. And I think if you look at their effective field-goal percentage from last season, I think all of them are going to improve on that because they’re not going to have to take tough, hard shots. Our hope is we have enough talent out there on the court [to draw and take advantage of double teams and create open shots].”"

Only two Knicks, Robin Lopez and Afflalo, had an effective shooting percentage of 50 percent or higher. Anthony ranked 98th with an EFG% of 47.4, while Porzingis was 103rd with 46.7. If things go to plan, both numbers should improve with a better supporting cast.

The Knicks have a much-improved roster for 2016-17. Rose brings an element to the team that they haven’t seen since Stephon Marbury. Lee should help space the floor, which can open up the court for Anthony and Porzingis to operate. The Knicks have a multitude of pick-and-roll pairings they can use, as Joakim Noah is a capable playmaker as well.

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It should all result in a more free flowing offense. The Knicks will look to get out in transition more, as they ranked last in the NBA with 8.4 fastbreak points per game. That is a number they should improve upon with Hornacek on the sideline. It will also improve their effective field goal percentage as easier shots will improve their shooting percentage from anywhere on the court.

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