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New York Knicks Need to Start Jerian Grant and Statistics Show It

By Stephen Conway

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The New York Knicks are 2-3 in a still very early regular season. The unexpected impressive play of rookies Kristaps Porzingis and Jerian Grant, coupled with the solid play of the second unit, have made New York some what relevant in the NBA thus far. Specifically Grant has been playing at a very high level, and it seems like his play rubs off on the rest of the Knicks on the court. So, I decided to investigate further, and the statistics are quite alarming.

The 23-year-old guard is averaging eight points, four assists, and 3.5 rebounds in his very young NBA career. Grant is averaging just under 23 minutes a game on the court, usually commanding the second unit, with second year player Langston Galloway. The duo of these two young players is what has made New York’s second unit so successful in five games. Specifically Grant, whose play has been overshadowed by fellow rookie and fourth overall draft selection Porzingis, seems to make the Knicks better when he’s on the court. The statistics show it.

Grant’s offensive rating, which is a statistic that evaluates the number of points per 100 possessions that a team scores while an individual player is on the court, is 108.2. That percentage is the highest among players who average at least 20 minutes per game. Sasha Vujacic, the current Knicks starting two-guard, is second with 102.2 offensive rating, while Galloway is third with a 100.4 offensive rating. Jose Calderon, New York’s starting point guard, is among the lowest offensive ratings per player averaging at least 20 minutes per game, with a 93.7 offensive rating.

Defensively, Grant still takes the cake. Grants defensive rating, which is the number of points per 100 possessions that a team gives up while the individual is on the court, is among the lowest on the team. Grants defensive rating is 95,7, while both Calderon and Vujacic ratings are over 100.1. Grant’s net rating, which is the difference between a players offensive rating and defensive rating, is 12.5. That is far better than Galloway, Vujacic, and Calderon’s net ratings combined. By the way, their combined rating is -9, and Calderon’s net rating alone is the worst on the team, at -7.9. New York scores more points, and gives up less when Grant is on the court, simple as that.

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Lets dig a little deeper. The assist percentage is the percentage of teammates field goals that the player assisted. Grant leads the team in this category with a 22.7 assist percentage. Similarly, his assist ratio, which measures the assists a player or team averages per 100 of their own possessions, is 28.0, highest on the team. Not only does the team score more when Grant is on the floor, but the Knicks play more team basketball, resulting in better performance. Grant also facilitates and creates more so than both  Vujacic and Calderon do, and the statistics back it up.

Why not investigate further? A players impact estimate (starting to get crazy, I know) is an estimate of a player or teams contributions and impact on a game. No surprise here, Grant is at the top of chart, with a 11.9 PIE, trailing behind superstar Carmelo Anthony (14.5 PIE) and Galloway (13.8 PIE). Basically, Grant has a significant impact on the Knicks performance, on both sides of the ball.

New York has 77 more games to play; there is plenty of season left. For now, Coach Derek Fisher is going with experience, with Calderon 34 years of age, and Vujacic 31, respectively. While this is a good idea to start the season, I find it hard to believe that Fisher will continue to go with this lineup once December hits, if these trends continue. The statistics are clear, and they show; New York plays better when Grant is on the floor. The guard switch should be made, and sooner rather than later.

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