New York Knicks: David Fizdale needs to figure things out, fast

An embarrassing 118-95 loss to Boston on Saturday night, dropped the New York Knicks to 0-3 on the year. There are a multitude of problems that have surfaced in this young season, and most of them can be traced back to head coach David Fizdale.

There were several reasons the New York Knicks hired David Fizdale after the 2017-18 season to be their head coach. They looked at his previous work as an assistant coach with the Lebron James-led Miami Heat. Additionally, he lead the Memphis Grizzlies to a 43-39 record in 2016-17, and the infamous ‘take that for data’ rant.

He was essentially given a pass last year due to the fact that the team was clearly talent-deprived and the goal was to tank games while simultaneously developing young talent. After the New York Knicks front office brought in multiple free agents this offseason, the talent level has clearly increased. However, their on-court product remains the same. Here are a few ways that poor coaching has negatively impacted the Knicks so far.

Refusal to Play Frank Ntilikina

Despite preaching a ‘keep what you kill’ mindset, Fizdale’s leash for some players is much longer than others. Dennis Smith Jr. is averaging an unsightly 1 point and 1 assist per game on 9% shooting through the first 3 games as the primary backup point guard. (Yes, 9% shooting)

While Smith’s talent is undeniable and he’s a much better scorer than what he shown so far, playing him constant minutes isn’t helping his confidence whatsoever. Giving him a few games to rest on the bench and regain his composure would be extremely beneficial, rather than just throwing him into the fire when his confidence is clearly shot.

Meanwhile, Frank Ntilikina is averaging less than two minutes per game in his two appearances this year. While his performance in the season opener was subpar, the fact that he’s only been on the court for 18 seconds since then is inexcusable. Opposing point guards are averaging 25.3 points per game on 57% shooting against the Knicks, while one of their best perimeter defenders remains on the bench.

Confusing Rotations

While managing roster turnover like the New York Knicks have had is tough, David Fizdale’s rotations are extremely head-scratching. After being down 19 points against the Brooklyn Nets, sharpshooter Wayne Ellington provided a huge spark off the bench which ended up in the Knicks storming back to take a late lead. He scored 9 points in 11 minutes, playing a huge role in the Knicks shooting 68% from downtown against Brooklyn.

The Knicks struggled mightily from deep against the Celtics the very next night, shooting just 26%. Ellington didn’t see a single minute on the floor.

Too Much Isolation Offense

In a league where ball movement and passing are paramount, the Knicks haven’t changed their ways. Players like Marcus Morris and Julius Randle are slowing down the offense with numerous attempts at posting up defenders each game. These isolation possessions usually end in a contested mid-range jumper or a turnover.

The Knicks currently lead the NBA with 22 turnovers per game, essentially giving away the ball. Cutting down on isolation and preaching ball movement would help decrease these numbers. Julius Randle has proved he can score without going “iso.”

Final Thoughts

The 2019-20 season is still very young, and it doesn’t help that the New York Knicks have played their first three games against teams that made the postseason last year. Their schedule gets much easier, as 9 of their next 11 games are against teams that finished last season without a winning record.

This squad clearly has flaws. If David Fizdale can’t work to correct these issues fast, the season could quickly get out of hand.

What do you think? Let us know in the comments section below or on social media.