Melo’s Offense Has Changed… For The Better

To say the Knicks are playing on all cylinders doesn’t do justice to how incredibly the team has performed. The defense has been tremendous, as the team currently leads the league in opponent’s points allowed (87.5), opponent’s field goal percentage (41%) and defensive efficiency (95.7). While the numbers and rankings may be a major surprise, the team was fifth in defensive efficiency last season and Mike Woodson-coached teams have a history of playing hard-nosed defense. His Atlanta Hawks improved every year in defensive efficiency, going from 28th in 2004-05 all the way up to 13th in 2009-10. The major surprise, and what was a concern during the pre-season, has been the Knicks’ performance offensively. They ‘re currently second in the league in scoring (104.5), eighth in field goal percentage (45%), second in three-point shooting (44%) and lead the league in offensive efficiency (114.3), while averaging the lowest turnovers (11.3) per game. There are many contributing factors to the Knicks’ offensive onslaught early this season, but the most notable is the play of their leader, Carmelo Anthony.