Knicks Players Who Have to Elevate Their Game in 2023
The New York Knicks must be big fans of the 2003 film Old School, because they're suddenly streaking Frank the Tank-style.
Following Tuesday's 38-point drubbing of the defending champion Golden State Warriors, the Knicks had reeled off an NBA-best eight straight victories. Just like that, this season that once felt full of frustration now seems overloaded with optimism.
As it should.
There was no guarantee that the streak would continue, and the Toronto Raptors ended it on Wednesday with a 113-106 victory. What this does show, though, is that there are plenty of potential avenues for improvement.
For instance, the following three players turning things around in the new year would be hugely helpful.
RJ Barrett
Knicks fans have long awaited the aha moment for RJ Barrett. Ever since the franchise plucked him with the third overall pick in the 2019 draft, visions of two-way stardom have danced around the heads of 'Bockers backers.
That switch still hasn't flipped, though. In fact, he's shown signs of plateauing, or even regressing in certain areas.
His three-point shot has never been less threatening (career-low 30.9 percent). He previously showed promise as a high-level stopper, but now he's down to the 43rd percentile in estimated defensive plus-minus, per Dunks and Threes. His assist percentage is the lowest it's been in three seasons (13.1) while his turnover percentage is the highest of that stretch (11.4), per Basketball-Reference.
He needs to level up and do it quickly. New York's best path to contention involves Barrett either ascending to star status or flashing enough promise to anchor a blockbuster deal for an established elite.
Immanuel Quickley
If the Knicks want to enjoy something more substantial than a December winning streak, they should allow themselves to get greedy.
Like asking for more from Immanuel Quickley, who's been awesome defensively during this streak.
His offense, however, leaves a lot to be desired.
He can get fiery hot, and he can pile up assists, but he doesn't do either thing consistently. In fact, he has yet to shoot even 40 percent from the field in his career, and his 34.6 three-point percentage is his joint lowest. The gap between his assist percentage (17) and turnover percentage (12.4) has never been smaller, per Basketball-Reference.
Obi Toppin
This is tricky, because it feels a little unfair to Obi Toppin.
He has yet to receive anywhere near the amount of floor time he surely expected upon arriving in New York as the No. 8 pick in 2020. In fact, he ranks just 22nd in career minutes among his draft classmates. He's also currently working his way back from a knee injury, so he needs to get healthy first before worrying about raising his game.
All of that said, though, he can be better than he has been. He was considerably better just last season, in fact. Prior to the injury, he was averaging 16.1 points per 36 minutes on 42.1 percent shooting, per Basketball-Reference. Last season, those numbers were 19 and 53.1, respectively. He has also backtracked in a big way in player efficiency rating, sliding from 18.3 to 12.7 (league average, for context, is 15).
The Knicks need him to be a high-level asset. Even if he's confined to the second unit and blocked by Julius Randle, then Toppin should be obliterating bench players.