The New York Knicks are rolling. After spending much of the second half of this season as a .500 team, they have tallied 10 consecutive wins following their 95-82 defeat of the Atlanta Hawks — a potential first-round foe in the upcoming NBA playoffs.
Much of the Knicks’ turnaround can be credited to prolific shooter J.R. Smith. The eight-year veteran shooting guard is an underrated commodity off the bench for the Knicks.
Known to take an overwhelming number of shots, Smith is an underrated rebounder and defender — when he puts in the effort (the lack of which has always been his biggest knock). But he’s generally been a motivated team player since coming to New York in 2012, and it has benefited him and the Knicks greatly. His presence in both departments has been vital for the Knicks’ revitalization, during which he has averaged 5.7 rebounds per game over these last 10.
But of course, it is Smith’s scoring prowess that has helped elevate the Knicks to new heights.
During this 10-game winning streak, Smith has averaged 23.3 points per game on over 50 percent shooting. He is averaging 17.6 points per game on just over 41 percent shooting this season.
As a result, opposing teams have had trouble accounting for the always-lethal scoring of star forward Carmelo Anthony. Anthony has seen a lot more opportunities to score than usual thanks to Smith’s success. During this 10-game winning streak, Anthony is averaging 31.4 points per game and has posted two consecutive 40-point performances.
As long as Smith is hot the Knicks are a dangerous force in the NBA. During the streak, the Knicks — currently the second-seeded team in the Eastern Conference — have toppled playoff-caliber competition in six games.
If they wish to be realistic contenders in challenging the Miami Heat for the Eastern Conference crown (by way of the playoffs and then in winning the NBA championship), they will need Smith playing just as he is right now. The Knicks are 15-9 when he eclipses 20 points, including a season-high 37 against the Charlotte Bobcats on March 29th.
Louis Musto is a NY sports reporter and host of upcoming show, The Morning View, for the Sports Journey Broadcast Network. You can follow him on Twitter @LouisMusto.