3 ways in which Kemba Walker and Evan Fournier have improved the New York Knicks
The New York Knicks are one of the biggest surprises early in the 2021-22 season. Evan Founier and Kemba Walker were brought in to help stabilize the the New York Knicks and to also help propel them into a potentially deep playoff run. The 5 -1 New York Knicks, who were 4-0 in the preseason, have done it from the arc as well as with stellar defense. Evan Fournier and Kemba Walker have been catalysts to not only keep the New York Knicks afloat, but to win games lesser teams lose. A galvanized winning mindset would be the reason the New York Knicks make that aforementioned deep playoff run, but that's another story far in this season's future. For now, what have Evan Fournier and Kemba Walker done to make this New York Knicks team one of the best so far in the Eastern Conference?
"This is the best I've felt in a very long time"
- Kemba Walker https://t.co/TnaNrlGL9L
New York Knicks
The New York Knicks are sixth in the NBA in catch and shoot % (39.6) and tied for 10th in catch and shoot three-point makes at 8.3 per game. The New York Knicks at 41% are fourth in three point catch and shoot percentage and effective field goal percentage at 58%. Defensively, the New York Knicks hold opponents to 32% from 20-24 feet. Regarding screen assists, the New York Knicks are third with 12 per game and 2nd with 30 points per game off those assists. Tom Thibodeau's scrappy crew is 9th in defensive recovered loose balls with 3 per game, so the New York Knicks are also scrambling on defense to fit their personnel.
Bing Bong
@nyknicks The New York #Knicks are 5-1. BING BONG!!! #NewYorkForever https://t.co/Ktyr7VM06Y
Winners of three straight and atop the Eastern Conference, NBA fans, and especially New York fans, have embraced the term Bing Bong after a fan uttered the phrase after the New York Knicks opening win vs. the Boston Celtics. The rallying cry is all over social media, and as the New York Knicks keep winning, expect Bing Bong to be everywhere. This is an exciting time for the New York Knicks, and Madison Square Garden is alive again for all the right reasons, and not just a sideshow because it sits in Gotham City.
Evan Fournier drops 12 of his 32 points in OT and 2OT to lift the @nyknicks in his first game with the team! 🔥 https://t.co/JYfX9wkgOp
#3 Evan Fournier respect for coach
Evan Fournier scores 17.3 points per game, and shooting 43% from deep in his 10th season playing for a team with big time optimism in the most famous of cities. He's learned a lot from Coach Thibs:
“I think he’s exceptional in the work ethic that he installs in practice. We’re all tired. We’re all working really hard, but he somehow makes it fun. He knows when to f–k around, joke, smile and bring a good and positive attitude. And he knows when to be tough, make sure we go harder, make sure we understand what he wants from us and he really demands us to give everything we have on each drill.”
Fournier, who signed a four-year, 78 million dollar deal to join the New York Knicks was coveted by Thibodeau, and despite all the money the New York Knicks have invested in this current roster, the experience, namely with Fournier and Walker, is something Thibs will have to trust and stand on.
#2 Kemba Walker sacrifice
Kemba Walker, a Bronx native, just wants to win, so why not in a New York borough? Averaging 15 points on 50% shooting and 57% from deep is the perfect way to show and prove to the New York Knicks fanbase that he is seriously focused on more than just individual stats. Sacrificing All-Star game considerations by running the point with Derrick Rose instead of being focused on scoring himself, there is no question Kemba Walker is all about winning. He's doing what Tom Thibodeau needs him to do at this stage in his career, and though he is not the rim attacker he was earlier in his career, this has to be a good time for Kemba Walker after a sluggish start to the season.
#1 Evan Fournier and Kemba Walker complete the roster -- for now
There's always an NBA All-Star break if Leon Rose and the New York Knicks front office want to improve scoring punches. Yet with Evan Fournier and Kemba Walker, the New York Knicks have guards capable of matching the opposition in scoring. Both are crafty enough to perform in the clutch moments of the season and as they continue to shoot the rock well, there is no question Tom Thibodeau is happy with where the New York Knicks sit this season. The team will be strapped cap-wise for a few years, so Fournier and Walker might as well get used to the Madison Square Garden lights. They surely want to shine on these two as the New York Knicks fight to scrap the top of the Eastern Conference and the rest of the NBA.