What Will Baron Do For You?
Baron Davis, sidelined with a herniated disc since the Knicks acquired him on Dec. 19th, is slated to return at the end of this month. The return of Davis comes with a great deal of anticipation as he fills the Knicks’ much needed role of floor general.
The Knicks need for a strong PG could not be more evident than in last night’s 4th quarter against the Sixers. Toney Douglas was struggling; picking up his dribble too early and getting trapped in the corner with 10 or less seconds left on the shot lock, preventing the team from getting a good look. While Toney Douglas has great potential, he still has a lot to learn and the Knicks can not rely on him to be the go-to playmaker.
Instead, this season the entire offensive strategy has been dependent on isolation plays centered mainly on Melo and sometimes Amare. While Melo is as good of an isolation player as there is in the league, he has to work really hard for his baskets when all 5 defenders are focused on him. This strategy is unsustainable day in and day out, especially given the demand of the shortened season schedule. Amare’s isolation game has improved significantly since joining the Knicks, disproving the critics who thought he couldn’t do anything without Nash. Yet it is undeniable that Stoudemire is at his best and nearly unstoppable when he is catching the ball on the move, whether it is off of pick and rolls or curl plays. Baron Davis has the experience and the talent to mix it up, get into the lane and run a constant flow offense that D’Antoni has been forced to stray from. Not to mention his ability to push the ball up the floor…
The introduction of Davis to the starting lineup will have residual benefits as well. It will be especially interesting to see the impact on Iman Shumpert and Landry Fields. With Davis being the starting PG, Iman Shumpert would be moved to play alongside the veteran as starting SG, a position he could excel in particularly if he developed his jump shot and could continue to drive to the basket. And Fields, who has been struggling since the addition of Melo late last season, would likely be deferred to the bench once Davis is healthy. Landry might be better suited to come in with Toney D as part of the second unit. They are already accustomed to playing together, which could bring out the Fields we saw in the start of his rookie season last year. This could be integral to invigorating the bench which is currently trailing the league with just 19.7 PPG this season. A strong bench in addition to a starting 5 of Stat, Melo, Chandler, Shumpert and Davis would complete this New York Knicks team.
What makes Baron Davis an especially great fit for the role in NY is that as much as the Knicks need him, he needs the Knicks. While Davis has been inconsistent in the past, he has shown the ability to step up and play brilliantly when needed. This was evident when he made the move from the Clippers to the Cavs. Playing for the Knicks presents a unique test for Baron- the combination of the pressure of playing in the New York spotlight and the potential for greatness in working with one of the leagues most talented front courts. This challenge might be just what is needed to bring Davis back to life.
While we have certainly been seeing better basketball from this team as the season progresses, there is still much room for improvement, especially if the Knicks want to contend in the spring. The team is currently in the bottom half of the league in fastbreak PPG, with only 11.3 per game this season. They are #25 in the league in both total assists per game as well as assists per FGM %. All of these stats, significantly lower than the 2010-11 season, are especially alarming for a D’Antoni team and are a direct reflection of our lack of a playmaking PG.
Baron Davis could just be the crucial missing piece to the puzzle that propels this team to the next level.
