New York Knicks: Kristaps Porzingis, Derrick Rose on Lack of Team Chemistry
December 11, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; New York Knicks forward Kristaps Porzingis (6), guard Derrick Rose (25), forward Carmelo Anthony (7) and guard Courtney Lee (5) react during the 118-112 victory against the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

New York Knicks‘ stars Kristaps Porzingis and Derrick Rose got real about the problems surrounding the struggling franchise.

The New York Knicks are now starting to figure out what’s the problem. Some of the players evaluated the team and gave some of their thoughts about the season.

The Knicks were supposed to be one of the best teams in the East; New York was expected to compete in the playoffs. It was supposed to be inevitable that the Knicks made it to the playoffs because the roster, but new changes can take a long time to start flourishing well.

New York got the former MVP, former defensive player, scoring champion, a 7’3 sophomore, and a 3 & D shooting guard in their starting lineup. The resume alone is already looking good for the Knicks. However, the season came to an end for the Knicks early.

It was Derrick Rose‘s first time running the triangle and playing with Kristaps Porzingis and Carmelo Anthony.

Yesterday, Porzingis and Rose talked about why the teams don’t have any continuity or proficient.

Porzingis told Al Iannazzone of Newsday that if you were the opposing team than you would know the team was bad.

“I think it was pretty easy to tell from the inside that we’re not that good of a team,” Porzingis told Al Iannazone

Additionally, Porzingis said the 27 games they won this year was basically off the talent they have. (Rose, Melo, Courtney Lee, Willy Hernangomez, Porzingis)

“We can win games based off of our talent, but that’s not going to last long, and that’s exactly what happened.”

The team has a lot of stars, but the biggest problem this year was getting off to slow starts on defense. Porzingis feels like the problem is just getting more time with the new players.

The first year when LeBron James went to the Miami Heat, they didn’t win the finals. Miami season underachieved because of the superstar talent they had. It took them the next year to have a successful season. Porzingis wants more time with Rose since they only played for each other for one season.

“Just more work, attention to details, keep growing as a team,” he said. “Obviously, a good team needs some time to play together. This was our first year for most guys playing together. It never happens like that: You trade a couple of players and there you go, you’re a championship contender.

The 7-foot-3 Latvian rising star knew that it would take the time to get to the championship, but he still thinks without making to the finals this not where they wanted to be at the end of the season.

New York would be in the 8th spot in the draft if the season were to end today.

“It’s understandable that we weren’t going to win the championship, but I could tell that we weren’t there yet where we wanted to be.”

New York went through a lot this season to not be where they wanted to be. The Knicks have been a reality TV show since November.

Phil Jackson called out Carmelo Anthony on CBS, Brandon Jennings calling out the coaches, Rose AWOL, Knicks fans Booing Melo, Charles Oakley fighting security, Rose calling out the triangle “Random Baskets.”

Lastly, Porzingis called the offense confusion.

New York is the only team to lose to the Brooklyn Nets twice this season.

“It shows where we are right now,” Porzingis said.

Rose weighed in on what was the problem with New York this season.

We didn’t click,” he said. “We didn’t have that connection that we wanted throughout the season. You need that to go far in this league.”

In the starting five for the New York Knicks Melo, Porzingis and Rose all share one thing in common, and that’s being able to score at any given time at any given moment.

However, the disappointment and disadvantages that linger in the starting unit is the simple fact that each one of these stars all wants the ball at any given moment and any given time which causes a lot of iso ball.

This bad chemistry is one of the main reasons why this starting unit struggles and lacks true chemistry. Sometimes they can be on absolute fire and most of the time they aren’t.

Rose has redundantly spoken about the lack of defense not being aggressively played every game. The lack of chemistry come from not trusting their other teammates other than the big three.

Melo has talked about everything he’s been saying since day one of the Knicks troubles, but has anyone spoke about the chemistry that the starting five lack?

Why is the second group so much better and poised when they play? Maybe it’s because they do the total opposite of what their starting five and also leaders are supposed to do when they are on the court.

There isn’t enough passing, enough scoring, enough cutting, etc. when the starting five is on the court. The second unit does all of these things, and they do it well. The second group plays with passion, effort, and heart; Jeff Hornacek claims that the second unit is playing better than the first unit when they are on the court.

The starting unit stands around on offense and watches Melo while they do the same on defense.
19 Years Old, from Chicago, IL. NBA writer for EliteSportsNY and RealBallInsider. MLB writer for ROBaseball. Sports Writer for The Communicator Newspaper. Co-Host on Sports Show "SportsSanity" blogtalkradio.com/sportssanity