post (he's first in points per play on post-ups among players who have finished at least 45 plays from the post, per Synergy Sports, via NBA.com), yet he's strangely unable to connect from outside (32.1 percent from three).

But if those developments are not surprising, given these players' past struggles in the aforementioned areas, they are a bit concerning as the Knicks gear up for a potential run at a low-end playoff spot in the suddenly deep Eastern Conference.

Knicks guards almost never drive to the basket

Jason DeCrow/Associated Press

According to the SportVU player-tracking data on NBA.com, the Knicks average just 14.6 drives per game—the league's lowest total. This is the second straight season they have been last in drives, and they actually drove to the basket more often on aper-game basis last season despite playing at a slower pace.

This lack of driving ability showed up in full force during the 117-98 loss to the Hawks on Saturday night in Atlanta. In the second half, Atlanta began pressuring New York's guards out beyond the three-point line, and they couldn't manage to get into the paint. The strategy completely short-circuited New York's offense, and the Knicks slumped to 35 points in the second half after scoring 63 in the first.

The triangle offense famously does not feature much in the way of pick-and-rolls—the primary avenue through which most teams penetrate in today's NBA. Because of that, Knicks guards rarely come blaring around a screen moving downhill and into the paint.

Instead, New York prefers to get its penetration through post-ups. No