D'Antoni D?

Occasionally I have thoughts and Metta World Peace jokes that cannot be adequately articulated in 140 characters.

The New York Knicks gave up an average of 105.7 points per game last year. Accounting for the fact that the D'Antoni run and gun system allows opposing teams more possessions, the Knicks allowed 110 points per 100 possessions - 22nd in the league. The only team to make it past the first round of the playoffs giving up more than 96 points per game in the regular season was the Oklahoma City Thunder (101 ppg). This statistic for the Thunder can be misleading as they traded for the scowling, paint protecting, trash talking, asymmetric, occasionally melancholy defensive force that is Kendrick Perkins at the trade deadline. After the Perk acquisition, the Thunder allowed only 98 points per game. Not since the 2001 Lakers has a team won a championship without finishing in the top 10 in opponent points per possession and not since the 1995 Houston Rockets, who allowed 101 ppg, has a championship team allowed more than 100 points per game. While, in theory, an elite offense can compensate for subpar defensive play, clearly a solid defense is a valuable asset for any team with championship aspirations.

Defensive struggles are nothing new to this team. The Knicks have not played well defensively since Jeff Van Gundy was their coach. Interestingly, the Van Gundy days were also the last time the Knicks made it to the finals. Coach Mike D'Antoni with his "Seven Seconds or Less" style has always preferred to outscore opponents rather than stop them. However, the abysmal defense of his teams is also in part due to the players themselves. Steve Nash, Jamal Crawford, and Nate Robinson have not exactly been lock down defenders regardless of who's coaching them.

The news that Tyson Chanlder has signed with the Knicks is intriguing. Chandler has little offensive value. His post game is severely limited and his increased field goal percentage last year is probably a fluke. Chandler is cut from the same cloth as Perkins. They are both tough, physical defenders who protect the rim and aren't afraid to get into it with the other team. One player can have a huge impact defensively based on his individual play. Having Chandler behind pedestrian defenders such as Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudmire helps erase a lot of mistakes that the latter two make.

The most interesting part of the Chandler signing is the effect he might have on his teammates. When KG joined the Celtics before the 2008 championship run, Paul Pierce played defense as well as he grew a beard. KG changed the culture, making competing hard on defense a source of pride. Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and the rest of the Celtics completely changed their defensive game. Chandler helped anchor the defense last year in Dallas and ultimately won a championship with them. Unlike either of these teams, the 2012 Knicks are not old. Amar'e and Melo are athletes in their prime who just don't try that hard on defense. If the unselfish play on offense and effort on defense of Tyson Chandler can inspire effort on both ends of the court from Stoudemire and Anthony, the Knicks may well have an above average defense even within the D'Antoni system.

The Chandler signing is just one of a series of moves that may signify a change of philosophy in New York. Iman Shumpert was welcomed to the Knicks with a chorus of boos from the fans in attendance at this summer's draft. In Shumpert, the Knicks chose a 6'6, long armed guard with active hands. Knicks fans were upset that the team passed on Marshon Brooks with his gaudy numbers at  Providence. They wanted high-volume, low-efficiency scoring, not stops. The Knicks front office might finally be operating in a more considered manner than their fan base. In addition, former Hawks coach Mike Woodson has joined the Knicks as an assistant coach focusing on defense. While the Hawks were never elite defensively under Woodsen, they progressed from allowing 111.1 points per 100 possessions in 2005 to 106.7 points per 100 possessions in 2010 - a changed from 29th to 13th in the league.

If the culture is changing in New York and the Knicks are truly committed to defense, I could see them winning the Eastern Conference and possibly the even the championship, depending on how the Chris Paul, Dwight Howard, and free agency situations play out. Of course, this all requires that Chandler and Stoudemire stay healthy and Melo, who whined his way out of town in Denver, is going to be an unselfish teammate who is willing to change his defensive game for the good of the team. What's that? The Knicks signed Mike Bibby? Screw it. Nevermind.