The 2-4 New York Knicks need some answers, and they’re banking on assistant coach Kurt Rambis to help find them.
According to a report by Marc Stein of ESPN on Tuesday, the Knicks have put Rambis in charge of their defense. The team’s assistants apparently began the year without specific areas of responsibility, but their poor start on the defensive end of the floor is necessitating the change.
NBA coaching sources say the Knicks have put assistant Kurt Rambis in charge of the team's defense, New York's prime area of concern at 2-4.
— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) November 8, 2016
The Knicks began the season without specific areas of emphasis for their assistants but have asked Rambis to focus on D given the early woes
— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) November 8, 2016
The Knicks rank dead last in defensive efficiency through their first six games of the season (per ESPN) and are giving up 109.8 points per game, the fourth-worst mark in the league.
The 58-year-old Rambis coached the team on an interim basis for 28 games last season, going 9-19 (.321). He remained on the Knicks staff as their associate head coach after they hired Jeff Hornacek, but he doesn’t exactly have the strongest defensive track record, per Kevin Pelton of ESPN.
Rambis has coached two teams for a full season. They finished 28th and 27th in defensive rating. https://t.co/vjwTwVoYcq
— Kevin Pelton (@kpelton) November 8, 2016
Nevertheless, Rambis has always been Phil Jackson’s guy, so perhaps tasking him with overseeing the defense will be a step in the right direction for a Knicks team in near-total disarray right now.
Image Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
