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Knicks fans, let's talk about DeLon Wright. The Knicks have won 3 straight games with him as the starting point guard, stepping in for Jalen Brunson, Deuce McBride and Camp Payne
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He's making an impact on both ends, so what does this mean for his role moving forward? Could he actually be the backup point guard come playoff time? Let's break it all down
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Since taking over as the starter, Wright has helped lead the Knicks to wins over the Bucks, Trailblazers and 76ers
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Let's take a closer look at his performance in each of these games. Against the Milwaukee Bucks, Wright played 30 minutes scoring 12 points on 5 for 9 shooting with 4 assists, 3 rebounds and a steal
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He was a steady presence on both ends, taking care of the ball and keeping the offense running smoothly while also helping defend on defense
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Against the Portland Trailblazers, this was a more defensive focused game for Wright
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he finished with seven points four rebounds two assists two steals and two blocks in 35 minutes
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even though his scoring was limited his defensive presence was crucial in disrupting portland young backcourt and then against the philadelphia 76ers last night in what was arguably his best all game of the stretch Wright scored 12 points on 57 shooting adding 4 assists
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4 rebounds, and 3 steals. He was aggressive defensively, getting into passing lanes
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and making life difficult for Phillies guards like Quentin Grimes. The Knicks are now 3-0 with
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Wright as the starter, and while he's not putting up flashy numbers, his ability to defend
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facilitate and play smart basketball has been a key factor. His plus minus across these three
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games is a combined plus 24 showing how effective he's been. What makes DeLon Wright such a valuable
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piece for the Knicks right now? Number one is his defensive versatility. At 6'5 with a 6'7 wingspan
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Wright has the size to defend multiple positions and he's been a menace in passing lanes
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averaging 2.3 steals per game in these last three starts. Number two is that he's a low
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turnover playmaker. Wright rarely makes mistakes. He's averaging only 1.3 turnovers per game
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ensuring the offense stays steady even without Brunson And then number three is that he an experienced floor general Unlike some of the younger options on the roster Wright brings 9 years of NBA experience including playoff experience with Washington Toronto and Memphis
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He knows how to run an offense without forcing bad shots. And then finally, number 4 is his impact without needing shots
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Unlike Cam Payne, who looks to score more often, Wright is a pass-first point guard who focuses on keeping the team in rhythm
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rather than dominating the ball. So the biggest takeaway is his defensive impact
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Opponents are shooting under 42% from the field when defended by Wright in this stretch
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proving that he's a difference maker on that end. Now the big question is, what happens when Cam Payne is healthy
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Before Payne's injury, he was playing ahead of Wright in the rotation, but after these last three games, should that still be the case
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Payne is a more natural scorer, but he's not as strong defensively and can be turnover prone at times
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Wright brings more balance, focusing on defense and playmaking while letting guys like Mikael
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Bridges and OG Ananobi handle secondary scoring Tom Thibodeau values defense and steadiness which could give Wright the edge in earning more minutes moving forward There also the playoff factor In a tight series having a defensive low
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guard like Wright could be crucial especially against teams with elite backcourts like Cleveland
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or Boston. And tonight, the Knicks take on the Cavaliers which will be a huge test for Wright
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Cleveland's backcourt of Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland is one of the toughest matchups
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in the east. The questions for tonight will be can Wright slow down Garland's speed and playmaking
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can he help contain Mitchell who's capable of dropping 30 plus on any given night? And then
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will his defensive IQ and playmaking be enough to keep the Knicks offense running efficiently
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If Wright delivers again, it's going to force tips to reconsider his rotation heading into the final
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stretch of the regular season. So Knicks fans, what do you guys think? Should Wright be the
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point guard off the bench once campaign and brunson return or should campaign still get the
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nod let me know in the comment section down below and as always if you did enjoy this video make sure
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to hit that like button and subscribe to the channel for more nicks news and updates you
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won't want to miss it's been knyt here and i'll see you guys in the next one
