It's safe to say the Knicks made the right decision when they opted to pay Felton about $4 million per year over a four-year deal instead of matching the Houston Rockets' poison-pill offer for Jeremy Lin.
Felton has averaged 17.3 points and five assists per game over New York's seven playoff contests so far, but his value hardly comes through in those basic numbers. A deeper look shows the Knicks have posted an offensive rating of 98.8 when he's been on the floor against a figure of 97.3 when he hasn't.
As one of the only players on the roster capable of creating opportunities for his teammates, Felton represents a critical piece of the Knicks' offensive puzzle. When he's operating in the pick-and-roll or driving with an eye toward kicking out to shooters, New York is a dangerous offensive team.
Unfortunately, coach Mike Woodson has been opting for a heavy dose of isolation sets lately, which has minimized some of Felton's effectiveness.
If the Knicks are to have any hope of surviving their series with the Indiana Pacers, they'll have to make Felton, who makes less than five other players on the roster, much more of a focal point.
Link: Kashiwa Reysol - Yokohama F. Marinos - Japanese j-League
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