Knicks increased 3-point focus is finally paying dividends as wins keep coming

One of Tom Thibodeau’s stated points of emphasis for the Knicks this season — to increase their volume of 3-point attempts to take advantage of their proficiency from the outside — is starting to come to fruition.

Monday’s blowout win over the Wizards marked the Knicks’ second consecutive game with 40 tries from beyond the 3-point arc, another byproduct of their increased familiarity with each other following a slow start with a revamped starting lineup.

The Knicks were near the bottom of the league in long-range attempts at just 31.8 per game through their first six games, but they have averaged 38.1 over their past eight games. That includes four wins in their past five to improve to 8-6 entering the opener of a five-game road trip Wednesday night in Phoenix.

“I think what gives us momentum is the way we’re playing. We’re playing good basketball right now,” center Karl-Anthony Towns said. “We have a lot of areas we obviously could be better at, but to come out with wins on four out of five nights, it just speaks to our improvement and that we’re trending in the right direction.”

The 7-foot Towns leads the Knicks with 2.6 made treys per game, and he’s connecting on a whopping 51.5 percent from long distance through his 13 appearances, good for seventh in the NBA entering Tuesday’s league action.

His effectiveness has helped the Knicks to a No. 3 league ranking through Monday’s win over the Wizards at 38.8 percent, behind only the Cavaliers and the Warriors.

“The league has changed. Not only the league, but the philosophy has changed,” Towns said. “The players have changed, too. The players have evolved. The big men are asked to do more than they’ve ever been asked to do.

“The game has become different and we’re all adjusting as we go. There’s a lot of success in the philosophy that’s trying to be implemented into the NBA right now. Everyone is trying to strive for a championship.”

Like Towns, Mikal Bridges also has been integrated into the starting lineup following an offseason trade. He is shooting just 31.1 percent from downtown, but he has hoisted the most attempts on the team with 6.4 per game.

Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby also are taking more than five 3-point shots per game, while reserve guards Miles McBride (5.3) and Cam Payne (3.9) are adding 9.2 combined attempts off the bench.

Mikal Bridges #25 of the New York Knicks watches his shot during the first half.

Mikal Bridges #25 of the New York Knicks watches his shot during the first half.

“I think guys are starting to play in a good rhythm, the chemistry is good, we’re pushing the ball up the floor and getting into the next action quickly,” Thibodeau said. “As long as we keep moving and attacking space, I think good things are going to come from that.”

Thibodeau often says “the game will tell you what to do,” even if it’s been an easier said than done proposition than simply hoisting more shots within the flow of the team’s offense.

But the numbers certainly are rising, by design.

“Definitely, when people say, ‘They gotta shoot more 3s,’ it’s not like it’s just black and white,” Josh Hart said. “It’s not like, ‘Oh, let’s go out there and shoot more 3s.’ You gotta go out there and shoot good 3s, you gotta generate good 3s. So it’s definitely a change.

“Obviously JB is really good in the post and the midrange. Mikal is really good, same thing. KAT obviously can score [inside or outside]. … So we obviously don’t want to take away from their game … but we want to shoot the right shots.”