A defensive stop only counts once somebody grabs the ball. That is the bit I’m watching in Knicks–Magic: New York has been able to compete on the glass even in losses, while Orlando’s last game got away from them through both missed shots and lost rebounds. If the Knicks finish possessions, can they then keep the ball moving without giving those extra chances back? Two early league games each make this a question, not a verdict.
Against Boston, the Knicks won the rebound count 44–37 but committed 16 turnovers to Boston’s 10 in a four-point loss. Orlando’s loss to Minnesota had a 43–61 rebound gap; the Magic also made eight of 39 threes. Those are different routes to the same problem: too few useful possessions after the initial action. I want to see which team cleans up the second play first.
