The Knicks left the court on Saturday to a chorus of boos from their own fans. It didn’t take long for the disappointment to set in.
Boos filled the arena when Cooper Flagg intercepted a pass from Miles McBride, pushing the Mavericks’ lead to 18 points with 7:10 still in the second quarter. Coach Mike Brown called a timeout, but the situation only got worse. After the break, the Mavericks quickly went up by 20, and before long, that lead reached 30 points. As they headed into halftime, down by 28, the cheers had turned into frustrated silence, with many fans opting to leave before the game ended.
This was, perhaps, one of the worst losses the Knicks have faced this season, which is saying something given their string of disappointing performances. It feels like a cycle where new contenders for the title of “worst loss” keep emerging.
The Knicks really needed to show up for this game. The Mavericks were nine games under .500 and had a lengthy injury list. There was no room for excuses.
But then, on Monday night, they fell again, losing 114-97 at Madison Square Garden. This marked their fourth consecutive loss. It’s the second time they’ve had a four-game losing streak in the last 11 games, which leaves them at just 2-9 over that stretch. Their record since winning the NBA Cup now stands at 7-11, and with expectations of a strong season, they find themselves just two games above the play-in spot.
It feels like ages ago that Brown was receiving accolades for the team’s performance. Yet now, alarm bells are blaring. The latest setback came at the hands of coach Jason Kidd, who the Knicks had previously shown interest in hiring but weren’t allowed to speak with.
The defense, once a strong point, seems to be faltering. The Knicks allowed the Mavericks to shoot 48 percent overall and 47 percent from beyond the arc, making it all too easy for their opponents to penetrate the paint.
Max Christie lit up the Knicks with a season-high 26 points, shooting 8 of 10 from 3-point range. Naji Marshall contributed 19 points, while the Knicks struggled with their shooting, managing just 40 percent from the field and a disappointing 29 percent from three. This was the fourth time since January 1 they’ve failed to score 100 points. They did manage to outscore the Mavericks in the second half, but it’s hard to find any bright spots right now.
In a brief moment during the third quarter, as Karl-Anthony Towns went on a 7-0 run, fans cheered and chanted “defense,” which felt almost like a token gesture.
Jalen Brunson, back from an ankle sprain, had a tough night, ending with 22 points on 9-of-24 shooting. Towns faced his share of challenges too, including an incident in the second quarter when he kicked Dwight Powell during a shot attempt, but aside from that, there was little fight or energy from him or his teammates. If you weren’t paying close attention, you might have thought Mikal Bridges wasn’t even playing. The bench didn’t contribute much besides Mitchell Robinson.
Robinson stood out with 12 points, 15 rebounds (8 offensive), and 2 blocks—really the only shining performance.
Josh Hart, who returned from an ankle issue, mentioned that the team’s struggles might be part of why he hasn’t fully healed. Yet, his return didn’t shift the team’s trajectory.
When asked if they could pinpoint the problem, Hart candidly replied, “If I had, I don’t think we would be in this situation.” That’s the most troubling aspect of their decline—there are simply no clear answers.
Perhaps a concert at the Garden might be in order, given how much the Knicks are struggling right now.
