Concerns about the Knicks had quieted recently, but they reemerged on Tuesday.
This was surprising, given that they managed to extend their winning streak to three games.
However, if they had faced almost any other team instead of the struggling Kings, it might have ended differently.
Despite some solid performances, like those from Mitchell Robinson and Mikal Bridges in their 103-87 victory over the Kings, they still had glaring issues.
The Knicks turned the ball over 21 times, allowing the Kings to capitalize and score 20 points off those mistakes.
OG Anunoby only managed seven points, and his three consecutive turnovers late in the third quarter didn’t help the cause.
Luckily, the Kings shot only 16.7 percent from three-point range (5-of-30), though many of those attempts were wide open, which suggests it wasn’t merely a result of good defense from the Knicks.
Ultimately, the Knicks survived a tough three quarters and then outscored the Kings by 16 points in the fourth to secure the win at Madison Square Garden.
They had previously lost nine out of eleven games but found some rhythm with three straight wins. A historically disappointing loss to the Nets, followed by an unexpected win over the 76ers in Philadelphia, seemed to build some confidence that they were steering back to form.
Still, Tuesday’s performance was far from convincing.
During the game, broadcasts showed coach Brown looking bewildered and unsatisfied with his team’s efforts.
Earlier this month, the Knicks faced embarrassment after losing to the Kings in Sacramento.
After Tuesday’s game, the Kings, who had a record below .500 at 24 games, improved to 1-5 prior to this rematch.
For much of Tuesday, the Knicks seemed to be on the verge of a repeat embarrassment.
It wasn’t until just over three minutes remained that the Knicks found their footing, with Jalen Brunson scoring seven consecutive points to extend their lead to 12. Brunson ended the night with a team-high 28 points.
Meanwhile, DeMar DeRozan, at 36, had a standout performance, scoring 34 points.
