The statistics were alarming. Mike Brown mentioned that this isn’t discussed enough. Given how well the Knicks defended the paint throughout the regular season, what transpired in the second half of Game 2—where the Hawks racked up 42 points in the paint—was quite shocking.
In fact, it was the Knicks’ weakest paint defensive performance in the first half of any game this year, by a significant margin.
In the regular season, they ranked third in limiting points scored in the paint, allowing only an average of 43.4 points per game in that area. They often restricted opponents to fewer than 42 points in multiple matches. Brown attributed Monday’s slip to a failure in execution, a sentiment echoed by Josh Hart, who pointed to a lack of physicality.
The Knicks have unearthed new vulnerabilities, and Atlanta is likely to capitalize on this in Game 3. It’s now crucial for the Knicks to seek out solutions across their roster.
“I don’t think we played as physically as we did in Game 1 and the first half of Game 2,” Hart noted Wednesday before heading to Atlanta. “When you forfeit that physicality, you let them dictate their own rhythm, rather than you controlling the game. It’s essential to be strong physically, pay close attention to detail, and maintain concentration for the entire 48 minutes.”
It might just be a one-off incident. The Knicks are recognized for their defensive prowess in the paint and had the best defense in the NBA over the last couple of months of the regular season. So, to see them collapse as they did Monday was unexpected. However, Hart theorized that the Hawks will aim to exploit the paint again.
A simple fix could be to increase Mitchell Robinson’s minutes, given he’s the Knicks’ top interior defender. But there are risks associated with that approach.
His playing time increased from 14:30 to 18:09 in the first two games of the series. Could Brown afford to keep him on the floor longer without facing a potential “hack-a-Mitch” scenario? And if Robinson plays more, who sits out?
These are the strategic dilemmas that will unfold during this best-of-seven series.
In Game 2’s first half, the Knicks allowed only 16 points in the paint. Yet, CJ McCollum, after breaking through Jalen Brunson’s defense, managed to score 16 points in the paint alone, ten of which came in the second half.
Twelve of Jalen Johnson’s points in the second half were scored nearby the basket, highlighting his impact with a layup early in the third quarter. After the Knicks held a 13-point lead, he executed a pump fake on the left side and shot past Hart before help from Karl-Anthony Towns could arrive.
The disparity in paint scoring became glaring in the fourth quarter, with the Hawks outscoring the Knicks 22-4. Jonathan Kuminga finished a play with a dunk after coming off a screen, narrowing the score to 93-85. He delivered a lob pass over all of the Knicks defenders to Onyeka Okongwu, who followed with another dunk. The Hawks’ ball movement kept creating openings, and the Knicks couldn’t close the gap in time.
“You have to give Atlanta their due,” Brown remarked. “We simply didn’t execute our defensive game plan the way we should have, or the way we had been performing over the first six quarters of this series.”
Now, Atlanta has the opportunity to exploit this weakness and potentially redefine the series. As Mikal Bridges put it, it’s time for the Knicks to “remain physical.” They need to adapt quickly, “show your body,” and support the player defending the ball.
And thus the chess match of the playoffs begins.
“This is why focus and attention to detail matter so much during the playoffs,” Hart emphasized. “Sometimes, it all comes down to strategy and player positioning. You have to be adaptable. When you’re truly focused, you notice the details and execute them seamlessly.”
