Concerning pattern puts Knicks starters at a significant disadvantage against Celtics

Knicks’ Struggles Highlighted in Playoff Series

Some numbers stand out, although not in a positive light.

They signify a notable anomaly compared to other statistics.

Watching the games makes these trends evident.

The Knicks’ starting lineup has been facing significant challenges.

In their first three playoff games against the Celtics, the five starters—Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, Josh Hart, and Karl-Anthony Towns—managed a mere 29 points together.

Interestingly, another five-player combination they used did no worse than a minus 7 in performance.

“I think a lot of that is how you start the game and the start of the second half,” Hart mentioned on Sunday. “We’re not really imposing our will right from the beginning. It’s a familiar issue; remember when we struggled in Detroit? We had a lead, and then we let it slip in a matter of minutes.”

During their combined time on the court, which totals 68 minutes, this group has shot just 37.0% from the field and an even lower 23.8% from beyond the arc.

Surprisingly, they’ve also committed more turnovers (22) than assists (21) in that stretch.

On the other hand, their most effective lineup featured Mitchell Robinson instead of Towns. In just 14 minutes together, Brunson, Bridges, Anunoby, Hart, and Robinson managed to outscore the Celtics by nine points.

It seems reasonable for Thibodeau to start Robinson in the upcoming quarters to mitigate the Celtics’ strategy of targeting him for fouls.

Knicks’ Playoff Coverage Insights

This adjustment could help leverage the units that have proven to work well together. Yet, it seems unlikely that Thibodeau will actually start Robinson, so the same five from earlier may begin again.

There’s been talk about needing more energy and urgency at the start of games and after halftime, but the results haven’t changed much. So, will they truly back those words during Game 4 on Monday night?

“It’s the playoffs. I can’t just accept playing my last game,” Hart expressed. “This is the moment we’ve all dreamed of. We need to make that urgency known on Monday.”