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Barker: Knicks look bad, but it’s still early

Vaseline November 9, 2024

Yes, it’s disappointing. Yeah, it’s not what you expected. And yes, it’s way too early for fans to panic.

We’re talking Knicks basketball here, and the confusing truth is that this team — which has been transformed into a bona fide title contender in the offseason — isn’t currently anywhere as good or as likable as the team you cheered on for all of its first two seasons. rounds of last season’s play-offs.

After collapsing in the final minutes of back-to-back losses to Houston and Atlanta, the Knicks have fallen below .500. With a record of 3-4 heading into Friday night’s game against the Milwaukee Bucks, the Knicks are off to a worse start than the 4-4 Nets, who many sportsbooks project would finish with a league-low 19.5 wins.

On paper, the Knicks have a roster that should rival any team in the league. In reality, they are a team with two new starters – Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns – and they are still trying to find their way.

What made last season’s team must-see TV was the way the players seemed willing to run through a wall for each other. That group wasn’t as talented as the team the Knicks have on the floor now, but they had a feeling for each other, an understanding of everyone’s strengths and weaknesses.

It was that familiarity and understanding of the mission that made it possible for them to survive injury after injury. It’s what made it possible for them to fall just one win short of reaching the Eastern Conference Finals, despite the fact that their starting lineup in the final game of the playoffs included just one player – Jalen Brunson – who had been in their starting line-up at the start of the season.

Judging by the looks on the players’ faces as Houston and Atlanta made late runs in the final two games of their most recent road trip, these Knicks are not on the same page, and perhaps not even in the same chapter. They are clearly feeling each other out, which was most painfully evident with a defense that lacks physicality, communication and anything resembling rim protection.

Towns was a big asset on offense, averaging 23.1 points. However, his rim protection, or lack thereof, is almost painful to watch.

Rim protection has never been Towns’ strong point, but that didn’t matter much when he played next to Rudy Gobert, one of the best defensive centers in the league. Not being able to rely on Towns inside has put extra pressure on the Knicks’ elite defensemen, OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart.

Bridges has been disappointing on both sides of the ball, which could quickly become a concern considering the Knicks mortgaged part of their future to acquire him from the Nets.

Despite playing with Hart and Brunson in college, he doesn’t seem comfortable on the floor with his teammates and often disappears in crunch time. Bridges scored 10 points in just under 39 minutes in Atlanta. In the fourth quarter of this season, he averaged just 2.6 points.

Brunson, the team’s main superstar, has also struggled, especially in the last two losses. Brunson has of course pointed the finger firmly at himself, and that is what a team leader should do.

Here’s the good news: The Knicks are far from the only would-be contenders to struggle this season. Two other elite teams in the Eastern Conference – the 76ers and the Bucks – were 1-6 heading into Thursday night (Milwaukee moved to 2-6 by beating Utah, which fell to 1-7).

With Milwaukee having lost six straight before that win, there has been a lot of talk that the Bucks and Giannis Antetokounmpo could part ways. There was even a report last week that the Knicks might be in the running to land the Greek Freak, which doesn’t seem likely. Not only do other teams have more to offer, but the Knicks believe the group they have can be a legitimate contender.

“I think we’re still figuring it out,” coach Tom Thibodeau said. “We still have to figure it out offensively and defensively. Like I said, it’s early. So we just need more time. And we are going to find out.”