Midway by way of the 2024-25 season, the New York Knicks are 26-15. It is the primary time since Mike Woodson was on the sidelines and Jason Kidd was working level — and solely the second time because the 27-year-old OG Anunoby was born — that their report has been this good as this juncture. Thanks largely to the addition of Karl-Anthony Cities, who will possible begin within the All-Star Sport, they’ve the second-best offense within the NBA.
Jalen Brunson has been barely extra environment friendly than he was in his first All-NBA season, and New York’s level differential (+7.9 per 100 possessions in non-garbage-time minutes, in response to Cleansing The Glass), traditionally a greater predictor of playoff success than successful proportion, ranks fourth, behind the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder, Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics.
Recently, although, the Knicks haven’t performed like they’re in the identical class as these groups. Since a cushty win over the Utah Jazz on New Yr’s Day, they’ve misplaced 5 of seven video games. They’ve allowed 118.4 factors per 100 possessions in that stretch, 123.3 per 100 within the 5 losses. After one loss at Madison Sq. Backyard, throughout which they have been booed off the ground at halftime, Mikal Bridges described their defensive efficiency as “very boo-worthy.” After one other, Josh Hart mentioned they have been “shedding video games I really feel like we should not be shedding.” In equity, Cities missed one of many losses due to knee ache. However their opponents that evening, the Orlando Magic, have been lacking their 4 high scorers.
The Magic sport was an anomaly as a result of New York was horrible offensively. Usually talking, these Knicks can rating with anyone. The issue is that their protection is wobbly. That is most evident in opposition to groups with numerous firepower — on the season, they’re 2-7 in opposition to groups with top-10 offenses, they usually’ve surrendered a league-worst 125.2 factors per 100 possessions in these video games, per Cleansing The Glass.
Final Friday, Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander cooked them for 39 factors in three quarters, however probably the most telling possession may need been when he was on the bench and New York fully botched its stack pick-and-roll protection, leaving a red-hot Isaiah Joe open for 3:
As constructed, the Knicks have defensive limitations. Brunson is not getting any taller, and Cities is not about to show into Bam Adebayo. For a Tom Thibodeau-coached staff, although, they have been making errors of execution at an alarming price. In Monday’s loss to the Detroit Pistons, here is Tobias Harris strolling right into a wide-open 3 as a result of Anunoby switched and Cities did not:
And here is Jalen Duren getting an open dunk as a result of Marcus Sasser beat Cameron Payne off the dribble, Cities helped and Anunoby did not assist the helper:
All through the sport, Cade Cunningham was extraordinarily snug focusing on Cities in pick-and-rolls, and a wide range of Pistons discovered clear pull-ups that means. In crunch time, although, Cunningham went at Brunson on two consecutive possessions. Each occasions, the Knicks put two on the ball, obtained in scramble mode and surrendered nook 3s to Malik Beasley. He cashed them, then did a shimmy and blew kisses to the group.
Over the course of an 82-game season, a tough patch is not essentially an enormous deal. Midway by way of this one, although, what’s New York’s signature win? The blowout in opposition to the Milwaukee Bucks this previous Sunday was encouraging, but it surely was sandwiched between the OKC and Detroit losses and the Bucks have been fairly underwhelming themselves. Again in November, Anunoby performed the sport of his life in a dominant win in Denver; possibly that is the one. If I have been making the case that the Knicks are contenders, I would truly level to a loss: for the primary three quarters of their sport in Oklahoma Metropolis on Jan. 3, they gave the impression to be in management (earlier than they have been outscored 37-19 within the fourth).
I got here away from that sport, although, pondering that New York was incomplete. All 5 of its starters logged 40-plus minutes, and, with Miles McBride sidelined, the Knicks went with an eight-man rotation. The Thunder, even with out Chet Holmgren and Alex Caruso, went 10 deep, and reserve wing Aaron Wiggins knocked down 4 3s within the last 9 minutes.
With the commerce deadline three weeks away (Feb. 6), it’s truthful to marvel if New York can enhance its protection and depth, each of which have been areas of concern from the second it acquired Cities. The Knicks are within the luxurious tax, and they’re had-capped on the second apron (and solely about $580,000 beneath it). They traded most of their draft capital to get Bridges, however they’ll nonetheless provide swap rights on their 2026 and 2030 first-round picks they usually have loads of second-rounders out there.
Does the entrance workplace envision two-big lineups that includes Cities and Mitchell Robinson, who’s working his means again from ankle surgical procedure, quickly changing into an enormous a part of the staff’s identification? (Robinson is anticipated to return in early February, per SNY’s Ian Begley.) Will New York as a substitute attempt to commerce Robinson’s $14.3 million contract? Valuable Achiuwa’s $6 million deal is one other potential commerce piece, and the New York Publish’s Stefan Bondy reported that it been purchasing Jericho Sims.
After buying and selling for Anunoby, Bridges and Cities in a nine-month span, the Knicks aren’t about to tug off one other blockbuster. In the event that they fancy themselves championship contenders, although, they cannot be content material with a roster this top-heavy and a protection that breaks down this simply. If this sounds too harsh an evaluation of a staff that has gained 63% of its video games, contemplate how lengthy it has been because the bar has been this excessive. It has taken years of affected person team-building — and three large swings — for New York to get to the purpose the place its nits should be picked.