The New York Knicks have been one of the best teams in the NBA, except for one glaring spot. They are winless against the top teams in the league, and the games haven’t been close. New York currently has a record of 38-20 but is 0-7 against the teams with better records with a -131 point differential. The team has taken a lot of heat for it in the past few weeks. Star point guard Jalen Brunson is aware of the criticism and expressed frustration with the record against top teams.
New York Knicks Jalen Brunson On Recent Struggles
The Cleveland Cavaliers, Boston Celtics, and Oklahoma City Thunder have had the New York Knicks’ number this season. This month alone, they have lost two games to the Celtics and one to the Cavs. While the team still holds one of the best records in the NBA, they will have to beat the best teams in the league if they are going to compete for a championship. Jalen Brunson acknowledged the struggles on Thursday’s Roommates Show episode but expressed frustration that many of those games were closer than the score indicates.
“I see where we have opportunities to where we can be aggressive, and pounce on it, and win. The frustrating part about all this is that, we have what it takes. We have the personnel. We have everything we need in that locker room, right now. We’ve just got to put it together. The X’s and O’s, and all that stuff, that’s easy. That’s an easy fix.
“The number of times we’ve been embarrassed on national television, that should ring a bell. That should be a wake-up call in itself, not just for those games, just for the rest of the reason. We’ve got to wake the hell up.”
It is easy to see why Brunson is frustrated. Back in October, the Cavaliers hit some big shots to come from behind and win. Against Oklahoma City earlier this year, they were outscored 37-19 in the final quarter. There is no shortage of talent on this team. Karl-Anthony Towns is having a career year, and the New York Knicks have been an offensive juggernaut all season. However, they have to solve their issues, or they could see an early exit from the playoffs.
Looming Concerns
The New York Knicks have some looming concerns heading into the month of March. While they hold an 11-5 record since January 20, there are some glaring issues. Last night, the team collapsed against the lowly Philadelphia 76ers. They still won the game, but it wasn’t pretty. Furthermore, they needed overtime to beat the Chicago Bulls and Atlanta Hawks in the past few weeks. The team has been dealing with injuries, which has affected their starting lineup, but that is an issue in itself.
The knock on Tom Thibodeau has always been that he plays his starters too much in the regular season. This season is no different. Even in blowouts, players like Jalen Brunson are still on the court. While this can lead to great regular-season records, players can sometimes break down in the playoffs. This is a huge concern for the New York Knicks and one that will not go away until they prove otherwise in the playoffs.
Final Thoughts
Time is running out for the New York Knicks. They only have a handful of games to right the ship on their defense and readiness for big games. Can they push the Celtics and Cavaliers in a seven-game series, or will it be more playoff heartbreak in the Big Apple?
