The New York Knicks are two games into the season and already staring at an 0-2 start after a 107-103 loss to the Celtics on Tuesday. A 106-100 defeat to the 76ers opened the year, and the pair of close losses has put the defending champions in an early hole.
There was production on the stat sheet, but not enough of the right kind. Karl-Anthony Towns posted 22 points, 10 rebounds and three assists while shooting 69.2% from the field.
OG Anunoby added 20 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists on 45.5% shooting. Miles McBride gave the bench a lift with 20 points, two rebounds, one assist and one steal on 66.7% shooting.
Jalen Brunson had a quieter night than the Knicks needed, finishing with 19 points, two rebounds, four assists and two blocks on 41.2% shooting.
Even with that balanced scoring, New York never fully seized control. The Knicks had enough pieces to make a push in the second half, but they couldn’t close the gap when the game tightened. Too many mistakes piled up, and the Celtics made sure those empty possessions counted.
One of the biggest issues was sloppiness. The Knicks turned it over 16 times, and those giveaways led directly to 19 Boston points.
For a team that has already looked a little out of sync to start the year, that kind of number stands out. The offense looked disconnected, with poor decisions and miscommunications leaving them stuck at 103 points.
Mikal Bridges has been part of the problem through the first two games. After averaging 14.4 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.3 steals and 0.8 blocks per game on 49.0% shooting last season, he has not found that same rhythm yet.
He scored four points on 25.0% shooting against the 76ers, then followed it up with a scoreless night against Boston in 21 minutes, going 0-8 from the floor and finishing with one rebound, four assists and one steal. He is still taking his usual shots, but nothing is dropping.
The Knicks also lacked the edge that has usually defined them. Under Mike Brown, and even previously under Tom Thibodeau, the team’s calling card was physical play and mental toughness.
That wasn’t there against the Celtics. The energy and urgency weren’t where they needed to be, and New York spent much of the night chasing instead of dictating.
Defense, another major part of last season’s title run, hasn’t carried over yet either. Brown said after the game that his team struggled in transition and was slow to react to what was happening on the floor.
When the game tightened in the fourth quarter, the Celtics’ star duo had too much freedom, while the Knicks had no real answers. The one bright spot on that side was the rebound battle, which New York won 44-37.
Jayson Tatum was the difference-maker. He put together the best performance of the young season, finishing with 36 points, nine rebounds and seven assists on 53.8% shooting. With Brunson off his mark and Boston’s star taking over, the Knicks never found a way to catch up.
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