The Knicks spent Friday night trying to claw out of the mess they made for themselves, but the hole was too deep. They fell to the Sixers for the second time this season, dropping to 2-4 and leaving a game that produced a little of everything: a few bright spots, a few ugly ones, and plenty in between.
Jordan Clarkson was one of the clear positives again. After sitting for most of the night, he came off the bench in the fourth quarter and did what he’s been doing all season: make an impact right away.
In 9:18 on the floor, Clarkson scored four points, grabbed three rebounds, and even swatted LeBron James on one possession. One of those boards came on a second-chance putback after an offensive miss.
The Knicks actually won his minutes by five, and the difference was stark. With Clarkson on the floor, they posted a 106.3 offensive rating and a 75.0 defensive rating, good for a +31.3 net rating.
Without him, the numbers flipped hard the other way, with a 117.8 defensive rating and a -15.1 net rating. This season, the Knicks are at a 131.3 ORTG, 92.8 DRTG, and +38.6 NETRTG in 83 possessions with him out there.
That’s not just a one-night blip, either. Dating back to late last season, the Knicks have won Clarkson’s minutes in each of his last 10 games, putting up a 130.0 ORTG, 99.4 DRTG, and +30.6 NETRTG in that stretch. The last time they lost his minutes was Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals, when he played only 2:47.
Mikal Bridges also gave the Knicks something to build on. He finished with 12 points on 5-of-8 shooting, including 2-of-4 from three, plus five rebounds, two assists, and three steals.
Most of that damage came in the third quarter, where he picked off two of those steals and looked active on both ends even though the Knicks didn’t win the 8:37 he played in that frame. The performance was enough to move him from one of last game’s losers to one of Friday’s winners.
Spencer Pearlman’s The Court Lab even had Bridges as the game’s most valuable player, including both teams, with Bridges leading the night in Value Added before any tracking tweaks are made.
At the other end of the spectrum, OG Anunoby had another rough outing. He scored nine points on 4-of-10 shooting and turned it over twice. He took five drives to the rim and came away with just five points, and Deuce McBride helped keep that number from being even worse.
One sequence stood out in particular: Dean Wade stripped Anunoby when he tried to iso from the corner, and later Anunoby got tangled in rotations that ended with a Tyrese Maxey dunk. Those are the kinds of breakdowns that can’t show up if the Knicks want to clean this up.
Jalen Brunson tried to drag them back late with a huge three and a lead, but for most of the game he was fighting uphill. VJ Edgecombe spent much of the night making things difficult for him, and Brunson never fully shook free. He finished with 24 points and six assists, but he shot 8-of-22 from the field, went 3-of-10 from deep, and missed a free throw late, leaving him at 48.0% TS%.
The bigger issue was how often he seemed out of rhythm. He wasn’t reading the defense cleanly, and he wasn’t getting to efficient looks with any consistency. That was especially true in the fourth quarter, when he missed four of five shots and the only make was a desperation corner three.
Brunson had just put up 38 points with a 66.6% TS% against Chicago on Wednesday, but in his other five games this season, he’s been sitting around a 47% TS%. Through six games in 2026-27, he’s averaging 25.5 points per game on 50.7% TS%. The Captain has to be better.
In Other News...
Knicks Already Have An OG Anunoby Problem They Cant Ignore
OG Anunobys expanded offensive workload has become one of the Knicks more interesting early-season storylines. With more touches and more drives per game, the team has clearly tried to get him involved in ways that go beyond spot-up scoring, but the results have not been as clean as the role change might suggest. His efficiency has slipped, and the Knicks have had to weigh the value of pushing him into more creation against what he does best when the game is simplified.
The bigger concern is how the offensive burden is spilling into the rest of his game. When Anunoby is fighting through tough possessions on one end, it has shown up in his defensive impact and in the teams net rating with him on the floor. For a player whose value is built on being a high-level two-way connector, the Knicks may already be learning that there is a limit to how much primary creation his skill set can realistically absorb. [Read more 🡒]
Jalen Brunson Takes Playful Shot As Knicks Grind Starts Showing
The early-season grind is already showing up for the Knicks, and Josh Hart has been one of the players most openly feeling it. After the loss to the 76ers, Hart pointed to the teams demanding schedule, the shorter offseason and even his finger injury as part of the physical toll, a reminder that this start has been about more than just wins and losses. The defeat left New York at 2-4, with the kind of stretch that can expose how quickly legs and patience start to wear down.
Jalen Brunson, never one to pass up a little locker-room mischief, responded with a lighthearted jab at Harts fatigue, joking about his teammates age. It was a playful moment in a season that already feels like it has asked plenty of the Knicks, and it also underscored how much of the conversation around this team has shifted toward survival mode. The schedule will keep coming, and for New York, the challenge is finding enough energy to keep the early bumps from turning into something bigger. [Read more 🡒]
Knicks Face A New Problem In Their Backup Center Search
Chet Holmgrens expected absence for eight to 10 weeks has already changed the market for big men, and it could create an unwanted ripple effect for the Knicks. With the Thunder now considering adding another frontcourt body to cover for Holmgrens patellar tendon tear in his right knee, one of the leagues more aggressive and better-equipped teams may soon be shopping in the same lane New York has been eyeing.
For the Knicks, the timing is awkward. They have been looking for help behind their center rotation, but Oklahoma City has more assets and salary cap flexibility, which gives it a clear edge in any backup big man chase. If the Thunder decide to move quickly, New York may find itself competing not just for available size, but for whatever is left after a team with deeper pockets and more trade ammunition gets involved. [Read more 🡒]