Welcome to the roller coaster that is the 2025-26 Knicks season, a journey that began with the dramatic firing of head coach Tom Thibodeau after reaching the Eastern Conference Finals, followed by the hiring of Mike Brown.
The Knicks are navigating new waters, and despite retaining eight players from last year's squad, they seem like a different team altogether.
Their third quarter performance in Cleveland was one for the books, and not in a good way. It marked a low point for an offense still adjusting to Brown's strategies, which were expected to spark quality offense and aggressive defense that could consistently fuel transition plays.
In their 109-94 loss to the Cavaliers at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse, the Knicks struggled on both ends. The third quarter saw them shoot a dismal 3-of-24 from the field and 1-of-12 from three-point range, managing only 11 points after halftime.
Gone are the days of explosive 40-point quarters. Against the Cavaliers, the Knicks mustered just 40 points in the entire second half, with a night total of 10-of-37 from beyond the arc.
Scoring only 11 points ties the Knicks for their second-lowest quarter since 2020, a stark contrast since acquiring Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges two summers ago.
Both Towns and Bridges seemed out of sync with Brown's offense. Bridges went 6-of-17 for 18 points, missing several easy layups. Towns, who had been on a scoring tear, took just five shots, finishing with 14 points and seven rebounds.
Jalen Brunson, facing a Cavs backcourt featuring James Harden and Donovan Mitchell, shot 6-of-19 for 20 points. The Knicks were outscored by 20 points during his 36 minutes on the floor. In the third quarter, Brunson scored just one point, missing all six of his attempts, marking only the second time he's gone scoreless in a quarter with five or more shots for the Knicks.
Donovan Mitchell led all scorers with 23 points on 5-of-18 shooting, while Harden contributed 20 points and four assists. Jarrett Allen added a double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds, helping the Cavs secure their ninth win in 10 games.
As the playoff picture starts to take shape, the Cavaliers are brimming with confidence, much like the Detroit Pistons. The Eastern Conference standings are tight, with the Celtics, Knicks, Cavs, and Raptors separated by just 3.5 games, leaving the door open for a potential second-round showdown between Cleveland and New York.
The Knicks are now 2-1 against the Cavaliers this season, with their only loss coming post-trade. They’ve struggled against the Detroit Pistons, holding a 0-3 record with an average defeat margin of 28 points, while going 2-1 against the Boston Celtics for a 4-5 record against the East's top-four seeds.
Out west, the Knicks are 0-1 against the San Antonio Spurs, 1-0 against both the Houston Rockets and the Denver Nuggets, and yet to face the reigning champion Oklahoma City Thunder.
Currently 1-1 on their road trip after defeating the Chicago Bulls, the Knicks have two days off before facing the Milwaukee Bucks, offering a chance to regroup and refine their game plan.