The Knicks took the floor Wednesday night with a point to prove, facing a Utah Jazz squad more focused on future draft picks than current victories. With Josh Hart sidelined, Landry Shamet stepped into the starting lineup, sparking debates across social media and stat sheets.
The Knicks needed to dominate, but instead, they stumbled out of the gate at the Delta Center, surrendering 41 points in the first quarter and trailing by 15. However, they turned it around to secure a 134-117 win.
This slow start wasn’t an isolated incident. Against the Clippers, the Knicks fell behind 9-0 within two minutes. The day before, the Lakers had them down 5-0, and they trailed by eight after the first quarter.
The Knicks, with a 42-25 record, were built for championship contention, boasting one of the deepest rotations in the NBA. So, what’s causing these early game struggles?
The stats paint a clear picture. The first-quarter net rating during their Los Angeles games was a dismal -26.2, and the Shamet-led lineup on Wednesday posted a staggering -70.3. Clearly, the chemistry with Hart in the lineup is stronger.
Coach Mike Brown has a theory. “We’re turning it over early, and our opponents aren’t feeling us,” he explained.
“We’re either reaching and sending them to the line or letting them hit threes right off the bat. We need to improve our closeouts and ball security to start games better.”
It’s not just the fans scratching their heads. Brown initially had Mitchell Robinson starting with Hart off the bench, a strategy seen last season under Tom Thibodeau. But the current lineup issues have put everyone under the microscope.
Mikal Bridges has struggled, averaging just 4.0 points over the last three games with a 5-for-23 shooting slump. Jalen Brunson, despite a rough first half, sparked the comeback against Utah with 28 points, showing that aggressiveness is key.
“Being passive led to turnovers,” Brunson admitted. “I wasn’t aggressive enough, but I corrected that in the second half.”
The end of games has also seen lineup changes, with Shamet closing over Hart against the Lakers and Bridges sitting out the fourth quarter against Utah. As the road trip wraps up in Indiana, Hart and Karl-Anthony Towns are questionable, potentially leading to more lineup shuffles.
Despite these challenges, the Knicks have the talent to overcome the Pacers and shake off their sluggish starts. Brown is determined to prevent early deficits, even if it means burning timeouts early.
“I’ve seen too many games slip away,” Brown said. “I’ll do what it takes to prevent that, even if it costs me timeouts.”
The regular season is winding down, and the Knicks need to wake up fast. Whether they’ve truly heeded the call remains to be seen, but time is running out.