As Saturday’s game against the Phoenix Suns concluded, Madison Square Garden sounded a bit different than usual for most New York Knicks fans. In front of legendary Knicks alum on Alumni Night at the Garden, the restless crowd rained down boos on the players as they dropped their eighth game in their last 10 games.
Knicks’ recent skid is causing mounting frustration
It is clear that frustration is starting to get to the players. Being just 2-8 in their last 10 games and owning the second-worst defense over that span, the Knicks feel stuck in the mud, with no end point in sight.
“I don’t like losing any games, so of course for me, the concern is winning the next one. Just staying focused on the task at hand, winning games, and giving our fans something to cheer for,” Karl-Anthony Towns said following the loss to the Suns (h/t SNY).
Towns added that the level of frustration is “a lot” right now with their recent struggles. Towns had a frustrating finish to a strong game against Phoenix, airballing two wide-open three-pointers down the stretch to sink their chances of winning.
Defense has been among the biggest concerns
New York’s defense has been the biggest issue not only during this slide, but all season. They have had tons of issues defending the three-point line, currently allowing the fourth-highest opponent three-point percentage at 37.3% this season.
Fans have begun questioning head coach Mike Brown’s ability to fix the problems that exist with this roster, with some going as far to say that trades will be the only solution. Brown was asked about the boos from the crowd following Saturday’s loss, and he felt that the fans were right to be upset with their performance.
“The fans have, in my opinion, every right to boo or to cheer or do whatever they want. They pay their hard-earned money to come to the games and this is entertainment for them, so you’ve got to respect that,” Brown said (h/t SNY).
Knicks need to turn things around now
After such a strong start to the season where the Knicks seemed to be in line to grab the first seed, they now suddenly find themselves barely clinging on to playoff position. There is still a lot of season left, so now isn’t the time to panic, but they need to start turning things around now.
“You can always get better at everything,” OG Anunoby said (h/t SNY). “Even if we were winning games, we would still be trying to improve everything.”
They face a heavily depleted Dallas Mavericks squad on Monday, desperately needing a win to turn the tide. A loss may entertain some uncomfortable conversations that the front office didn’t envision having this soon.