The New York Knicks have done a lot more winning than losing this year, sitting at a 14-7 record and having the most home wins in the league with 11. Despite the winning, there has been one glaring issue that has flared up recently.
The Knicks have run into some second quarter trouble
New York has shown that they can dominate anyone with their talent, but it’s the mentality that hurts them. Lately, they have built large leads and then let them slip away in the second quarter.
It has happened in each of the last three games. All of which the Knicks entered the second quarter with a double-digit lead before it would get cut just before half. The poor second quarter cost them a win against the Boston Celtics on Tuesday, as they carried that momentum into the second half and defeated the Knicks 123-117.
In the last three games, New York is a -38 in the second quarter. Poor shooting and lazy defense are what contribute to the struggles, as they are shooting just 38% from the field and 29% from three in the second quarters in the last three games.
Additionally, they have scored a combined total of just 64 points in the second quarter in that same span. For reference, the Knicks have been one of the top offenses in the league overall this season, but a string of complacency after getting huge leads is becoming an alarming trend.
The Knicks need to stay composed for the entirety of the game
Jalen Brunson acknowledged the team’s recent issues with holding a lead and discussed how they can fix those problems.
“Teams aren’t just going to lay down. We’ve got to do a better job of slowing down the runs. The way we respond to that is how we get better as a team,” Brunson said, via SNY.
The Knicks have the fourth-best net rating overall this season, and they started the season as a really good second quarter team. In the last three games, they have the worst net rating in the second quarter at -58.1. Yikes.
New York can be happy with their current standing in the East, but they cannot be pleased with the production they are providing at points in the game. They need to stay locked in for all 48 minutes and not begin to relax after growing a huge lead, as that will come back to haunt them later on.