Tracy McGrady provides insight into what’s wrong with the Knicks this season

The New York Nix stepped off the floor of Madison Square Garden to a a chorus of boos after falling behind Dallas Mavericks by 30 points, and the reaction was louder than one defeat in January, reports ESPN. For a team that won the NBA Cup in Las Vegas and openly talked about its title expectations, the disconnect became impossible to ignore. Even head coach Mike Brown acknowledged the moment, admitting there was little value in diagramming a game when effort and focus had already slipped.

That frustration has now reached the national stage. NBC NBA analyst and former scoring champion Tracy McGrady he didn’t sugarcoat what he sees when he watches the Knicks. Speaking before the loss to Dallas, McGrady pointed to a defense that no longer looks like itself. In his view, last season’s identity revolved around discipline and structure, traits that have faded over the past few weeks. He highlighted glitches across the board, from missed assignments to a scheme that no longer matched the roster on the floor.

Tracy McGrady on the Knicks’ bad defense

“The identity is gone. They had an identity last year. Thibs was all about defense. We haven’t seen KAT out of position like he’s been in the last 8-10 games. We haven’t seen Brunson break down. The scheme Thibs had for this team fits… pic.twitter.com/OvICvk7StS

— NBA Courtside (@NBA__Courtside) January 19, 2026

Knicks searching for an identity as the slide continues

The timing only heightened the concern. New York has dropped nine of its previous 11 games, sliding from a position of confidence to a place where a tournament game cannot be dismissed. The loss to Dallas was one of the few times the Knicks surrendered 75 points in the first half at MSG, a stat that underscores how much the defense has slipped.

Captain Jalen Brunson explained the situation clearly. After the game, he said the solutions are already known in the locker room, and the real question centers on whether the team cares enough to implement them. That message carried extra weight on a day that should have felt celebratory. Brunson earned the All-Star starting nod earlier in the day, and he and Josh Hart both returned from injuries.

Instead, the Knicks fell into an early hole and never recovered, and Hart later called the effort embarrassing.