The Knicks lose by walking

The Knicks just had a complicated back-to-back against the Hawks and Sixers that ended with two losses. The two defeats came during meetings where New York were weak in attack, a sector in which Mike Brown’s men are nevertheless good this season as they the fourth best attack in the League with 120.7 points scored per 100 possessions.

During the loss to Atlanta, the Knicks shot just 27% from 3-point range, and Jalen Brunson then noticed that this prevented his team from getting into a rhythm. this saturday after the loss to Philadelphia, Mikal Bridges noticed that the attack was slower than usual.

I don’t think we play fast enough and it’s everyone’s fault. points out Mikal Bridges. “We have to spread the game better. We know what we need to do, but I feel like we’re either not thinking about it or we’re taking too long to think about it.” This is our problem. »

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For his part, Mike Brown noted that he no longer sees the principles of the game that were instilled at the beginning of the season.

“Our pace is not good, almost every time we pick up the ball walking. laments the Knicks coach. “In two games, we didn’t see a lot of our fundamentals, which are spreading the game, making quick decisions, putting the ball in the racket and turning the game. If we don’t have anything in the attack, it’s like we’re at a standstill. We don’t know what’s going to happen and we can’t put together a sequence of actions.”

The Knicks are now on a three game losing streak and Mike Brown regrets not Josh Hart, injured ankle during Christmas game against the Cavaliers and will have to miss another week of competition. The winger has missed his team’s last five outings, and New York has won just two games, including a sweep against the Pelicans, the Red Lantern of the West, this stretch.

Stay united even in times of trouble

Although his team is going through a rough patch, Mike Brown is looking to find the positives and believes this is a good time to determine what his team is made of.

“We’re in a situation we’re not used to being in, where there’s a lot of adversity,” he analyzes. “I’ve never known a team that didn’t struggle during the season, whether it’s a championship team, a finalist or a decent team. Everyone goes through it. Now it’s a question of how we respond. This is a chance to see what we’re made of.”

More precisely, the Knicks will have an excellent opportunity to test themselves because the next ten days promise to be complicated by a trip to Detroit this Monday and a “road trip” to the West in mid-January where they will cross paths with the Suns and Warriors.

“We must remain united, not pointing fingers at anyone, not making excuses, but finding a solution quickly.” insists Jalen Brunson. “We have to count on each other, that’s the most important thing.”