The New York Knicks just hit 6-6 on Friday, losing a tight 106-104 battle to the Indiana Pacers. That loss dropped the defending champions into a tie for fifth in the Eastern Conference alongside the Miami Heat, and let me tell you, the “uneven performance” is starting to get frustrating. The championship hangover in New York? It’s feeling very real, and those “immaculate vibes” at Madison Square Garden? Poof, gone.
The Wings Are Stuck in the Mud, and Hart Is Calling It Out
After his scoreless game against the Pacers, Josh Hart didn’t hold back. The man was brutally honest about what’s going on, admitting he has no idea what’s wrong and that he’s been struggling mentally to kick off this season. “Wish I could tell you,” Hart said, flat out. “Don’t know. Right now I’m not in a good headspace, and I got to figure out how to improve that and improve my play.” Talk about a gut punch.
Last year, the Knicks owned the league with their two-way wing rotation, especially Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns leading the charge. But this season, their three best wings not named Brunson or Towns , OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, and Hart himself , are absolutely “stuck in the mud offensively.” These guys are shooting below 40% from the field and below 33% from deep this year. You know what they were doing last season? All above 48% from the field and 37% from three-point range. That is a MASSIVE drop-off. Landry Shamet has been a needed bright spot, but it’s clear the team needs way more.
Brunson and Towns Are Carrying a Ridiculous Load
With the wings misfiring, it’s putting an even greater burden on Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns. Towns has been sensational, plain and simple. He’s averaging 21.1 points and 13.7 rebounds per game, with shooting splits of 54.2/40.0/77.0. He’s back to a full-time role at center after Mitchell Robinson’s departure, and he’s delivering.
Brunson? He’s still been his typically excellent self, putting up 26.6 points and 5.7 assists per game. That’s a slim uptick in points and just a small decrease in assists from last year. But here’s the kicker: his efficiency has dipped, shooting 43.6% from the field. His three-point percentage is holding firm at 37.5%, but he’s shooting just 55.8% from inside three feet. That would be the worst finishing rate of his career at the rim! It looks like teams are collapsing on him without the crucial spacing their wings provided last season. Mike Brown’s offense is all about launching threes, but the team’s shooting poorly from distance right now.
The result of all this? A Knicks offense that ranks 29th in the NBA in paint points, averaging a measly 35.5. A year ago, 41.4% of their points came in the paint. That 6% drop is HUGE, especially when the outside shots aren’t falling either. After winning it all, how did they get here? That’s the question everyone’s asking. The vibes have shifted, and the defending champs need to figure things out fast.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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