The New York Knicks, fresh off snapping a five-decade-plus championship drought last season, are sitting at a surprisingly sluggish 6-5 through their first 11 games. Seriously, the defending champs are barely above .500? That’s a head-scratcher, no doubt about it.
Forget the Hangover, This Ain’t the End
You’d think there’d be some serious panic bells ringing in the Big Apple, but not so fast. Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley is out here telling NBA fans to chill out and not overreact to this slow start. He’s saying it’s way too early in the season to confidently write off the Knicks’ chances of defending their title. Think about it: a championship hangover? After waiting more than fifty years for a trophy, they probably don’t even know what that feels like! Buckley is totally right, this kind of success is new territory for them.
Bridges’ Struggles Can’t Stop the Bench Fire
Look, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. The Knicks absolutely need some of their regulars to get consistent. Mikal Bridges has been in a slump, scoring no more than 12 points in any of New York’s 11 games. In his last 34 minutes on the court, he’s only put up six points. Ouch. But even with Bridges struggling, this team is still good enough to pull out of this funk. You’ve got Landry Shamet and Miles McBride coming off the bench as strong scoring options, keeping them in games.
Buckley summed it up perfectly, saying, “This isn’t ideal, obviously, but it’s also not a reason to panic. They’ve dealt with unnecessary distractions, felt the effects of such a grueling postseason, and generally drawn everyone’s best shot.” He also hit on a critical point: “They’ve also missed a lot of makeable shots, and as those start finding their mark, the club should get back to its winning ways.”
So yeah, the Knicks are looking a little off their championship stride right now. But if Buckley is on the money, and those shots start dropping, the rest of the league better watch out. These early bumps might just be making them a more cohesive unit for the long haul, right into the regular season stretch and the playoffs.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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