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Knicks need to become a better crunch time team to remain in playoff range

ByChris Gallagher|
TORONTO, ON - JANUARY 22: R.J. Barrett #9 of the New York Knicks looks on against the Toronto Raptors during the first half of their basketball game at the Scotiabank Arena on January 22, 2023 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mark Blinch/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - JANUARY 22: R.J. Barrett #9 of the New York Knicks looks on against the Toronto Raptors during the first half of their basketball game at the Scotiabank Arena on January 22, 2023 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mark Blinch/Getty Images)

The Knicks have to be better in crunch-time situations if they want to be a serious threat in the Eastern Conference playoff picture.

One of their ugliest losses came against Scott Foster and the Toronto Raptors last Monday. The Knicks once again dropped a close game that they really should have won. I will say this game had some awful calls by the referees, including an electric RJ Barrett game-tying dunk over Scottie Barnes where Barnes CLEARLY fouled Barrett, which would have given him a chance at a game-winning free throw. This issue is obviously out of the Knicks’ control, but they had all the momentum going into overtime, where they just played badly.

Barrett should be getting the ball more in crunch time, as he has historically been incredibly clutch and was the only player against Toronto playing well in overtime, but it stretches farther than that. The Knicks have been bad in crunch time for the last two seasons.

Why do the Knicks continue to underperform in crunch time?

One of the big reasons is coach Tom Thibodeau runs a pretty isolation-heavy offense, and when the two go-to plays during crunch time are to give the ball to Julius Randle or Jalen Brunson and have them isolate, it is very easy to gameplan for. I’m not saying this is all on Thibs, as Randle hasn’t been great in the clutch and the whole team has struggled to score in crunch time.

The Knicks have a very clear closer, and that is the should-be All-Star Jalen Brunson. Brunson has been wildly clutch this season and clearly should be getting the ball. He did miss a game-winning three-point attempt against the Raptors last week, but it was a good shot, and a good miss is never a bad thing, though it sucks to see that happen.

As good of a closer as Brunson is, the Knicks as a whole just cannot close out games. Good teams win close games, and the Knicks are currently hovering around the lower end of the playoff picture, and there’s a good chance they end up in the play-in tournament as a top-two seed.

If the Knicks are in a one-and-done situation, they cannot afford to blow close games when they have zero margin for error. Both play-in games for the No. 8 seeds in 2022 were close games. The Atlanta Hawks defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers, 107-101, and the New Orleans Pelicans defeated the Los Angeles Clippers, 105-101. There is no room for the Knicks to be poor in close games.

Even when players play well, the Knicks cannot seem to win close games. Jalen Brunson had a tremendous game where he scored a career-high 44 points against the Milwaukee Bucks in a close game that New York dropped after having a substantial lead in the first half.

The Knicks absolutely need to figure a way out to close out games. Close games are the difference between being a winning team come playoff time or getting bounced in the first round or the play-in tournament.

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