In their never-ending quest to make life more difficult than it needs to be, the New York Knicks are turning first quarters into their own personal porta-potty they use exclusively for dropping deuces.
Prior to the All-Star break, the Knicks were outsourcing opponents by 6.6 points per 100 possessions in the opening 12 minutes—the league’s seventh-best mark. Following their midseason break, though, they are getting pummeled in the first frame. Their minus-10 net rating ranks 26th, positioning them in front of only teams going absolutely nowhere: Brooklyn Nets (30th), Washington Wizards (29th), Dallas Mavericks (28th), and Milwaukee Bucks (27th).
It’s an interesting strategy by the Knicks. We’ll have to see how it works out for them. My hunch is it won’t end well. Especially as the dumpster fires get even worse, or more inexplicable.
The Knicks are getting outclassed by inferior teams
Downgrading this first-quarter trend from “alarming” to “Shut up and blog about something else, turd!” is tempting when looking at New York’s post-All-Star record. Winning 11 of 16 games, while navigating injuries to Deuce McBride and Josh Hart, is better than solid.
Still, just because the Knicks are able to climb out of holes they shouldn’t have dug in the first place doesn’t mean it’s okay. That’s particularly true when their struggles are getting worse, and aren’t exactly coming against a murderer’s row of opponents.
Over the past seven games, New York has been getting blasted by 24.6 points per 100 possessions in first quarters, a net rating that ranks 27th. During this time, the Knicks have faced approximately 1.5 real teams. In order: Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, Utah Jazz, Indiana Pacers, Golden State Warriors, Pacers again, and Brooklyn Nets.
The Knicks’ last five games are the most inexcusable. Golden State didn’t have Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, Jimmy Butler, De’Anthony Melton, Al Horford, or Kristaps Porzingis—and still outscored New York by 14 in the opening frame. Meanwhile, Utah, Indiana, and Brooklyn are all actively attempting to lose. Winning only two of those first quarters (both against the Pacers) is a special kind of frustrating.
New York’s solution is irritating, too
Problems such as this are easier to dissect when there’s a solution beyond “Just play better, dudes.” Unfortunately, the Knicks are in make-more-shots, get-more-stops, stop-messing-around-dammit territory.
Head coach Mike Brown has already slammed them for their low energy out of the gate. When asked to self-diagnose the first-quarter issues, players have responded with some variation of the “Just play better” trope. These are definitely things fans want to hear about a title contender still jockeying for postseason positioning.
Some will point toward the need for a starting-lineup change. That’s fair. The Knicks’ preferred starters have been outscored by 34 points in 72 first-quarter minutes (minus-18 net rating) since the All-Star break. They were a plus-15 points in 91 minutes (7.3 net rating) pre-All-Star break.
Yet, this lineup has appeared in just one of the past five games. New York’s issue clearly goes beyond the “Demote Josh Hart and/or Mikal Bridges” discourse. Maybe that’s a good thing. It means the Knicks really just need to hit the play-better button.
They just better smash it soon. Right now, they are playing with their food. Once the postseason rolls around, if this keeps up, it’ll be the Knicks who become someone else’s meal.