Tom Thibodeau can’t fix this Knicks' flaw — and it’s costing them big

The Knicks had struggled all game. Karl-Anthony Towns had only 10 points — none of which had come in the second half. Collectively, they were ice cold from three, shooting under 30 percent. They had nearly the same number of assists, 15, as they had turnovers, 14.

Still, when Josh Hart dunked the ball to knot the score at 94 with 1:15 remaining in the fourth quarter of Game 2, it felt like once again the Knicks were about to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.

Well, for a moment, at least. On the very next play, Dennis Schroder buried a three out of a pick and roll where Hart and Jalen Brunson both went with the roller. In many ways, the play was a microcosm of the game for the Knicks, sloppy and unorganized.

Speaking about the Schroder three in his postgame press conference, Brunson said, "We’ve [Brunson and Hart] known each other too long to mix that up.” He's right, they have. They have known each other too long to have lapses like that in big minutes. But it wasn't that one miscommunication that cost them the game. It was the same recurring problems that have haunted them all season, rearing their ugly heads again in the biggest game of the year.

Among the many issues, spacing is the greatest

The Knicks transformed their roster this past offseason by integrating a floor-spacing big man in Towns. Yet they have struggled greatly all season to find ways to optimize him. Tonight was no different, as Towns went scoreless in the second half and didn't have a field goal attempt for the final five minutes of the game.

Whether it was playing multiple non-shooters at the same time or just horrific spacing principles in general, Thibodeau and the Knicks were once again faced by spacing problems that have limited their success all season long.

There were multiple instances in Game 2 where players were cutting to the same parts of the floor, and even times where they simply wandered into the same corner. At times, it looked like they were just learning to play with one another.

Too often a 3-point attempt came when every player was crammed into the same half of the front court, as can be seen in the picture below.

It is not simply that Thibs has not been able to maximize spacing in order to squeeze every ounce of talent he can out of this roster. It is also that he seems woefully unaware that it is an issue in the first place. However, he is going to have to become aware fast if he wants to avoid an embarrassing exit.

Cunningham makes All-Star adjustment

Cade Cunningham seems to have taken getting shutdown in Game 1 personally, and he and the Pistons clearly made some adjustments heading into Game 2.

Cunningham was playing with more pace and attacking New York in a variety of ways. Whether it was targeting Brunson and the Knicks' guards or hitting tough baseline fadeaway after tough baseline fadeaway, the Pistons' star controlled the game from start to finish.

Cunningham finished with a team-high 33 points, to go along with 12 rebounds and three assists.