Ugly first Knicks loss doesn't mean offseason trades set organization back

You've probably seen many overreactions to the New York Knicks' 132-109 loss to the Celtics. Some fans declared that the season was over when there are still 81 regular-season games left to play. It's always tough to get blown out by a rival, especially after a hyped offseason.

Let's take a second to be glad that this loss happened in October and not April. The Knicks have a lot to work on, but that's not unusual for a team that made a blockbuster trade days before training camp. New York is still gelling together.

Does that mean the Knicks are excused from playing ugly basketball? No. Jalen Brunson said that Boston's familiarity with one another wasn't an excuse for a New York team with a completely different lineup than last season. The Knicks learned several hard lessons that will benefit them as the season continues.

Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges made their official debuts, and neither player performed as expected. Towns finished with 12 points and seven rebounds in 24 minutes. Because of Boston's defensive scheme, he took only two three-point shots. The Celtics targeted him on the offensive end and executed their plan perfectly.

Bridges' poor preseason shooting carried over into the first half when he went scoreless. He at least came alive in the second half and finished with 16 points. He had no answer for Jayson Tatum, who finished with a game-high 37 points.

It's too early to says Knicks were wrong to trade for KAT and Bridges

New York sent five first-round picks and a first-round pick swap to Brooklyn for Bridges. The Knicks made the Nets an offer that they couldn't refuse. Bridges isn't the superstar everyone thought New York would trade for, but the Knicks were no longer desperate for a star after signing Jalen Brunson in 2022.

New York paid a high price for Bridges. His underwhelming performance on Tuesday led to overreactions flooding social media. The Knicks supposedly mortgaged their future for a wing who can't shoot or defend. It's good New York didn't send a slew of first-round picks to Brooklyn for a one-game Bridges rental.

The team didn't pay as high a price for Towns but sent Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo to Minnesota. The Timberwolves also lost their first game of the season. Like New York, Minnesota looked like a team that recently made an altering trade.

You need more than a one-game sample size to roast (or praise) the Knicks' front office. Give it time before you start believing that Isiah Thomas is still in charge.