The Knicks are facing a five-game homestretch with the standings in a pretzel and a glaring problem of their lousy starts. Despite being a strong first-quarter team in the past, they have struggled in the opening 12 minutes of four out of the last five games. These poor starts have led to defeats against teams like the Spurs, Bulls, and Heat – something uncharacteristic of a Tom Thibodeau-coached team that emphasizes preparedness and focus from the start. Injuries to key players have also taken a toll on the rotation, contributing to their struggles out of the gate.
In recent games against teams like the Spurs, Heat, and Bulls, the Knicks have found themselves trailing by double digits in the first quarter. Even when they managed to close the gap in the fourth quarter, they ran out of gas and fell short of a comeback. Their average nine-point deficit in the first quarters of the past five games was the worst in the East. Thibodeau emphasized the need to play tougher and play for the lead to avoid expending excess energy trying to recover from early deficits.
The Knicks have identified multiple issues contributing to their poor starts, including struggles when making substitutions in the first quarter. Players like Bojan Bogdanovic have had a negative impact on the team’s performance when entering the game early on. In games against the Bulls and Kings, the Knicks were simply outmatched by their opponents’ energy and pace. Finding a way to correct these early struggles, according to assistant coach Brunson, may require the team to simply “wake up” and bring more intensity to their play from the opening tip.
As the Knicks head into the final stretch of the season, their next challenge is a third game against the Milwaukee Bucks. The Bucks have also been struggling recently, dropping four of their last five games and facing pressure to hold onto their second seed in the East. Both teams will need to step up their game to avoid falling further in the standings. For the Knicks, it will be important to avoid a third loss in Milwaukee in the same season.
Despite facing tough challenges in their upcoming games, the Knicks must find a way to improve their performance from the start and compete against top teams like the Bucks and other contenders in the East. The team’s recent struggles with early deficits have highlighted the need for better preparation and execution from the opening tip. As they fight for a higher seeding in the playoffs, the Knicks must address their lousy starts and make the necessary adjustments to finish the season strong.
