After suffering a 118-105 loss to the Boston Celtics on Sunday evening, the New York Knicks have dropped to 0-7 on the season vs the top three teams in the NBA (Thunder, Cavs, Celtics).
New York made one of the biggest trades in NBA history this offseason, acquiring Mikal Bridges from the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for five first-round picks and other supplemental pieces. They didn't stop there as they went ahead trading away Julius Randle to Minnesota to reunite Karl-Anthony Towns with Head Coach Tom Thibodeau, and the Knicks looked poised to take another leap in the Eastern Conference.
This Knicks team, on paper, has assembled the best roster we've seen in decades, and they were expected to compete with the best teams in the NBA this season. Almost 60 games into the season, and it doesn't appear like that will be happening anytime soon.
New York is firmly in control of the number three seed in the East, but having a home-court advantage will only do so much considering their lackluster play against the best teams in the NBA. The Knicks have a 64-point loss margin to the Celtics, a 35-point loss margin to the Thunder, and a 43-point loss margin to the Cavs. Simply, it's not good enough.
Knicks roster and their struggles against top competition
Looking at the Knicks there is blame and accountability that needs to be taken everywhere, you can't just point your finger in one direction. Mitchell Robinson has been injured all season limits what the Knicks can do having a backup big man, Karl-Anthony Towns isn't used to and isn't your traditional center, and Mikal Bridges has taken a significant step back, etc.
Mitchell Robinson underwent surgery on his left ankle last May in the postseason and has yet to make his return back to the court. Robinson would be the perfect backup big to KAT and continue to provide more of a defensive anchor on the inside.
Although they've primarily won without Robinson this season, losing out on Isaiah Hartenstein to the Thunder continues to look like a bigger and bigger loss every day.
Karl-Anthony Towns had played arguably his best basketball as a stretch four in his career when he didn't have to anchor a team down low. Playing the last two seasons alongside Rudy Gobert allowed KAT to not have to do as much of the dirty work, and he had more space to operate on the offensive end.
KAT is still putting together a phenomenal season for the Knicks, as he's averaged in 52 games 24.8 points, 13.5 rebounds, and he's shooting an efficient 53.2 percent from the floor and 43.2 percent from deep.
But where we've seen the Knicks struggle the most against contenders is with two of their best players, Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns, not performing to the level to which they're capable.
In those seven games, Bridges is averaging 14.0 points and 2.0 rebounds and is shooting 44.3 percent from the field and 27.9 percent from distance. KAT, in the seven games, is averaging 17.3 points and 11.9 rebounds and is still shooting an impressive 52.8 percent from the field and 60.0 percent from behind the arch.
Knicks have to play better going forward
Injuries to players like Mitchell Robinson, Josh Hart, who's missed games as of late, and even OG Anounby have all affected this team, but it's still not an excuse for this team getting dominated by the top teams in the NBA.
If the Knicks want to reach the Conference Finals for the first time since the year 2000, they will have to get their act together and start playing better versus the top contenders in the NBA.