The past three days were a harsh reality check for the New York Knicks. Facing the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers and second-seeded Boston Celtics, New York suffered back-to-back losses by 37 and 13 points, dropping their record to 0-5 against both teams — and 0-7 when including the Oklahoma City Thunder.
While some fans may point to the absence of Josh Hart and the continued sidelining of Mitchell Robinson, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to consider the Knicks a true championship contender. Searching for answers, here’s what we learned from their weekend series.
4. Defensive holes exposed
Despite being led by defensive-minded head coach Tom Thibodeau, the Knicks’ defense has been abysmal. They currently allow the highest opponent 3-point percentage in the NBA (38.1%), with teams exploiting their weaknesses early and often.
The Cavaliers drilled nine more threes than the Knicks on 51.4 percent shooting, capitalizing on New York’s poor defensive rotations, particularly off pick-and-rolls. Meanwhile, the Celtics — who lead the NBA in threes per game — found success by simply sticking to their strengths.
Defensive specialists like Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby have regressed, while Karl-Anthony Towns has failed to be a physical presence inside. Add in a weak bench, and New York has no real answers to stop elite offenses.
3. Slow starts killing momentum
The biggest issue? First-quarter collapses. The Knicks allowed 41 points to Cleveland and 38 to Boston in the opening frame, putting themselves in impossible holes early.
Against the Cavaliers, they trailed by double digits just six minutes into the game; against Boston, it happened in less than three minutes.
While Jalen Brunson did his best to carry the load — accounting for nearly half of the Knicks’ first-quarter points in both games — his teammates failed to generate any rhythm. Expecting him to be a one-man offense is unsustainable, especially against elite competition.
2. Precious Achiuwa’s time is running out
With Mitchell Robinson sidelined since early December, Precious Achiuwa has been tasked with filling the backup center role. This weekend showed why that experiment has completely failed.
Achiuwa has a box score +/- of -39 this season, making him a consistent liability. Against Cleveland, he struggled to defend Evan Mobley (21 points on 9-11 FG), while his offensive inconsistency and rebounding struggles continued against Boston, finishing with 0 points in 15 minutes.
With Robinson’s return expected next week per Shams Charania, the Knicks desperately need his size and rim protection — two areas Achiuwa has failed to provide. New York was +11.43 in Net Rating and had a 110.00 Defensive Rating with Robinson on the court during the 2024 playoffs. His return is essential.
1. Outclassed by well-rounded teams
On paper, the Knicks boast one of the league’s most talented starting lineups, but in reality, their top competition has exposed their flaws.
Both Cleveland and Boston play organized, team-oriented basketball — something the Knicks struggled to counter. Even though New York’s starters outscored Cleveland’s by three points, the Cavaliers’ bench unit expanded the lead, with De’Andre Hunter thriving in a sixth-man role.
Boston’s starters, meanwhile, outscored the Knicks by seven, putting the game out of reach early. Their suffocating defense, a hallmark of Joe Mazzulla’s championship-winning system, completely disrupted New York’s offensive flow — an offense already limited due to Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges’ lack of high-percentage scoring.
New York showed brief signs of life, cutting Boston’s lead to four in the fourth quarter with a 39-25 third-quarter run, but they simply lacked the energy to complete the comeback.
Can the Knicks prove they belong?
If the Knicks want to prove they belong in the contender conversation, they must address their glaring issues. With two more matchups against Cleveland before the season ends, they’ll have opportunities to respond.
But if this weekend was any indication, they aren’t ready to compete with the NBA’s elite just yet.