The New York Knicks had one of their toughest weeks on the schedule last week. They had four games with only one on their home court – something they’re not used to. New York had to play the rest on the road, where the Knicks have struggled mightily. They have failed to capitalize on very winnable games countless times. The Knicks haven’t shown any improvement on the road. However, there is room for optimism after their last win against the New Orleans Pelicans.
New York Knicks Weekly Recap: Deja Vu?
The Record: 18-18 – 9th in the Eastern Conference
Trouble in the Fourth Quarter
The Knicks have had a lingering habit this entire season of letting big leads get away. It has cost them multiple wins and also led to some very close contests. This was no more prevalent than on Wednesday against the Chicago Bulls. Leading the game 73-71, the Knicks only scored a total of 14 points in the entire fourth quarter. These are games that playoff teams win. The Knicks have to find a way to close out such games. The season has gone on long enough; you can’t blame the loss on a lack of early-season chemistry. This team is going to be fighting for its playoff identity all season long and cannot let games like this one slip away.
Struggle from Three-Point Range
In four games last week, the Knicks shot a lowly 25 percent from three-point range. This team isn’t known for its three-point shooting like the Golden State Warriors. However, plenty of Knicks players are capable of hitting the three-point shot. Kristaps Porzingis was one of the culprits this week. A player who is normally known for his three-point shooting, Porzingis was one of the reasons the team struggled so much from behind the arc last week. He shot just 27 percent from beyond the arc. Porzingis didn’t make more than one three-pointer in any of his four games last week.
The Return of Noah
Joakim Noah returned to the Knicks’ lineup on Sunday against the Pelicans and played 13 very important minutes down the stretch. He grabbed four rebounds and scored four points. The Knicks are having one of their best defensive seasons in years. If Noah can return to his old All-Star form, he can be a very important piece in New York’s future rotation.
Deja Vu?
Last year on New Year’s, the Knicks almost had the exact same record as this season. January was the point last season when the losses started to pile up. Knicks players and coaches have stated plenty of times that they’re a different team this season. We’ll soon find out if they can make the necessary changes to avoid losing as many games as they did last year.
Looking Ahead
It seems like play on the road will be a consistent criticism of this Knicks team. They were able to get their third road win of the season last week, but barely. New York plays three road games this week and one home game against a very tough San Antonio Spurs team. Two of those road games are against conference rivals, the Miami Heat and Washington Wizards. Miami is only 8-9 on the road, so the Knicks need to capitalize on that. The Heat are one of the few teams in the Eastern Conference with a losing home record. We will also get to see a showdown between rookies Frank Ntilikina and Dennis Smith Jr., a matchup that already has a lot of hype.
