News Knicks Team Notes

[New York Knicks]

Trouble brewing in the locker room?

When the Knicks first started to struggle, fans and analysts were quick to diagnose the problem as fatigue, with a side of some schematic issues, and players just playing badly. But with every passing game, their so-called rough stretch looks less and less like a stretch, and more and more like who they actually are going to be the rest of the way. And in a lot of these losses, they don’t just look tired or like they aren’t executing. They look like a disjointed and dysfunctional team, if you can even call them that. During so many timeouts and blowouts, the players aren’t picking each other up, aren’t coming together, and it’s turned a lot of fans into sleuths and even lip readers.

Yet all of that until recently was just speculation. But after the Knicks’ latest embarrassment, which came in the shape of a beatdown at the hands of the struggling Mavericks, players seemed to finally start voicing a bit more of their opinions on what’s taken place.

Deuce McBride, who’s never been one to shy away from being honest and transparent, talked about how the team has had some underlying issues that were masked with wins earlier in the season, and how the Knicks have gotten way too comfortable while their opponents have been hungrier.

"That's been the main thing over the last 11, teams are coming out more hungrier than us. When you get comfortable, when you've won, I think that's human nature and we have to fight against it"

– Deuce McBride pic.twitter.com/q3pAs2uecq

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) January 20, 2026

Josh Hart, who is often labeled as the heart of the team and is among the most vocal players on the team, said, “We have to make sure we have a professional mindset to everything. We gotta come in & be locked in. We can’t go into practice & have things said several times; we can’t come out & not execute an ATO.”

"We have to make sure we have a professional mindset to everything. We gotta come in & be locked in. We can't go into practice & have things said several times; we can't come out & not execute an ATO…At the end of the day that's the guys that have this jersey on"

– Josh Hart pic.twitter.com/ABTDVyU2yC

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) January 20, 2026

Hart also spoke candidly about the need to look in the mirror, saying, “We all need to do some soul-searching. Some are looking in the mirror. Right now we’re playing embarrassing basketball. We’re not executing on the offensive end. Defensively, we’ve been abysmal. We’ve been terrible defensively all year”.

"We all need to do some soul-searching. Some looking in the mirror. Right now we're playing embarrassing basketball. We're not executing on the offensive end. Defensively, we've been abysmal. We've been terrible defensively all year"

– Josh Hart pic.twitter.com/o5VO06aWOo

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) January 20, 2026

The captain, Jalen Brunson, echoed those sentiments and added a sense of urgency and even desperation.

Jalen Brunson on Josh Hart saying the Knicks need to do "soul searching"

"Should've started a couple weeks ago, but we gotta start tomorrow. We've got to figure this out fast" pic.twitter.com/OJ5t2Rp6D9

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) January 20, 2026

And that was just seconds after looking, and sounding a bit lost when asked about why the team didn’t show up.

And that was after the broadcast caught Brunson trying to rally the guys together and instill that sense of urgency in everyone else.

"At some point we gotta wake up…create some energy for ourselves. They're not gonna give it to us…our own f*king energy…Wake the f*k up…It's up to us…And don't watch the frigging news"

–– AI on what Jalen Brunson said to Knicks during loss to Mavs (incomplete/imperfect) pic.twitter.com/OLVQlvguON

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) January 20, 2026

The honesty and frustrations didn’t end there as head coach Mike Brown, who has received his own share of criticisms, voiced his frustrations postgame.

"Lock in and do your fucking job"

–– Mike Brownpic.twitter.com/ieIsySWp0X

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) January 20, 2026

On one side, it’s nice to see a team realize that they are indeed playing not just a bad brand of basketball, but doing so with an overall embarrassing level of effort, energy, and physicality, or lack thereof. On the other hand, it’s frustrating to see them acknowledge it, say the right things, and still do nothing to fix it. And all while that’s going on, this team, maybe more so than any other struggling team, has looked lifeless. We may never find out if this is because of the coaching change, something that happened in the locker room, or if it has to do with players not being happy with their roles. But one thing is for sure. This team is in a dark place. And that’s not just about their recent record or the results.

They look like a group of individuals, and not a team. They don’t look like they enjoy playing with each other, or even being around each other. That’s led to them being much worse than the sum of their parts, and that’s a concern considering the earlier reports that the front office is looking to stick with this core throughout the rest of the season. Because unless something magical happens off the court, and in the lockerroom, the on-court results and process likely won’t change much. And if that’s going to be the case, you can make a strong argument that this team needs a change for the sake of change, even if it means a potential downgrade on paper.

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/knicks-analysis/78220/trouble-brewing-in-the-locker-room

 

[New York Knicks]

Knicks Bulletin: ‘I mean, I’d be booing us, too. Straight up.’

Did you think we were trying to dodge the bullet of covering the ugliest defeat in Knicks’ history here in the Bulletin?

Not really. I was just inside on a 13-hour transatlantic flight and could barely do enough to keep breathing all throughout Tuesday.

Here’s a whole lot of excuses and promises from your New York Knickerbockers.

Ramona on Draymond hugging Mike Brown:

"From what I understand that didn't land well with a lot of folks there in New York"

"People not happy with Mike Brown after Warriors game when Draymond tripped KAT" pic.twitter.com/VlidKTAX5d

— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) January 20, 2026

Mike Brown​

On Jalen Brunson’s All-Star recognition:
“It’s great. He’s having a great season. It’s definitely an honor that’s well deserved.”

On halftime message after defensive collapse:
“They scored 75 points in the first half. At halftime, we usually do the clips and talk about technical X’s and O’s and all that crap that coaches do, teams do. There was nothing to be said at halftime except for lock in and do your f–king — excuse me on that — do your job.”

On frustration and doing the little things:
“It’s frustrating; it’s frustrating to me, it’s frustrating to every person in that locker room. And we all can’t get it back by thinking we’re going to go score and get this many shots. We have to embrace doing the little things and right now we’re not.”

On belief in the locker room despite struggles:
“There’s no doubt in my mind. I believe in everybody in that locker room. You can ask them — I feel they believe in each other, too. We’re going through it. We’ve got to figure out how to get out of it.”

On team communication and collaboration:
“I talk to management all the time, Leon and I talk all the time. Even when we were playing well, we were talking. So that hasn’t changed and that’s not going to change. I’m big on collaboration, not just with the players, but with the coaches, too. I will take input. At the end of the day, it’s up to me to make the decision.”

On effort-driven improvement in second half:
“We didn’t change anything schematically in the second half. There were more clips from the second half that showed us doing our job the right way. We have to try to do it for 48 minutes.”

On defensive execution against hot shooters:
“The two guys that we labeled hot were 9-for-11 in the first half. Most of those shots were open or we left our feet. No changes to the X’s and O’s. Just do your job. Play with physicality and do your job early. We all have to do our job for 48 minutes, and it didn’t happen tonight.”

On being fine with boos at MSG:
“I’m OK with the boos. If we’re playing crappy, boo. If I was in the stands, I would boo, too. You pay hard money to come to the games and this is a form of entertainment for the fans. They know good basketball from bad basketball.”

On early-season rhythm and post-Cup decline:
“We felt like we were in a pretty good spot through the Cup on both sides of the ball. For whatever reason, it’s changed. I’m not sure of the reason, but it changed after the Cup. We have to keep trying to find different ways to put them in the best possible position.”

On evaluating everything during downturn:
“When you’re in the area that we’re in right now, you gotta look at everything. You gotta keep trying to find ways where you can help the group on both sides of the ball.”

ESPN reported Jalen Brunson called a players-only meeting postgame & said they "need to find answers among themselves rather than the coaches"

He appears to have said similar midgame: https://t.co/RX8ovnOHCa

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) January 21, 2026

Jalen Brunson​

On accountability within the team:
“There’s been a lot of things to pinpoint. But as a team we know what we have to do. Either we do it — we care enough to do it — or we don’t.”

On accepting boos from fans:
“I mean, I’d be booing us, too. Straight up.”

On failing to execute the game plan:
“We just didn’t follow the game plan at all. As a team, we know what we have to do. It’s either we do it, we care enough to do it or we don’t.”

On urgency to fix issues quickly:
“We gotta figure this out fast.”

On belief in the locker room:
“I have the utmost confidence in every person in this room, in this locker room. Just things haven’t gone our way. But we have the ability to do it.”

On effort and care level:
“We just have to care a little more about what we’re doing. It has to mean a little more to us.”

On his ankle injury embarrassment:
“It’s as embarrassing to say versus watching. Just tripping over my own two damn feet. It’s that simple.”

On managing recurring ankle issues:
“Obviously I’ve had things with my ankle the past couple of years. I’m going to be fine. I’m going to be in the gym and doing all my treatment to get back to full strength.”

Karl-Anthony Towns on the boos at MSG.

Does he make a fair point?

(via: @sny_knicks) pic.twitter.com/sJPnAU5JNs

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) January 20, 2026

Karl-Anthony Towns​

On team accountability amid struggles:
“It doesn’t matter when. It matters that it did happen. So we’ve gotta figure it out. We have a special team and we’ve got a special opportunity and we can’t just let it go to waste.”

On responding to boos from fans:
“You spend your hard-earned money to come here and for us to not only not win, but to not really have a chance? I’d be disappointed too. Fans are doing their part and we’ve gotta do our part.”

On cutting through excuses:
“You just gotta win at the end of the day. Fans nor us want to hear any excuses. We’ve just gotta wanna get the job done.”

On lack of resistance in a loss:
“We was gettin’ beat, beat to the punch, beat to the basket. We didn’t do the job we needed to do today to come out with a win.”

"We have to make sure we have a professional mindset to everything. We gotta come in & be locked in. We can't go into practice & have things said several times; we can't come out & not execute an ATO…At the end of the day that's the guys that have this jersey on"

– Josh Hart pic.twitter.com/ABTDVyU2yC

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) January 20, 2026

Josh Hart​

On urgency as losses mount:
“We have to go out there with a sense of urgency. At this point, 40 games in, we have to play desperate, because that’s what we are right now.”

On embarrassing level of play:
“We all need to do some soul searching. Right now we’re playing embarrassing basketball. We’re not executing on the offensive end. Defensively, we’ve been abysmal.”

On effort compared to last season:
“Last year, no matter what we did, the effort was there. I haven’t seen this kind of effort that we had today. It was embarrassing.”

On diagnosing ongoing issues:
“If I could answer that question, I don’t think we’d be having this conversation right now.”

On dog days and physicality:
“We just have to play with more energy, more physicality. We have to figure out how to do that for the whole game.”

On professionalism and execution:
“We have to make sure we have a professional mindset. We can’t come out and not execute. At this point, we have to play desperate.”

On building identity through adversity:
“It’s a new philosophy, a new coach, a new system. It’s gonna take time to really build that, and you really only build that through adversity.”

"That's been the main thing over the last 11, teams are coming out more hungrier than us. When you get comfortable, when you've won, I think that's human nature and we have to fight against it"

– Deuce McBride pic.twitter.com/q3pAs2uecq

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) January 20, 2026

Miles McBride​

On opponents outworking the Knicks:
“They just came out more hungry. Teams are coming out more hungry than us.”

On defensive breakdowns:
“They were getting to the paint, finishing, kicking out. We just had no cohesiveness on that end.”

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/...lletin-i-mean-id-be-booing-us-too-straight-up

 

[New York Knicks]

Postgame: Scenes from the biggest win in Knicks history

On Monday, the Knicks (26*-18) were embarrassed by the Dallas Mavericks in their fourth-straight loss. That capped an awful 2-9 stretch that had us reeling. Dropping another one, to the Brooklyn Nets (12-30) no less, would have unleashed madness and mayhem on the city. Thus, obliged to do their civic duty, New York opened up their biggest can of whup-ass of the season and pulverized Brooklyn at Madison Square Garden, 120-66.

That, my friends, is a record for New York—the largest margin of victory in team history.

The Knicks finally started a game with fire and desire. It’s been weeks since they played with such intensity of pace and defense. Led by Karl-Anthony Towns, they attacked Brooklyn’s front court relentlessly; of their first 18 points, eight came in the paint and five from the free throw line. By the middle of the frame, they had held the Nets to six points and ripped off 14 unanswered points.

Through the quarter, Jalen Brunson scored 11 points and set the pace for the starting five. New York got nice bench support, too. Mitchell Robinson was a monster, recording four rebounds, three points, a steal, and a block in five minutes, while Landry Shamet made both three-point attempts, then added a steal and an assist. New York shot 67% from the floor, crushed the glass (14–5), and moved the ball well (nine assists). Their rivals tried a diet of long, contested threes and missed 67% of them. When 12 minutes were up, New York sat on a 38-20 lead.

In Q2, the thrashing continued as the home team went up by 27 and never let Brooklyn get within 15. Focused defense forced the Nets into seven first-half turnovers and squandered possessions. Michael Porter, Jr. supplied a three, a layup, and a trip to the line, but that was the extent of an offense that managed just 18 points in the quarter. Robinson returned to the fray for six more minutes of hellraising, while Bridges played an active role on both ends of the court. Completing their best defensive first half of the year, New York entered intermission ahead, 59–38.

Through the half, Brooklyn converted barely a third of their shots, while the Knicks shot 55% overall and 50% from deep. The home team ruled the backboard (outrebounding the Nets 28–16), won the paint 22–14, and had a 14–4 edge in fast-break points. Time and again, they attacked before the Nets could set their defense and looked vastly more engaged than they did on Monday. Brunson led all scorers with 12 points, and Porter had nine for the villains.

Proving their first half energy was no fluke, the ‘Bockers came banging out of the locker room with a 10-6 run to reach 70 points. By the middle of the frame, they’d gone up by 30. A little later, it was 37. Ziaire Williams scored five straight for Brooklyn while the Knicks caught their breath, but our heroes still carried an 88-56 advantage into the final frame.

A 16-0 stretch to start the fourth gave New York a 48-point lead, their largest of not just the night, not just the season, but in franchise history. Some of those points came from Shamet, who made all six of his three-point attempts tonight. Meanwhile, Brooklyn missed their first eight shots of the quarter and, with seven minutes to go, they looked impatient for the buzzer. Tyrese Martin hit a 31-foot three, Day’Ron Sharpe chipped in with two free throws, Terrence Mann scored a layup, and Danny Wolf drained a longball as the clock wound down. That’s it. Those were the only Nets buckets in a fourth quarter that New York won 32-10.

Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 20 points and five assists. Towns was a force in limited minutes, pouring in 14 points on 5-of-8 shooting while grabbing eight rebounds. Josh Hart delivered one of his most complete all-around games—11 points on a perfect 5-for-5 and nine rebounds—while Mikal Bridges pitched in 11 points and four assists. OG Anunoby didn’t need to score much but finished a +28.

Everybody got the memo! New York’s bench showed up, too. Miles McBride exploded for 14 points, four assists, and a game-best +34. Shamet delivered 18 points on 6-of-7 shooting and scorching from deep. Mitch controlled the paint with seven points, seven rebounds, and two blocks, while Mohamed Diawara provided some good minutes, too.

KAT had committed five fouls in each of his last four games. Consider that streak over. And so ends the skid! With tonight’s win, the Knicks snapped a four-game losing streak and avoided a nuclear meltdown. Up next, Professor Miranda will summon his brilliance to the page for you lucky bums. As for New York, they’ll travel to Philadelphia for a matinee on Saturday. Storm’s comin’. Safe travels, Knickerbockers.

Box Score

* Should be one more, but the Cup final doesn’t count.

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/...scenes-from-the-biggest-win-in-knicks-history

 

[New York Knicks]

Game Thread: Knicks vs. Nets, January 21, 2026

The Knicks (25*–18) return to MSG, desperate to snap a four-game losing streak against a Nets team that has dropped seven of its last eight. New York’s recent skid has highlighted turnovers and defensive lapses, but the talent and full rotation remain intact. The Nets present an ideal opponent to turn things in a positive direction. The Knicks have dominated the rivalry, winning 12 straight against Brooklyn, including two lopsided victories earlier this season.

Tip-off is 7:30 pm EST on MSG. This is your game thread. This is Nets Daily. Please don’t post large photos, GIFs, or links to illegal streams in the thread. Be good humans. And go Knicks!

* Should be one more, but the Cup final doesn’t count.

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/...70/game-thread-knicks-vs-nets-january-21-2026

 

[New York Knicks]

Knicks Bulletin: ‘I can help any team in the league. I help winning’

Of course, the Knicks broke the skid.

It was the Nets on the other end, what did you expect?

Here’s a bunch of quotes from the protagonists following a historic trouncing inflicted on New Jersey/Brooklyn.

"Sometimes you may not get the minutes/touches/shots, but you gotta sacrifice…As a leader…uplift, connect…Keep thinking about how can we get this win…how hard can I play…"

–– Mike Brown on what Jalen Brunson called Knicks "soul-searching" after Mavs loss & before Nets win pic.twitter.com/44rCBDkT3w

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) January 22, 2026

Mike Brown​

On Wednesday’s historic win over the Nets:

“I didn’t know about the record until it was mentioned. But just seeing us play the way we’re capable of playing again, I don’t know what the score will be every night we get out on the floor. Our guys are more than capable of going out there and putting it together for 48 minutes, and that was a lot of fun.”

On the Knicks standing despite struggles:

“We know it’s not an aberration. We are sitting in either third or fourth place. We haven’t played well. We are still in a pretty good position to win a lot of games now. Obviously, we’ve had some struggles and it may not be the last time. But what it does continue to show is if we play the right way, it doesn’t matter who is in front of us. We will find ways to get a win.”

On the recent adversity and accountability:

“The reality of it is, when you go through adversity it starts with an individual looking in the mirror, starting with me. I have to see how I can help. We all do. We know we’re better on both sides of the ball, we know we’re better than our record.”

On the challenge of fitting Jordan Clarkson into rotation:

“Yeah, it could be tough to get him in the rotation. Obviously Deuce played well during his time, Mitch played well, Landry played at a pretty high level before he got hurt. So trying to find minutes for those guys as well as for our starting group is tough. I can’t even hit the minute threshold for all those guys that I’m looking for. It can be tough from time to time.”

On Mohamed Diawara’s development:

“Mo’s played well. I’ve been pleasantly surprised. He’s got great size. He’s got really good instinct for a young guy. A part of that instinct is a feel on the offensive floor of how to move the basketball which makes the game easier for everybody. He’s working really hard on the shot and his decision-making. He’s a pretty good rebounder and a pretty good defender for a young guy.”

Josh Hart says the Knicks did not have a players-only meeting after Monday's loss:

"We talked, but it wasn't like some thing. That got dragged. We didn't have a players-only meeting." pic.twitter.com/8j4ILaNBmA

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) January 22, 2026

Josh Hart​

On the truth behind the reported players-only meeting:

“We didn’t have a players-only meeting. Y’all dragging it. We didn’t have a players-only meeting. I don’t know who said it, who did all that, but we didn’t have a players-only meeting.”

On discussions being overblown:

“We talked, but it wasn’t like some big thing. So that got dragged. We didn’t have a players-only meeting. We know what we have to do. We cleared stuff up yesterday in film and practice and today in walkthroughs. We know we haven’t been playing up to our capabilities, but we’re gonna continue to play off this win.”

On the need for accountability:

“We all need to do some soul-searching. Right now we’re playing embarrassing basketball. We’re not executing on the offensive end. Defensively, we’ve been abysmal. We’ve been terrible defensively all year.”

Knicks Captain Jalen Brunson on the Knicks soul searching and reflecting after their recent skid to help them focus on their largest margin of victory in team history against the Nets.@alanhahn | @NYKnicks | #NewYorkForever pic.twitter.com/frA46bEQyZ

— KNICKS ON MSG (@KnicksMSGN) January 22, 2026

Jalen Brunson​

On refocusing after the recent struggles:

“Just sticking together, talking it through, having each other’s back, worrying about the little things on the court. Not just the stats, but the stuff that doesn’t make the stat sheet. The stuff that actually makes a difference in close games that can break teams. So that’s what we’ve gotta continue to focus on.”

On building momentum following the win vs. Brooklyn:

“We just had to be focused and get back to who we are. This is a good start for us but we’ve gotta continue to press the issue.”

On the offensive pace and execution on Wednesday:

“It starts with pace. Obviously getting stops and running helps, but our pace offensively was great. We got in the paint, made plays, and just made a lot of good reads tonight. I think us focusing on the things that matter, like the little stuff that allows us to kind of play free on offense, it’s big time for us.”

On having an ever-improving mindset:

“We just had to refocus and get back to who we are. This is a good step for us but we have to continue to press the issue of getting better every single day. It was just sticking together and talking it through and having each other’s backs.”

Karl-Anthony Towns was asked if the Knicks' players-only meeting helped the Knicks get on the same page:

"I think losing four in a row better get everyone on the same page." pic.twitter.com/df40si3hi9

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) January 22, 2026

Karl-Anthony Towns​

On the importance of breaking the losing streak:

“A win—it’s the most important thing. Find a way to break the ice and put one in the left column. Good game, good day for us to show what we’re capable of. Consistency is what makes champions. We’ve got to find that consistency of bringing this kind of intensity, energy and execution every single night.”

On building off Wednesday’s performance:

“Try to get two wins in a row. Execute plays with this aggression and have this kind of determination every single night.”

On urgency following team discussions:

“I think losing four in a row better get everyone on the same page. Glad tonight that everyone looked like they saw what was going on and what we needed to stop the bleeding. Consistency is what’s going to make us great. And it’s going to make this season a successful season. We just go to build off of this.”

"How about the Knicks challenging a call with 6 minutes to go up by 48…they're basically rubbing it in your face"

Josh Hart was more upset about it than the Nets pic.twitter.com/cSYAnKItCa

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) January 22, 2026

Jordan Clarkson​

On adjusting to his new, reduced role:

“I read the room, I see what it is. I’m just a vet, coming here, doing my work, staying ready. When I’m playing those minutes with the young guys, I ain’t taking nothing away from them. Being a pro, talking to them, trying to get them in their spots.”

On staying professional amid the loss of minutes:

“Still play but I’m not gonna go in there and f–k the game up. I’m just gonna try to keep continuing to play the right way, help these guys grow and continue to get better. That’s all I can do.”

On staying confident in his talents:

“I can help any team in the league. I help winning. You saw it early on in the year. I know I got a lot left in my tank. I can impact winning wherever. I’ll impact winning here. Just gotta stay prepared and control what I can control.”

"Me I never lost to the Knicks since I been in the league"

–– Nic Claxton now 0-13 vs Knicks since thispic.twitter.com/Oe39S43NFJ

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) January 22, 2026

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/...an-help-any-team-in-the-league-i-help-winning

 

[New York Knicks]

What buttons did Mike Brown push?

After New York suffered an embarrassing defeat on their home court on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, head coach Mike Brown stepped up to the podium and revealed that he had some ideas on which buttons he needed to press prior to Wednesday night’s matchup against Brooklyn.

And while a win, even if it is by 60-plus points, against a tanking Nets team might not be enough to overwrite the last month of subpar basketball, discouraging efforts, and confusing lack of chemistry, we did get a few glimpses of tangible change that could signal that yesterday was more than just shots going in or a good team playing a bad team.

Mike Brown was asked if he knows what buttons he needs to press to "get the Knicks back on track"

"I've got some idea what I'm gonna do" pic.twitter.com/EKJCfBNpnX

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) January 20, 2026

More ball movement​

While the Knicks’ bad defense has been the topic of discussion over the last few weeks, the more troubling aspect might have been the offense. We knew coming into the season that this team was never going to be an elite defensive team. They had the potential to be a solid, maybe even good one, but never elite. But offensively, they were supposed to be among the best in the league.

They roster the best shooting big man of all-time in Karl-Anthony Towns, floor spacers in Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby, and one of the best pure scorers in the game in Jalen Brunson. And add in Josh Hart’s secondary ball handling skills and transition baskets, Mitchell Robinson’s offensive rebounding, Deuce McBride’s elite outside shooting, Jordan Clarkson’s erratic, yet explosive potential, and the genius of Mike Brown, and they should’ve had everything they needed to be an elite, albeit imperfect, offense.

And through the first couple of months of the season, we saw it come to fruition. Even with Towns struggling from outside, the offense thrived with Bridges taking on more of the ball-handling duties, Hart becoming a much improved shooter, and Brunson being, well, Brunson. Brown had them meshing great individual talent, with creative sets, and increased ball and player movement, and we saw this team put up some historic numbers with ease, even when guys had off nights. Yet over the last month, the offense regressed progressively. It started with players struggling to shoot, and it led to less trust, less movement, and ,unfortunately, the same kind of isolation-heavy, heliocentric offense we were forced to watch for much of Tom Thibodeau’s tenure.

karl-anthony towns on the attack kept us entertained pic.twitter.com/ciBkLUkhsI

— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) January 22, 2026

But last night, we saw the Knicks get back to some of the roots that helped propel them to one of the best offenses in the league to start the season. We saw more organization in the form of set plays and schematic sets at the beginning of the shot clock, which led to much better continuity and flow offensively. There was noticeably less dribbling, less isolation, and less pick-and-rolls that led to late clock chucks, and it showed in the results.

In the clips above, you can see a much more concerted effort to be decisive with their actions. Whether it’s to shoot, pass, or drive, players were being much more intentional. And for the first time in god knows how long, it looked like everyone was actually on the same page, and playing with some urgency. The Nets, being one of the worst defensive teams in the league, especially in January, help. And shots going in will always prove to be the deciding factor in what is known as a “make or miss” league. But last night’s offensive process was the best one we’ve seen since mid-December, and that’s worth noting.

Energy and physicality​

You can plug in whatever other word you want to use there. Off the top of my head, I contemplated using effort, activity, fight, pride, and tenacity. And I’m sure there are dozens more that you can use. Whatever you want to go with, though, the Knicks finally played with it. Again, Brooklyn is a tanking team that has not won many games this season. But they are still an NBA team with NBA players. And over the last couple of weeks, they’ve managed to score 96 points against the Raptors, 107 points against the Timberwolves, 107 points against the Warriors, 96 points against the Rockets, 105 points against the Mavericks, and 117 points against the Suns, all of whom are top 10 in defensive rating this season.

"It's no secret to anybody, been a tough stretch for us. But…shows what we can do…Connectivity, physicality, set tone, dictate––we've been talking about these in practice"

–– Landry Shamet (18 on 6-6 from 3) to @BillPidto on Knicks biggest win margin ever 120-66 over Nets pic.twitter.com/CrvHXWN5tQ

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) January 22, 2026

The fact that the Knicks held any NBA team, even if it is the Nets, to just 66 points, is impressive. They came out of the gates with the kind of effort we haven’t seen from them, especially in the first quarter, in a very long time. And they maintained it for much of the game. They fought over screens, were active in the passing lanes, seemed more communicative, had fewer mental lapses, and, like on offense, they just seemed more connected as a team. They will not hold opponents to under 100 points nightly, let alone under 70 points. This is no longer the NBA of the 2000’s. But the Mavericks game might’ve finally given this team a very long overdue wake-up call, and it showed with their best effort defensively, maybe all season long.

Rotation changes​

Some of this is due to the Knicks being fully healthy. But one major change we’ve seen take place now over the last two games is the much more limited playing time of Jordan Clarkson and Tyler Kolek. It’s unfortunate because both have been a significant part of some of the most memorable moments of the current rollercoaster season. But the pair have been underwhelming for the majority of the recent skid.

Clarkson was brought in to be a much-needed upgrade in the scoring department off the bench, but he’s been just as, if not more, erratic as advertised, while being the negative defender fans had expected. He’s already gone through a few tough stretches this season, and he’s found ways to bounce back with a few big games. But for much of the season, Clarkson has played more minutes than he’s often deserved, and his leash thus far has been unreasonably long.

Jordan Clarkson says he wasn’t approached about being benched. Said he’s taking it in stride but also made it clear he knows he can help this team — and any team — win basketball games .

Story soon.

— Kristian Winfield (@Krisplashed) January 22, 2026

Meanwhile, Kolek, despite having some nice moments, is still an inconsistent shooter, and while he tries defensively, his lack of athleticism and discipline often get him burned at the point-of-attack, an area the Knicks already struggle with.

Both have played sparingly over the last two games, with all of their minutes coming in garbage time last night. With McBride being such an integral part of the team, and Shamet healthy and playing well again, it’ll be tough to see either of them earning significant minutes moving forward unless another injury takes place. And while that’s tough for them, that’s the way it should be, and needs to be for now.

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/knicks-analysis/78316/what-buttons-did-mike-brown-push

 

[New York Knicks]

Looking ahead at the tough road that lies ahead

The Knicks are supposed to be in the midst of an easy portion of the schedule. They had back-to-back games against the Trail Blazers and Kings, the latter of which is amongst the worst teams in the league. And then after consecutive games against the Warriors and Suns, two good teams, they squared off against the Mavericks and Nets, two more very bad teams. But for the struggling Knicks, it hasn’t looked so easy.

In those four games against the subpar teams, the Knicks managed to go just 2-2, and add in the two games against over.500 teams in the middle, and you have yourself a measly 2-4 record.

That’s bad news considering the tough schedule that lies not too far ahead. The Knicks have a weekend matinee against a good, but not elite, 76ers team on Saturday, then get a shot at revenge against the aforementioned lowly Kings. But after that, the schedule becomes both much harder and very strenuous.

Between January 28th and March 9th, the Knicks will play 17 of their 22 games against playoff and play-in teams. And while the All-Star break takes place mid-February, New York will also have five sets of back-to-backs during that span, with a brutal one where they have to play the defending champion Thunder just a day after playing a Raptors team that enters today one loss back of the Knicks.

This stretch also includes two games against the first-seed Pistons, who punked the Knicks just a couple weeks ago, the Celtics who have surpassed the Knicks in the Eastern Conference standings, the Cavaliers, who have been playing better as of late, the Spurs, who have the second best record in the league, and the fourth-seed in the Western Conference, the Rockets.

And if that wasn’t bad enough, they’ll end the trip with a west-coast road trip against a Nuggets team that could have Nikola Jokic back, the Lakers, who despite some turmoil, remain a good team, and the Clippers, who have been amongst one of the hottest teams in the league since cutting ties with Chris Paul.

This stretch also happens to include the trade deadline, which could have a lasting impact on this franchise. They could swing big for a trade and change up their core for better or worse. Or they could go for more marginal moves that could end up paying big dividends down the road.

They also have a few easy games sprinkled in, with a game against the Wizards on February 3rd, and a game against the Pacers a week later on February 10th. And do follow up this tough stretch with games against the Jazz, Pacers (twice), Nets, Wizards, Pelicans, and Hornets within about a two-week span.

But as you can see, the Knicks better hope that last night’s demolition of the Nets is the start of a turnaround. If New York plays the way it did for the better half of the last month, dropping games to opponents it shouldn’t be losing to, and getting embarrassed by good teams, the next month and a half will be disastrous and could very well lead to the final blows of what would be an incredibly disappointing season.

If you do believe that the Knicks have turned the corner, though, the next few weeks could end up being a series of very hard contests that test and push the Knicks. And if they can get through it playing some of their best basketball and string together some good weeks, it could make believers out of a lot of fans who have recently started to lose hope. Needless to say, starting next Wednesday, maybe the toughest part of the schedule, and given the trade deadline, maybe the most important stretch of the season will begin. And it’s not unreasonable to say that, as far as regular seasons go, this will be their make-or-break stretch.

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/...oking-ahead-at-the-tough-road-that-lies-ahead

 

[New York Knicks]

Game Preview: Knicks at 76ers, January 24, 2026

The Knicks hit ABC this afternoon trying to stop Tyrese Maxey and the 76ers and to avoid an 0–3 hole in the season series. A matinee . . . oh joy.

New York enters at 26*–18, while Philadelphia is 24–19. The Sixers bring the confidence of a team that has already beaten the Knicks twice at Madison Square Garden and now plan to do it at home. The Knicks, struggling of late, hope to carry over momentum from their record-setting slaughter of the Nets on Wednesday.

The first two meetings followed the same script. The Sixers solved the Knicks’ defense, and the Knicks could not solve Maxey. Having a season worthy of MVP consideration, the peppy point guard scored 30 in their December contest and followed with 36 and eight boards on January 3. Maxey controlled the tempo and nimbly navigated whatever coverage New York threw at him. In the frontcourt, Philly’s star center Joel Embiid had his way and, when he sat, Andre Drummond brought rebounding and floor-spacing. Rookie VJ Edgecombe impressed, too, and coach Nick Nurse’s club had a counter for every Knicks push.

In the first game, New York was neck-and-neck until sinking in a 20-point fourth quarter. In the rematch, a promising first quarter was squandered by a terrible next three.

The Knicks’ stars have produced. Jalen Brunson scored 22 and 31 in the losses, and Karl-Anthony Towns was steadily around 20 and 10. The issue was timing and resistance. December’s fourth quarter bogged down into late-clock jumpers, while January turned into a track meet that had New York panting.

For today’s matinee, both teams are monitoring stars: Karl-Anthony Towns is questionable for New York with back spasms, while Philadelphia has Joel Embiid (ankle) and Paul George (knee) both listed as game-time decisions.

Prediction​

Despite everything, ESPN.com likes New York at 58%. Interesting. Their oddsmakers must be trying to skew the betting lines, because Philly has past performance and home court in their favor, not to mention New York’s lousy record since winning the (cursed) NBA Cup. We’ll take it, ESPN, but it’s fishy.

After Wednesday’s 54-point flogging of the Nets assuaged some panic about the Knicks’ recent play, today’s game feels less like a must win. It does smack of a prove-it game, though. Brooklyn is a glorified G-League team. New York’s effort today will show us if they truly are back on track.

The last time the Knicks appeared on national TV, just this past Monday, they were embarrassed by the lowly Mavericks. Today they will redeem themselves. In a tightly-fought contest that comes down to the final minute, we’ll see some overdue Captain Clutch heroics—in a shot-for-shot duel with Maxey—and the Knicks will get their 27th win of the season. New York by two.

Game Details​

Date: Saturday, January 24, 2026

Time: 3:00 PM ET

Place: Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia, PA

TV: ABC

Follow: @ptknicksblog and bsky

* Should be one more, but the Cup final doesn’t count.

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/.../game-preview-knicks-at-76ers-january-24-2026

 

[New York Knicks]

Game Thread: Knicks at 76ers, January 24, 2026

The Knicks (26*–18) take the court in Philly today, trying to avoid an 0-3 hole in their season series with the 76ers (24-19). New York comes in buoyed by Wednesday’s record-setting rout of Brooklyn, but the Sixers have already solved them twice, in fairly convincing fashion. Will New York’s wings finally neutralize Tyrese Maxey? Will their frontcourt stand up to Joel Embiid? Are our heroes truly back on track or was Wednesday’s annihilation of the Nets merely fool’s gold?

Find out at 3 p.m. EST on ABC. This is your game thread. This is Liberty Ballers. Please don’t post large photos, GIFs, or links to illegal streams in the thread. Be good ambassadors of humanity. And go Knicks!

* Should be one more, but the Cup final doesn’t count.

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/...8/game-thread-knicks-at-76ers-january-24-2026

 

[New York Knicks]

Knicks Bulletin: ‘If somebody is in foul trouble, hopefully the next guy can step up’

The Knicks played a home game on the road.

Make that make sense, Philadelphians.

Here’s your crew dropping some gems after yesterday’s affair.

"They look at Thibs as the injury. I'm here to say f*ck that…Thibs was the 1st coach who made me feel special…I used to do sh*t in games just to make sure he saw on tape…Thibs, you may have gone to Harvard, you may have done physics––but I showed you physics"

– Derrick Rose pic.twitter.com/pu2lZYscTI

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) January 25, 2026

Mike Brown​

On parity across the NBA:

“In the NBA anything can happen. It doesn’t surprise me at all because teams are a lot more even in today’s NBA than back in the day. Teams are really good, players have gotten better, coaches have gotten better, so you have to be ready to play every single time you step on the floor.”

On OG Anunoby’s defensive impact on Saturday:

“OG obviously changed the game defensively. His quick decisions with the basketball, it was beautiful to watch. Defensively, guard Paul George, guard their power forward and then guard Joel Embiid. He was phenomenal defensively.”

On Anunoby guarding Embiid late:

“We can’t do anything like that if you don’t have a guy like OG. OG allows us to play the basketball game in a lot of different ways. So, we were able to do it.”

On the Knicks response to Towns’ never-ending foul trouble:

“We gotta just have other guys step up. We can’t control the fouls called, so if somebody is in foul trouble, hopefully the next guy can step up and play the right way to help us get a win.”

On the late-game challenge:

“I didn’t even see the play. I didn’t even hear our challenge guy say yes or no. I just know the whole bench was yelling at me to challenge. So I was ready to MF everybody if we didn’t win it.”

On Ariel Hukporti’s readiness:

“Ariel, he has been back and forth with the G-League team. He has been practicing, playing games, coming here, he kept himself ready. We throw him out there in a crucial time and he was phenomenal for us in those minutes.”

pic.twitter.com/Ap8uu80fmk https://t.co/YpWyJBlkVv

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) January 25, 2026

Mitchell Robinson​

On the second-half defensive turnaround against the 76ers:

“We locked in defensively. We came back into halftime to see what we were lacking, especially myself. Defensively in the first half, I ain’t do too great. But definitely in the second half came with more energy.”

On battling Joel Embiid:

“Playing against him is always gonna be a little fight. That’s our nature, it is what it is. He’s an All-Star player so you’ve gotta come out there and fight and make some adjustments yourself.”

"We had a slump…it happened…Now we just gotta keep on climbing"

–– Jalen Brunson (31-5-6, 6 threes) on Knicks 2-0 after 2-9 pic.twitter.com/f4r2bIZSYz

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) January 25, 2026

Jalen Brunson​

On adjusting after Towns fouled out:

“Obviously, we want him in the game, but it’s a next man up mentality. We gotta find a way to go out there and execute our gameplan, play with pace, play good defense, play physical and get back to what we do.”

On the chaotic finish:

“Just pure chaos, but we found a way to win. That’s the best way I can describe it.”

On winning the late-game challenge after replay proved him right:

“Very. It’s very satisfying. If I’m animated like that, I’m pretty sure I’m right.”

Josh Hart: “You guys can write what you want. Three games ago, we were turning into a lottery team, and now yall are like oh, we’re battling up the East.”

— Kristian Winfield (@Krisplashed) January 24, 2026

Josh Hart​

On closing out a tough win vs. Philly:

“When you’re a team that’s struggling to put together wins, you got to do the little things. Good attention to detail, good focus, good energy, and get all those 50-50 balls.”

On the Knicks’ late-game execution:

“We played well, but our execution the last couple minutes… I don’t know if we deserved to win the game. I don’t know if they deserved to win either. It was just a toss-up.”

On staying level-headed after back-to-back wins:

“Yeah, it is good, but also it’s January. You can’t get too high or too low. Three games ago we were turning into a lottery team, now people say we’re battling the East. We’re just trying to stay level headed.”

OG Anunoby on Mitchell Robinson catching up to him on this list: "I think he always deserves it every night. Any night he gets it, I love that for him." https://t.co/QRasHAWvxG

— Fred Katz (@FredKatz) January 24, 2026

Landry Shamet​

On the bench production and its variability:

“Some nights that bench scoring is going to have a huge onus on it. Other nights our first five have it going. That’s the beauty of our team. We’ve got to be adaptable and find ways to win.”

Joel Embiid wanted another bailout call after passing to the ref pic.twitter.com/6bg5upLm72

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) January 25, 2026

Guerschon Yabusele​

On trade uncertainty ahead of the deadline:

“It’s nothing that I can control. Just try to be smart, preparing, as ready as I can. I’ve never gotten traded before or been in a situation like this. I just work hard and try to stay prepared.”

On unmet expectations this season:

“It’s definitely not what I was expecting coming into the season. I thought it would be a little more different. Obviously, my role is different from last year or from the Olympics.”

Derrick Rose's full jersey retirement speech pic.twitter.com/PBoaqEGaVj

— Ahmed/The Ears/IG: BigBizTheGod (@big_business_) January 25, 2026

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/...ul-trouble-hopefully-the-next-guy-can-step-up

 

[New York Knicks]

Knicks 112, 76ers 109: “Fugly win”

The New York Knicks defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 112-109 yesterday, a win familiar for anyone who has ever sat on the edge of their bed at the end of a long day of getting a small child through shopping and vaccinations and missed naps and vegetables and vomiting and felt that peculiar buzz that’s a mix of adrenaline and apathy. The Sixers are the closest thing the Knicks have to a heated rivalry, especially when the teams play at Madison Square Garden West, especially especially when Joel Embiid is healthy and Embidding. At least he was half of the time — the very definition of Embiiding.

Believe it or not, we’re now nearing a decade of Embiid vs. Mitchell Robinson, who still gets as juiced for this matchup as he did his rookie year. Good thing he does, and that he played as well as he did, because the Knicks needed it with Karl-Anthony Towns still rabbit-holing down his one-man magical mystery tour. After five fouls each in four of the last five games, KAT went all “Have thy will, I am the love that dare not speak its name” with foul number six and finally gave in to temptation, fouling out after 16 minutes of play so bizarre they’d leave Kafka pissing his pants. Once Robinson checked in, the Knicks went on a 12-0 run.

“From a certain point onward,” Kafka wrote, “there is no longer any turning back. That is the point that must be reached.” Mitch was that point.

As Ryan Ruocco reminded the viewers every three minutes, when Embiid is at the top of his game the 76ers are a team every team must fear. Outside of San Antonio, how many teams have a truly unguardable two-way big man? If Embiid is still playing in June, he’s one of maybe four people alive the Thunder don’t have an answer for, along with Victor Wembanyama, Nikola Jokić and Kevin Durant, mysteries for whom neither God nor math offer answers. Peak Embiid is 28 points in 17 first-half minutes without breaking stride, like the Knicks endured Saturday.

As I repeated to Ruocco every three minutes via my TV screen — loudly and profanely late in the first half, when I was hungry and the Sixers took the lead; softer and smarmy most of the second, after mac and cheese and the Knicks resuming control — “‘Embiid’s good!’ isn’t news.” Despite his history with the Knicks, he’s easily one of my favorite players to watch play against them — a real marvel. The playoffs are way better when he’s a meaningful part of them. And yet to ignore the other shoe, the one everyone’s waiting for to drop, is to be a fool. And now is no time for fools. Be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.

After playing only six of Philadelphia’s first 18 games, never more than 26 minutes, yesterday was the 16th time in his last 19 games Embiid’s played 30+. In just over three weeks, he’s played 36+ five times. Last time he played that many in that short a span? Twenty-one months ago. Remember?

In the first half Embiid was the good boyfriend, stroking your hair, using the soft voice he did when you first met, when he first swept you off your feet. He finally met with your uncle for that job interview; it went really well. Why’s he so sweaty? He’s working out again. He’s even seeing a therapist. Things are gonna be different. Then one day he isn’t answering your texts, not since the night before, after he came home sweaty, long past when the gym closed. You’re missing some cash.

Ariel Hukporti fell on his knee. It could have been any number of things, could have happened to anybody. That’s what makes it human. But it’s always something, always happening to the same person. That’s what makes it Embiid.

Embiid played a part in Philly’s last stand, but looked to be laboring through it. For much of the endgame the Knicks played without a center and looked none the worse for it, though Embiid’s partial brilliance might have been enough to knock the Knicks off on a night Towns, Mikal Bridges and Miles McBride went 8-of-31. But there’s one advantage the Knicks enjoy over their fellow Boston-hating East Coast metropolis: OG Anunoby. Whether his flurry of first-half dunks or late game heroics on both ends, Anunoby, if not/alongside Mitch, was the player of the game. His fake swing pass as V.J. Edgecombe came flying at him led to a bounce pass to Landry Shamet in the corner showed the sublime ease of a perfect panenka.

OG Anunoby with a big clutch corner 3, and then the assist for the corner 3 by Landry Shamet (with a replay)

— MrBuckBuck (@mrbuckbucknba.bsky.social) 2026-01-24T22:36:30.660Z

When you sit at the high-rollers table, where the Knicks now do, how you win means less than how much. 85% of New York’s victories this season have been by 5+ points, including six by 20+. Detroit? 75% and five. Who cares? The Pistons have won 32 games, period, while the Knicks have 26. That’s the only number that matters, at least until they all re-set in April.

41 wins matters when you’re up and coming. 50 matters when some dreams have come true and others remain. When you’re the Knicks in January 2026, it’s all about winding your way through 82 games, then winning 16 more. Nobody cares how, or by how much.

Quoth iwamofo: “Fugly win.” It was. This one was never in jeopardy and never in the bag, for either team. When it ended I felt empty, tired, and joyless — but not hopeless. Every day like that is a win. Like the Knicks, all I can do today is win the games I’m in, then do it again tomorrow, every day, long as I can, long as it takes. You too, loves.

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/knicks-features-profiles/78386/knicks-112-76ers-109-fugly-win

 

[New York Knicks]

Postgame: Scenes from NY gutting it out in Philly

In today’s matinee, the Knicks (27*-18) absorbed a Joel Embiid onslaught, survived cold shooting from the wings, and steadied themselves just enough in the final seconds to leave Philadelphia with a 112–109 win, holding off the 76ers (24-20) after nearly squandering a 17-point fourth-quarter lead.

Through the first quarter, New York mostly controlled the flow but never created separation. They relied on Brunson, Towns, and McBride to build modest leads, but never more than six points. Before the game, Towns was questionable to play due to back spasms. Numerous times this afternoon, he seemed to aggravate the problem. Off the bench, Mitchell Robinson’s rim protection and physicality made him the only effective deterrent to Embiid.

In a tightly contested frame, Maxey and Embiid consistently erased any ground the visitors gained. When McBride drilled a late three, Maxey answered with some freebies, and the quarter ended with a 34-34 deadlock.

JOEL HANS EMBIID.

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixersnba.bsky.social) 2026-01-24T20:36:51.915Z

The home team seized control in the second quarter. Maxey bent the defense at the point of attack. Embiid gradually thundered into the lane, benefiting from his strength, footwork, and friendly whistles. For our heroes, Anunoby emerged as an offensive presence, cutting and finishing with concentrated energy, but Towns was unable to slow Embiid. By the break, the Knicks were on the wrong side of 64-60.

a lil spin n slam action from OG pic.twitter.com/gu4f8V75jB

— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) January 24, 2026

Through the half, New York dominated the glass (25–14) and crushed the offensive boards (10–1). The Sixers, meanwhile, were ruthless when they got looks, shooting 65% overall, won the paint 30-22, and moved the ball well enough to offset the rebounding deficit. Embiid’s highest scoring first-half of the season ended with a game-high 28 points. For the Knicks, Brunson posted 19.

In the third quarter, the Knicks showed us what they can do when focused on both ends. Behind efficient scoring and furious defense, they opened the second half with a 14-4 run. Philly’s Embiid looked bedraggled after his extraordinary first half, so perhaps the coronation by the ABC halftime panel was a tad premature.

When Shamet slipped through for a backdoor layup, the Knicks had outscored Philly 21-7 and taken a 10-point lead, their largest yet. A little later, Deuce hit a jumper to make the score 88-74. With steals, blocks, rebounds, and forced turnovers—and Karl-Anthony Towns benched for most of the quarter due to foul trouble—the Knicks held the home team to just 13 points in the frame. (Yep, 13.) With the wind in their sails, New York gleefully embarked into the fourth with a 90-77 advantage.

Even acknowledging that the Knicks just won a game by 54, the third quarter against the Sixers is the best period they've played in weeks. Pick any area of the game — they dominated it.

— Fred Katz (@fredkatz.bsky.social) 2026-01-24T21:59:05.671Z

Early in the fourth, Embiid went down, grabbing his leg, but remained in the game. His gait was gimpy, Joel had scored zilch in Q3, and missed two free throws before gingerly hitting a triple around the eight-minute mark of Q4. The big fella spurred an eight-point run to cut into New York’s 17-point lead, but you could just tell he was already fantasizing about that postgame ice bath. By game’s end, he’d have 38 points, 11 boards, and five assists.

Good luck keeping a lead in today’s NBA when two of your players (Bridges, McBride) each shoot 1-of-8 from downtown. Bridges was terrible, hurting his team by missing dead-on bunnies and, at one point, shooting 3-of-16 from the floor. Captain Clutch sizzled from deep (6-of-12) but was the only Knick with more than one made three-pointer. Nonetheless, they looked like the better team. Worried about the playoffs? Not us, not yet. (Brunson would finish with 31 points on 11-of-24 FG.)

At the midway point, Towns fouled out. Blame the bad back, but that’s six fouls in 16 minutes to go with his 10 points and six boards. Lucky for New York, Robinson was playing like a spring chicken, grabbing every possible offensive rebound. Philly had some juice, though, with Kelly “Sideshow Bob” Oubre, Jr. and OAKAAKUYOAK Quentin Grimes pitching in to cut the differential to five with five minutes left.

With two minutes left, Embiid scored to make the score 102-99. Anunoby (the wing who was shooting well) made a tip-in to drive half of the stadium wild. VJ Edgecombe responded with a quick-trigger triple, which set the Philly half of the crowd cheering. OG said Hmph and answered with a triple; then an Embiid miss became a Shamet trey for an eight-point lead with 42 seconds left. The Knicks fans were shaking the building. (Anunoby tallied 23 points on 10-of-15 FG.)

OG Anunoby loves throwing down a monster dunk in Philadelphia pic.twitter.com/sagsghgUza

— Knicks Memes (@KnicksMemes) January 24, 2026

A Maxey triple and two Edgecombe free throws made it a three-point game. In a wild final 30 seconds, Brunson was tagged for an offensive foul, trying to break away from Edgecombe on an inbound. A coach’s challenge overturned the call, giving New York a free throw and possession. Anunoby was fouled and made one of two free throws. Maxey raced down the floor for a layup, cutting the difference to five points with 18 seconds left. Brunson missed two free throws, but Maxey missed on a three-pointer, Shamet wasn’t whistled while trying to commit an intentional foul, and New York escaped with a 112-109 win.

Up Next​

My sheet says Matthew Miranda is coming in hot with a recap. As for New York, they will host the Kings of Sacramento on Tuesday. Safe travels, Knickerbockers.

Box Score

* Should be one more, but the NBA Cup win doesn’t count.

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/...tgame-scenes-from-ny-gutting-it-out-in-philly

 

[New York Knicks]

Knicks Bulletin: ‘Hmmm… What’s this about big dawg?’

The Knicks rested yesterday and will probably make us suffer today.

New York visits Philly for a heated matchup with an early tip-off. What can go wrong?

Here’s a bunch of quotes!

Kristian Winfield: "So how far down the road do you look on the schedule?"

Mike Brown: "Just the next game. Like I don't even know who we play after Philly. I know we have Sunday off but I don't know we play, I don't know who we play Monday. (Looks off camera) Tuesday? OK" pic.twitter.com/EbnjbU7GuZ

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) January 24, 2026

Mike Brown​

On adjusting his offense for Towns:

“He’s getting more comfortable. But also, too, I’ve had to make some adjustments to help him out, make it a little easier for him, which I’ve done.”

On specific offensive adjustments:

“It’s in the different play calls and actions that we do. We’ve made the adjustments to try and make it a little easier for him and to try and put him in positions that will help him get into stuff quicker.”

On defending Joel Embiid on Saturday:

“Embiid’s a Hall of Famer. He’s an All-Star, and he knows all the tricks of the trade. He can beat you shooting the three, he can beat you from the free throw line, and he can beat you in the post. So we have to be on point and try not to give him anything easy, especially sending him to the free throw line.”

On team defense against Philadelphia:

“It’s gonna take a team effort. It can’t just be one guy stopping them. I don’t care how good you are as an individual defender. Our team defense has to be on point throughout the course of the game.”

"The 62…was Muhammad Ali:

'Imma show you how great I am'

I was watching that sh*t all day

I said ‘Yo follow my lead,

It’s on'"

– Carmelo Anthony on scoring 62 in the Garden

On this day 12 years ago pic.twitter.com/pRte9ByrRB

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) January 24, 2026

Mikal Bridges​

On Towns learning the system:

“Definitely different and tough and him learning two positions. I think he’s been better and he’s continuing to get better. We’re still getting better in our whole offense, but I’ve seen improvements from him for sure.”

On exploiting mismatches for Towns:

“Making sure everybody’s on page with what we’re doing offensively. For him, having a small on him and taking advantage of that. Giving him opportunities. Everybody playing off each other, being unselfish and looking for the next guy.”

On team defense principles:

“The thing is focus on ourselves and know to help each other on the defensive end. It’s never one v. one. It should be one v. five. Whatever guy’s got the ball should see the guy on ball and four help defenders.”

On guarding Maxey and Edgecombe:

“You’ve just gotta prepare for what they like to get to and you can’t relax. The moment you relax, they get that first step and it’s gonna be tough. So always being engaged and prepared.”

weekend business trip pic.twitter.com/XerFtUfOHr

— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) January 23, 2026

Josh Hart​

On adapting to a new system:

“It’s a little different, but we’re basketball players and we’ve got to be able to adapt. Coaches have to adapt to their players and we have to adapt to coaches. There’s a good middle ground and we’re still trying to figure that out.”

On the priorities for Towns:

“At the end of the day, he’s a good offensive player and he’s going to figure that out. We’ve got to make sure we focus on defense. I don’t want to hear too much about him shooting. I want to hear about him blocking shots.”

On Towns’ need for balancing offense and foul trouble:

“Just trying to get him in position to be successful. We need him to be aggressive and be smart first and foremost. Put the ball in the basket but also get guys shots.”

On facing the 76ers:

“It’s going to be a challenge, but we need challenges right now. It’s the next step.”

On the Knicks-76ers rivalry narrative:

“I think the NBA wants me to say yeah, but it’s obviously a really good team, a really well-coached team. Whenever you play someone in the playoffs, you always find some type of way to hate them.”

Guerschon Yabusele and Mitchell Robinson on X: pic.twitter.com/5upDYGZ8RB

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) January 23, 2026

Guerschon Yabusele​

On God and glory:

“Whatever happens tomorrow, I’m extremely blessed to be in the position that I am today. Minor setback for major comeback. Love y’all.”

The kid from Englewood is going into the rafters. pic.twitter.com/5iAPlVlNtt

— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) January 23, 2026

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/knicks-news/78354/knicks-bulletin-hmmm-whats-this-about-big-dawg

 

[New York Knicks]

Game Preview: Knicks vs. Kings, January 27, 2026

The Knicks (27*-18) return to Madison Square Garden tonight as heavy favorites against a lowly Kings (12-35) team that spanked New York just two weeks ago.

When the teams clashed on January 14, coach Mike Brown’s former club won almost wire-to-wire, beating the Knicks 112–101 behind DeMar DeRozan’s 27 points. DeRozan and OAKAAKUYOAK Precious Achiuwa muscled the Kings to a 32–17 first quarter, during which New York lost Jalen Brunson to a right ankle sprain just five minutes in. New York shot atrociously, making 8-of-41 from three. Mikal Bridges led the Knicks with 19 points, followed by OG Anunoby (15) and Karl-Anthony Towns (13).

Sacramento arrives having lost five straight games and nine straight on the road. On Sunday, Detroit blew their minds with a 139-116 loss. The team is a cellar dweller with a –10.19 net rating, ranking 29th offensively (120.6 ORtg) and 28th defensively (130.8 DRtg). The Kings attempt the fewest three-pointers in the league, making 35% of them, but they are a strong midrange team, thanks to DeRozan, Domantas Sabonis, and Zach LaVine. Defensively, they struggle across the board, allowing 49% shooting, 35% from three, and 121.2 points per game.

For the visitors, Zach LaVine is questionable with back soreness, Malik Monk is banged up, and Keegan Murray remains out. For the Knicks: the list is clean!

ESPN.com believes in New York! They favor our gang at 86%. Yowza! Sure, by the numbers, the Knicks should clobber these guys, previous game notwithstanding. What could go wrong? Hubris. In their last two games, New York pulverized Brooklyn by 50-some points and then withstood Philly’s best punches to escape PA and a winter storm with a reassuring win. ‘Twas reassuring because they’d been reeling for a few weeks prior to that. The past two games showed what rockers the ‘Bockers can be when they go full-tilt boogie.

There might be a temptation to coast tonight, and that could bite our heroes. Worse, some players might lope along at half-steam because their names have circulated in trade rumors. Hence, if the Knicks aren’t careful . . . oh, come on. The loss in Sacramento was a weird fluke. Tonight, Jalen Brunson and the boys will stomp on the gas pedal from the jump and press it to the metal all game, trying to see if they can actually beat a team by 60 points. In the end, the reserves will lose some ground in the final quarter, but the home team wins handily nonetheless. Knicks by 18.

Game Details​

Date: Tuesday, January 27, 2026
Time: 7:30 PM ET
Place: Madison Square Garden, NYC
TV: MSG
Follow: @ptknicksblog and bsky

* Should be one more, but the Cup final doesn’t count.

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/.../game-preview-knicks-vs-kings-january-27-2026

 

[New York Knicks]

Knicks 103, Kings 87: Cap outduels Deebo for New York’s third straight W

Coming into the Pride Night game at Madison Square Garden, the Sacramento Kings (12-36) had lost five straight and nine consecutive road games. They lost by 23 in Detroit on Sunday. One of the highlights of their season was the January 14 win over the Knicks (28*-18), which surely must have been a fluke.

Not so fast, sassafras. After plodding through the opening minutes, New York managed to finish the first quarter with a 10-point lead, primarily due to Mitchell Robinson being a wrecking ball off the bench. After scoring 36 in the first frame, though, New York managed just 16 in the second, could not figure out how to guard DeMar DeRozan, and held a scant 52-51 lead at halftime. In the third, DeRozan kept cooking, Anunoby turned it over five times, and despite Sacramento shooting blanks from three, the game was tied at 72 going into the fourth, when Captain Clutch donned his cape and dropped 11 points to blow the lid off the game. Final score, 103-87.

This game had a season high and a season low. Their 21 turnovers were the most given away by the Knicks this season, and Sacramento’s 32 three-point attempts were the fewest taken against New York so far. Brunson carried the offense with 28 points on 9-of-17 shooting, hit four threes, and posted a +17 plus-minus.

The league’s leading rebounder, Karl-Anthony Towns, delivered a 17-11 double-double, but was up-and-down tonight. Mikal Bridges was quietly excellent, scoring 18 on 8-of-13, and finishing with a +14. OG Anunoby filled the stat sheet with 15 points, three threes, and two steals, but his seven turnovers were rough on the eyes. Josh Hart did Josh Hart things (nine boards, four dimes, three steals), but seven points on just six shot attempts plus four turnovers made it a mixed bag.

Tonight’s lion was Robinson. He changed the game off the bench with 13 rebounds (six offensive), two steals, and a massive +25. Played 27 minutes, too. Give the man his hard hat and boots, coach.

For Sac Town, DeRozan did everything he could, pouring in 34 points on 13-of-26 shooting with seven free throws, but finished -17. Domantas Sabonis posted a low-calorie near triple-double with 11 points, 12 rebounds, and seven assists. And Russell Westbrook tallied 14 points on 6-of-19, 2-of-9 from three, and six turnovers.

First Half​

Load management dictates that Mitchell Robinson plays one game of back-to-backs. Why would the Knicks employ him against the Kings rather than reserve him for tomorrow’s tilt with the third-place Raptors? These are the mysteries of the universe. Regardless, Mitch came off the bench and owned the quarter, playing half the period and grabbing almost a rebound per minute. Fittingly, his tip-in dunk closed the period.

Friends and neighbors, this is actual speed.

The Kings’ offense was a mess. They shot 40% from the floor and 3-of-9 from deep. DeRozan ate his usual diet of midrangers, but Westbrook and Schröder were bricking, and Sabonis had trouble holding onto the rock. Sacramento held a small lead until the midway point, when Brunson and Bridges hit the gas. Playing all 12 minutes, Jalen drilled two threes and attacked the lane aggressively (the ankle looks good!), scoring 10. Bridges followed with a nifty 4-of-6 for nine.

As the offense improved, so did the defense. With timely steals from Anunoby, Shamet, and KAT, the Knicks stretched their lead to ten. By the buzzer, they were ahead 36-26.

For one stretch this season, Tyler Kolek would start the second quarter at the point to give Brunson a break. With Shamet back in the fold, that trend has come to an end. He’s had two DNPs over the last seven games, logged 2:41 against the Mavs, and, when he last saw action, played less than 10 minutes against Brooklyn. Tonight, he didn’t take the floor in the first half, and we’re reminded that a lot can happen before the February 5 trade deadline.

In Q2, that fine first-half shooting fell apart for New York. The offense stalled with Brunson on the bench, and didn’t necessarily improve when he returned. Turnovers were the biggest bugaboo. New York’s 11 giveaways were the most they’d coughed up in a first half this season. How bad did it get? In the second period, New York squeaked out just 16 points.

DeRozan led the rally, scoring at will inside the arc and from the free-throw line. As the only King in double-digit points, he kept the game competitive by himself. Deebo’s just giving potential trade destinations some fresh tape! With DeMar aflame and the Knicks crashing the plane, the Kings came back to overtake the Knicks just before the buzzer, but a KAT drive made the intermission score 52-51. (Can you imagine, some fool predicted the home team to win by 60?)

DeRozan’s only triple in the half:

Other than the three-point shooting, which New York won 38%-27%, the halftime statistics were essentially identical on both sides of the column. The Kings had a few more rebounds, the Knicks had a few more assists. Brunson was the only Knick in double-digits, with 13 points.

Second Half​

Hey, refs! Jalen Brunson got hammered in the third quarter, and not in a Jose Cuervo kinda way. On the broadcast, Clyde said something about him flopping a lot as a reason for the umps swallowing their whistles while Jalen ate the court. Frazier also bemoaned the fact that once again, the Knicks were letting one guy beat them while DeRozan bucketed and bucketed . . . and bucketed. . . . Who can argue the logic of an elder twice enshrined in the Hall of Fame.

Knicks vs. Kings – 1/27/26 – Grade: A pic.twitter.com/ccyFXi5qih

— Clyde So Fly (@ClydeSoFly10) January 28, 2026

Swear my grandmother had that couch.

Through the third, New York coughed up the ball five more times. The weird thing is that all five were committed by Anunoby. Note, the Kings were shooting 18% from deep (4-of-21), but the Knicks still couldn’t get any breathing room. Playing disorganized defense—and offense for that matter—they let the Kings regain the lead by the middle of the quarter and tie the game at 72 by the end. After scoring 36 points in the first frame, New York managed just 36 points in the second and third frames combined. And the Kings’ defense is ranked 27th in the league.

Every time we start to think the Knicks are back on track, they don’t take care of business against the dregs of the league. Anunoby doesn’t deserve all the blame. Brunson and Towns were uneven in the quarter, too. If not for Mitchell Robinson, they’d be trailing from a distance. The big fella posted four points, grabbed six rebounds (three offensive), and added a steal.

Behold this gorgeous giraffe.

Towns drilled two early treys to start the fourth quarter and passionately exhorted the crowd to its feet. For the moment, he seemed engaged and excited. Brunson woke up, too, and scored in the face of Precious Achiuwa (who worked all the revenge juice out of his system in their last matchup, evidently), and gradually the Knicks’ lead grew to 12. Brunson tallied 11 fourth-quarter points and hit three threes to finally put some daylight on the scoreboard. Meanwhile, Westbrick shot 1-0f-6 from deep to deep-six any hopes of a rally.

Wins feel great. We just hope that the extra effort exerted by the starters tonight doesn’t bite them tomorrow when . . . .

Up Next​

It’s a quick jaunt across the border for a tussle with the Toronto Raptors tomorrow eve! Safe travels, Knickerbockers.

* Should be one more, but the NBA Cup doesn’t count.

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/knicks-scores-results/78469/knicks-103-kings-87

 

[New York Knicks]

Game Thread: Knicks vs. Kings, January 27, 2026

The Knicks (27*-18) are back in NYC tonight as heavy favorites against the Kings (12-35), who surprised New York just two weeks ago. Sacramento arrives in even worse shape now, having dropped five straight and nine in a row on the road.

Tip-off is 7:30 pm EST on MSG. This is your game thread. This is Kings Herald. Please don’t post large photos, GIFs, or links to illegal streams in the thread. Watch your manners. And go Knicks!

* Should be one more, but the Cup final doesn’t count.

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/...1/game-thread-knicks-vs-kings-january-27-2026

 

[New York Knicks]

Game Thread: Knicks at Raptors, January 28, 2026

The Knicks (28*-18) sweep into the frigid northlands to face off with the Toronto Raptors (29-19) tonight. It’s a battle for third place in the east, and while the oddsmakers favor New York, you’d be justified to have concerns. It’s the second night of a back-to-back for the ‘Bockers, who had trouble knocking off the Kings last night. Now, facing a surging Immanuel (still love him) Quickley, our fatigued heroes will be shorthanded, to boot. Mitchell Robinson was key to their victory yesterday, but he and Miles McBride will sit out this one. Possibly Jalen Brunson (Questionable, illness) and Josh Hart (GTD, ankle), too. Will the remaining Knicks show up and deliver when it counts, securing third place and a 3-0 lead in the season series?

Tip off is 7:30 p.m. EST on MSG. This is your game thread. This is RaptorsHQ. Please don’t post large photos, GIFs, or links to illegal streams in the thread. Extend kindness to your fellow humans. And go Knicks!

* Should be one more, but the stupid NBA Cup doesn’t count. Grumble grumble.

https://www.postingandtoasting.com/...thread-knicks-vs-raptors-nov-30-2025#comments

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/...game-thread-knicks-at-raptors-january-28-2026

 

[New York Knicks]

Knicks Bulletin: ‘I’m not worried about what anybody got to say’

The Knicks seemingly cannot lose a game these days.

Remember when New York was closer to tanking the season than winning the East like, three days ago? Yeah, right.

Here’s a bunch of quotes as we approach the trade deadline coming off another dub on Wednesday.

Mike Brown: "OG was our Defensive Player Of The Game. 6 steals 7 deflections––those numbers are unheard of…He attacked the rim like a grown man" pic.twitter.com/nFWY3JiQ98

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) January 29, 2026

Mike Brown​

On adjusting offensively on Wednesday:

“We had to throw out everything we had to do offensively in terms of sets and early offense and say, ‘Hey, if they’re up in you, go by them.’”

On OG Anunoby’s defensive impact vs. Toronto:

“[Anunoby] had six steals, seven deflections. Those numbers are unheard of defensively. The thing I loved about OG was his ability to attack the rim. He attacked the rim like a grown man. His finishes were unbelievable.”

On not caring about the standings in January:

“I haven’t looked at it recently, but I know we’re right there. There’s still a lot of basketball left. Every game is important. Try to go get it. But it’s not the end of the world because there’s a long season left. If we win, it doesn’t necessarily mean we’re going to finish ahead of them. If they win, it doesn’t necessarily mean they’re going to finish ahead of us.”

On ignoring trade noise:

“I’ve got no control over it. You know how rumors fly left and right every day. Now what I do generally talk about is ignoring the noise. Not just during, quote-unquote, this trade time, but throughout the course of the year you’ve got to have a bunker mentality. There’s a lot of noise out there, whether you’re in New York, there was noise in Sacramento, there was noise in Golden State. There’s noise all over where we’ve been.”

On the Knicks’ players dealing with rumors:

“Our guys have been around the league a long time. And they know there’s a lot of noise around this time. They just got to deal with it.”

Which Raptor threw a towel at Josh after he shot em up? pic.twitter.com/GL7vPM4PV8

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) January 29, 2026

Karl-Anthony Towns​

On the trade rumors around him:

“I feel like I’ve been in trade rumors a lot for a lot of times, for a year damn near. That don’t matter to me. I don’t look at social media or none of that stuff. I focus on the job on hand which is trying to get wins every single night. As long as I do that, I do my job, I go home happy and I feel accomplished. I’m not worried about what anybody got to say or people write or anything like that.”

On the Knicks’ priorities amid trade whispers:

“We only worry about one thing. That’s winning. So I got no reason to go into depth on anything else. It’s just at the end of the day the conversations revolve around one thing and one thing only every single day, 24 hours a day, is winning. How can we win? How can I help this team win? The sacrifices I’ve got to continue to make every single night for us to be the best version of ourselves. I’ve been willing to do that every single night, regardless of what anyone talks about.”

On his delightful pass to Mikal:

“I took a good guess that [Bridges] would be in that area, trusted him. Trust was rewarded, he was exactly where I thought he was and we were able to get two points and keep the momentum going.”

"1st quarter was tough felt like we were in mud, body wasn't working. 2nd quarter…get our bodies going, get warm, kinda play our brand of basketball"

–– Josh Hart to @LT__Murray on Knicks averaging 34 points a quarter after 18-point 1st quarter. Knicks beat Raptors 119-92 pic.twitter.com/MGo2Qsmt2J

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) January 29, 2026

Josh Hart​

On trade deadline chatter:

“I don’t really care honestly until something happens. This is good content for people to get through until the trade deadline. Can’t really let that stuff affect you or get to you. Ninety percent of that stuff doesn’t actually materialize. You just kind of go with it.”

Mikal Bridges on learning how to become more "coachable", showing up for his teammates, and finding energy to take over the game after the Knicks defeat the Raptors in Toronto.@LT__Murray | @NYKnicks | #NewYorkForever pic.twitter.com/hFStgLwTtf

— KNICKS ON MSG (@KnicksMSGN) January 29, 2026

Mikal Bridges​

On self-reflection and accountability:

“In the past weeks, I was just feeling like I wasn’t being coachable to my standard. I don’t know what it was, maybe I was feeling too entitled. But it was something where I had to sit down and talk to myself a little bit, and just look at yourself in the mirror and what type of player I want to be. It was affecting me personally on both sides of the ball.”

On staying composed during Toronto’s first-half run:

“Just staying with it man, they came out going fast and pressuring us and we didn’t let that bother us. We stuck with it.”

On responding physically and emotionally on Wednesday:

“Once you get them legs going, and that competitive spirit comes out, we felt like they tried to punk us a little bit. And it kinda pissed us off. And we went from there.”

On his offensive turnaround:

“A lot. I think a lot of it comes from not just shooting the ball, but I wasn’t playing how I wasn’t supposed to be playing. I wasn’t coachable enough. I don’t know what it was. Maybe I felt too much entitlement but I had to just talk to myself about it and be coachable, be the best teammate I can be and let the basketball speak for itself.”

Alexander Volkanovski’s home crowd was wilding at the UFC 325 press conference pic.twitter.com/GHUbqLyhRx

— Happy Punch (@HappyPunch) January 29, 2026

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/...-im-not-worried-about-what-anybody-got-to-say

 

[New York Knicks]

What is the best Knicks’ starting lineup?

LAS VEGAS, NV - DECEMBER 16: Josh Hart #3, Jalen Brunson #11, OG Anunoby #8 and Mikal Bridges #25 of the New York Knicks look on during the game against the San Antonio Spurs during the NBA Emirates Cup Final on December 16, 2025 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

When Tom Thibodeau was relieved of his duties after the Knicks’ unceremonious exit at the hands of the Indiana Pacers in May, there were a few prevailing grievances that led to the coach’s downfall.

One of them was a stubbornness to lineup construction. Thibodeau’s defense always required a rim protector, preventing him from ever considering a small-ball lineup despite the options presented. He played a tight rotation and stuck with his chosen starting lineup through thick and thin, only experimenting due to injuries or desperation.

The lineup of Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart, OG Anunoby, and Karl-Anthony Towns started out looking like one of the best starting five’s in the NBA, but heavily regressed after New Year’s for a myriad of reasons. The defense was sub-standard with two flat-out bad defenders and the five-out spacing that the team envisioned fell apart with Hart’s shooting struggles.

The differences in net rating were drastic.

Pre-New Year: +6.6 (561 min)
Post-New Year: -1.4 (156 min)
Postseason: -6.2 (335 min)

Having bad lineups happens, but when they’re played to this extent? It’s alarming. It took until Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final for a change to be finally made. The Knicks used a grand total of 13 starting lineups in 100 games.

Enter Mike Brown, who was hired, in part, for more lineup versatility. He opened the season planning to have Mitchell Robinson start over Hart, but the frequent unavailability of the load-managing big man forced some different lineups, which included Ariel Hukporti, Deuce McBride, and Landry Shamet.

Eventually, Hart, who got off to a brutal start to the season, was put back in the starting lineup when OG Anunoby went down with an injury. Instead of reverting to a lineup with Robinson or McBride, however, Hart stayed in the starting lineup for the December 5th bludgeoning of the Jazz when Anunoby returned.

It started out great. The lineup had an exceptional +21.5 net rating in 77 minutes across 10 games through mid-December. It was being used in proper doses and wasn’t being leaned on for nearly 20 minutes a night.

A big reason for the big turnaround was an elite 106.4 defensive rating. Despite two negative defenders on the court, the lineup worked and the offense was supercharged by Hart’s newfound shooting stroke.

And then, suddenly, it fell apart. Since December 20, that lineup has played 106 minutes across nine games and has a putrid -8.4 net rating. All of a sudden, that elite offense had fallen apart and opposing offenses began exploiting the defensive shortcomings of Brunson and Towns.

This, coupled with the team’s overall struggles (which may be in the rearview mirror…), has caused some discussion on whether Mike Brown should embrace a different lineup. After all, he’s already used more starting lineups (16) than Thibs used last year in half the games.

But is it so simple? There are four realistic candidates for a fifth starter around the team’s top four. Assuming no Giannis-level trade occurs before the deadline, the Knicks will have the next 2.5 months to figure out which of the four gels the best between Deuce McBride, Landry Shamet, Josh Hart, and Mitchell Robinson.

The case for Deuce McBride​

The most criminally underpaid player in basketball, Deuce has been a reliable 3-and-D asset for the Knicks since he emerged into the rotation 25 months ago after the team traded away Immanuel Quickley. There have been some inconsistent stretches (and a few injuries), but the 25-year-old has taken another leap in his spot-up shooting and is probably the team’s best point-of-attack defender.

If you want a true five-out lineup, this is the choice. Everyone in this lineup can shoot, even if OG is struggling mightily from above-the-break. It’s a dream for Mike Brown. It also gives you someone to stick on a star guard like Tyrese Maxey or Donovan Mitchell, allowing Bridges to do what he does best off the ball.

What do the numbers say about this lineup? Well, similar to the current starters, it’s gotten significantly worse as the season has progressed:

Pre-December 20: +12.3 net (26 min)
Post-December 20: -7.1 net (66 min)

What’s interesting about these lineups is that Deuce is helping the offense go into hyperspeed. Even since 12/20, when the team has looked much worse on both sides of the ball, this lineup has a blistering 130.5 offensive rating. It’s just the defense that’s the problem because, personally, I don’t think a 137.6 defensive rating is good.

As you’ll see with Shamet, it just seems to be a common trend in Brunson and Towns’ lineups. Whether it’s possible for them to be co-stars is a story for another day. If you want to maximize the offense, it’d be smart to go with a lineup that has a 127 ORtg in 92 minutes.

Deuce McBride 3pt sniper

• 46% from 3 (4th in NBA min 100 attempts)
• 2nd in the NBA in above the break 3P% (min 50 attempts)
• 19th in 3PM per game

The 25 year old is having a career year

pic.twitter.com/2d67SFGiJk

— Teg (@IQfor3) January 7, 2026

The case for Landry Shamet​

It’s going to be sad when the Knicks won’t be able to retain Landry Shamet this offseason. They snagged him late in the offseason the last two years and have gotten quality bench minutes out of the journeyman wing. His spot-up shooting ability has fully returned after concerns it disappeared in Washington, as he’s shoot 41% from downtown in 72 total games as a Knick. Some of this team’s best runs have come with him on the court.

SHAMET doin SHAMET things

he is 6/6 from the 3 point arch pic.twitter.com/31J8dquSXj

— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) January 22, 2026

So why not give him a shot to start? He has started six games this season due to injuries, but hasn’t since he hurt his shoulder in Orlando in November. Since then, he’s had an up-and-down role as a reliable shooter who can hold his own defensively and provides needed hustle.

Wrote this in my story for tomorrow on the Knicks' improved defense, but can't understate how much Shamet's return and Brown's change in rotation has helped with the defense.

Shamet back doing stuff like this has been huge for New York this last week pic.twitter.com/Q85SoQyynI

— James L. Edwards III (@JLEdwardsIII) January 29, 2026

The problem is that Shamet with the starters is the worst performing of these lineups, at -5.8 on the season in 57 minutes. It’s also not a “whole team struggling” problem, as it was negative when he went down in November.

Shamet’s two most-used lineups aside from the starters have something in common: no Brunson or Towns.

McBride-Clarkson-Shamet-Anunoby-Towns: +30 net (23 min)
Brunson-McBride-Shamet-Anunoby-Robinson: +59.2 net (23 min)

He plays well with McBride and Anunoby, which makes sense, but the other pieces are free-flowing. It doesn’t appear that he’s a good fit for the starters, especially considering he’s kinda like Deuce in his strengths, just slightly worse while being bigger. Still, if Deuce is ever out, it’s worth considering.

The case for Mitchell Robinson​

The lineup that the Knicks came into the season hoping to use hasn’t been used nearly as much as it should, but that’s due to injuries. Mike Brown and the training staff came into 2025-26 with a clear plan to limit Robinson’s workload to maximize him for the playoffs. That means no back-to-backs, no 30+ minute games, etc.

But at some point, the Knicks will probably encounter a matchup where they just cannot take Big Mitch off the court. If he isn’t ready to play that workload, they’re crippling themselves. By that nature, it seems likely that Mitch will continue to increase his in-game workload as the season goes on.

Unlike the other three lineups, the starters with Mitch have been a significant positive, posting an elite +12.4 net rating in 51 minutes behind stellar defense.

However, once again, that number is dragged down by the team’s recent slump. The lineup has only played 16 minutes together since mid-December and has gotten eviscerated on both ends of the floor. It really just seems like a team-wide issue, as there are multiple lineups with different strengths and weaknesses, all struggling concurrently.

So, again, it’s a story for another time with the whole Brunson-Towns tandem, but what does Mitch provide that the others don’t? How about game-breaking rebounding?

Mitchell Robinson in 18 minutes:

15 REB
10 OREB
2 BLKpic.twitter.com/1HIzkICXDS

— Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) December 17, 2025

In the lineup’s brief time together, they’re killing teams with a 53.3% overall rebounding share and a ludicrous 37.1% offensive rebounding rate. It’s a common theme with Robinson, whose second-most used lineup (w/Brunson/McBride/Hart/Bridges) has a near-50% offensive rebound rate.

The possession battle with the double big is a tremendous advantage, especially on days that the Knicks are making shots. That’s an unstoppable offense and should mask defensive issues. It also provides a real rim protector and should help with the team’s struggles defending the pick-and-pop and drive-and-kicks.

The case to stay with Josh Hart​

If the Knicks hadn’t just won four in a row, the calls to make a drastic change would be louder. Now that they’ve stabilized, is that the best course of action?

The last four games have featured Thibs-ian levels of starter usage, with the starting five playing a staggering 58 minutes in that span. No other combination featuring the Big Four has more than two minutes. The lineup hasn’t been dominant by any stretch, but has been +2.3, the best stretch in a good bit.

josh hart is EVERYWHERE pic.twitter.com/10NWu6zPX1

— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) January 29, 2026

The biggest problem with Hart last season was both his unwillingness to shoot and his poor efficiency when he did. This year? He’s one of 21 qualified players to be shooting 40% from deep on at least four attempts a game. Only one other Knick (Deuce) can say they’re in that club. When Josh is firing from distance, it’s going in.

Plus, this lineup provides something that the other ones can’t attest to: secondary playmaking.

Josh Hart is the Knicks’ third-best playmaker. The top two, Brunson and Kolek, are both small point guards and should rarely share the floor. Without Hart, the Knicks rely too much on Brunson initiating the action on every single play, whether it’s iso ball or finding an open shooter through a drive to the rim. Hart can alleviate some of that as a willing passer who only shoots when he knows he can make it.

There’s no perfect solution for the Knicks right now, as they try to balance an inconsistent bench and inconsistent shooting and defense. This upcoming stretch will tell them a lot about how things will go as the playoffs draw nearer, and it’s worth experimenting when you can.

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/...ineup-mike-brown-mcbride-shamet-robinson-hart

 

[New York Knicks]

The reason the Knicks have been winning? Defense

TORONTO, CANADA - JANUARY 28: Landry Shamet #44, Karl-Anthony Towns #32, Tyler Kolek #13, and Mikal Bridges #25 of the New York Knicks celebrate during the game against the Toronto Raptors on January 28, 2026 at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Mark Blinch/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

The pendulum swings back and forth, as the Knicks have now won four games in a row after a brutal start to the new year.

The team’s post-Thibodeau hangover looked real, as Mike Brown hung his hat on the offensive side of things. The strategy worked – until it didn’t. After another brutal loss at home to the Dallas Mavericks, Captain Brunson called a players-only meeting.

This was the state of affairs just 10 days ago. Bleak.

Are tensions rising for the New York Knicks? @ramonashelburne gives us an inside look on what happened after their loss against the Mavericks pic.twitter.com/1MDEIk0pwG

— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) January 20, 2026

Since then, the tide has truly turned. New York has rattled off four straight, and encouragingly, it’s been New York’s defense leading the charge. The team has held their last four opponents to 66, 109, 87, and 92 points, respectively.

Knicks defensive rating rankings this year:

First 15 games: 18th (114.8 DEF RTG)
Next 10 games: 3rd (110.9)
Next 16 games: 29th (120.6)
Last 6 games: 1st (98.3)

Average offensive rating ranking of their last 6 opponents is 22nd, but still…progress. We know they can do it.

— Jonathan Macri (@JCMacriNBA) January 29, 2026

Yes, it’s a small sample size, and yes, the four games weren’t against championship contenders, but the Knicks hadn’t shown the ability to win games this way until now. Defense had been the biggest issue so far this season, but a new identity could be taking shape. They’ve been killing it on the glass. They’ve shown toughness on both sides of the floor. It feels like a relic of seasons prior.

What’s changed? Well, it’s no coincidence that Landry Shamet replacing Jordan Clarkson in the rotation has led to tangible change in the bench unit. Similarly, KAT has been averaging less than 25 minutes a contest across these last four games. And OG Anunoby has been locked back in, averaging three stocks per game across the same stretch.

It’s trade deadline season, and if the new year slide continued, we’d be having much different conversations right now. Yet as a whole, the Knicks’ mindset seems to have shifted. This has been a uniform shift from the bottom to the top, with both players and coaches changing their approach to gameday.

With the Blazers on tap tonight at home, New York is in a good position to stretch their streak to five as they battle for the two seed in the East. Let’s see if they can keep the good vibes going tonight.

Source: https://www.postingandtoasting.com/...e-reason-the-knicks-have-been-winning-defense