The New York Knicks find themselves in a worrying spiral, suffering their third straight loss with a 103-94 loss to the Orlando Magic at Madison Square Garden. After an impressive run of nine straight wins and 19 wins in their last 23 games, the Knicks are now finding themselves questioning their depth and resilience.
Last night’s setback further accentuates the problems troubling the team. They faced an injury-plagued Magic team missing key players like franchise star Paolo Banchero and rising sensation Franz Wagner. Yet despite their own adversity, Orlando showed their strength, proving they could remain competitive without their top scorers.
Missing are All-Star power forward Karl-Anthony Towns, who was sidelined late due to a worsening of his right knee injury, and backup Miles McBride, who was sidelined for the fourth straight game due to a strained left hamstring muscle, the Knicks struggled. Jericho Sims, replacing Towns, recorded 4 points and 10 rebounds, but that wasn’t enough to energize a team desperate for new resources.
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In the first quarter, the Knicks managed to take a narrow 28-24 lead, but by halftime they found themselves trailing 53-51 after another disappointing second half performance. In their last three meetings, the Knicks fell to the Magic with a second-half score of 50-43, adding to a disappointing trend of poor finishes.
Bench production remains a persistent problem, as highlighted by last night’s game where Orlando’s reserves outscored the Knicks bench 48-18. New York’s bench has failed to score more than its opponents since December 1, contributing to an alarming gap of 675 to 300 points scored by bench players. Head coach Tom Thibodeau saw his unbalanced roster commit about 88% of its salary cap to just six players, a concern that was exacerbated by injuries.
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Star point guard Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 24 points, despite an eye poke that left a visible mark. However, he committed his sixth foul just over a minute before the end of the game, a loss felt deeply by the Knicks. Mikal Bridges also performed well with 24 points but struggled from long range, finishing with a dismal 1 of 7 on three-point shooting. Josh Hart added a double-double with 15 points and 14 rebounds, but the Knicks collectively shot a sluggish 4 of 22 from behind the arc.
The path ahead will not get any easier. With upcoming games against the struggling Toronto Raptors and a tough series against playoff contenders like the Oklahoma City Thunder and Milwaukee Bucks, getting a long-awaited win is crucial. The Knicks need to bounce back quickly or risk falling further in the standings.
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