The Knicks better find answers immediately for their inability to stop opponents from scoring with impunity, or their season will reach the point of no return very soon. That is how dire and alarming the Knicks’ defense has been, dating back to the final game of their nine-day, five-game road trip last month.
The Knicks lost that night, Saturday, Dec. 17, 127-114, to the Denver Nuggets. At the time it seemed as if they were experiencing the effects of tired legs from a long trip. In hindsight, it was the beginning or an escalation of poor defensive habits, unsustained effort and a lack of consistent focus. Consequently, the Knicks, who were 16-13 a week ago and fifth in the Eastern Conference, had lost five in a row, dropped to 16-18 and plummeted all the way down to 10th in the East heading into last night’s game (Wednesday) at Madison Square Garden against the Milwaukee Bucks, who at 17-16 had roared passed the Knicks in the standings.
“[The] only thing I can say is we’ve got to get back to the drawing board and get back and try to get some practice time and get back to competing at the top level,” said Carmelo Anthony after the Knicks’ inexcusable defensive showing Monday night at MSG after losing to the Orlando Magic 115-103.
“I have to find someone to play some defense,” maintained a frustrated Jeff Hornacek after his charges had allowed the Magic to shoot 45-91, including a staggering and inexcusable 15-31 on threes. “You can’t come out beginning of the game,” said the Knicks head coach before a brief pause. “I think their first three or four baskets were 3-pointers. We’ve got to have better pride than that.”
Indeed, the Magic opened the game by scoring their first nine points on threes and continued the barrage throughout the four quarters with little resistance from the Knicks.
“I don’t think our guys aren’t trying. Maybe we’re just not capable of it. I don’t know,” Hornacek said of the Knicks’ defensive struggles. “That’s what we’re going to have to figure out. Maybe you have to play some of these other guys. We might have to mix the lineup up somehow.”
His words aren’t an indictment of the Knicks’ coaching staff or the defensive schemes. It does speak to the players’ collective mindset. In essence, defense, at its core, is about want-to, effort and commitment. And if the Knicks want to stay relevant and not fall out of playoff contention once again by the All-Star break in mid-February, the players, and not the coaches, must be most accountable.