The Knicks Collapse At Home Against The Nets
Julius Randle was named a first-time All-Star, plus the league’s Most Improved Player, Tom Thibodeau was named the NBA’s Coach of the Year and the New York Knicks claimed the 4-seed in the Eastern Conference, getting to the playoffs for the first-time since 2013.
All of this happened last season for the Knicks, setting high expectations for them entering the 2021-22 season.
After losing 110-98 to the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday night, the Knicks find themselves 35-45 on the season, eliminated from contending for a playoff spot.
This loss against Brooklyn was no ordinary loss though.
It was one in which the Knicks led by 21 points at one point in the third quarter and somehow fell apart.
The 2021-22 season can be described as a season of second-half collapses for the New York Knicks, as this is the second-time they have lost a game to the Nets this year after leading by at least 21 points, the other time coming on February 16 after leading by as many as 28 points!
On the season, the Knicks have now lost 15 games in which they led by double-digits and they have lost 5 games in which they led by at least 20 points.
The Knicks truly seem like a “one half team” this season and while it was surprising to see them blow a 21-point lead on Wednesday night, it really is quite poetic for how the year has gone for New York.
With 11:16 left in the third quarter of Wednesday night’s game against the Brooklyn Nets, R.J. Barrett hit a free-throw to put the Knicks up 21 points.
The Knicks only scored 27 points in the remaining 23 minutes of the basketball game and they gave up a total of 60 points to the Nets.
“We know how much Knicks fans don't like us, especially now this era of the Nets, with us not choosing the Knicks, me and Kyrie. So it definitely adds something to the rivalry,” Kevin Durant said after his team’s massive comeback.
Durant scored 23 points in the second half of this game and ended up finishing with 32 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists, his 14th career triple-double.
"The first half we didn’t play Nets brand of basketball, stuff that we preach about every day,” Durant said. “But the second half is who we are.”
This turned out to be a huge victory for Brooklyn late in the season, as they are now within a game of the Cleveland Cavaliers for the 7-seed in the Eastern Conference.
As for the Knicks though, this game turned out to be yet another massive letdown.
After scoring 67 points in the first half, the Knicks offense did not seem to come out of the locker room at halftime, scoring just 31 total points on 6-32 (18.8%) shooting from the floor in the second half.
The New York Knicks are the only team that can be leading by 20 points at the half and have nobody feeling confident in their ability to close out the game this season, which is a key reason why they find themselves out of playoff contention.
Heading into the offseason, the Knicks have a ton of work to do in order to try and reclaim some of the magic from the 2020-21 season.
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