Knicks Stars Acknowledge Importance of Thunder's Visit

There's a pretty big favor on the line at the New York Knicks' next Garden party.

The Knicks' ongoing, lengthy homestand continues on Friday night with a visit from the Oklahoma City Thunder (7:30 p.m. ET, MSG/NBA TV). It's the second meeting between the Knicks and Thunder in seven days after Oklahoma City took a 117-107 decision at Paycom Center on Jan. 3.

"I know people don't want to hear this, but this is a test of who we are and how we're going to respond," Brunson said at the tip-off of the latest episode of his "Roommates Show" podcast. "We're obviously not doing our best, ball's not going in. We're just a step late. It's not an excuse, but how are we going to respond as a team? I don't want to say it's a good test for us but it will show us where we are."

Brunson and co-host/teammate Josh Hart acknowledged that the comment section would be packed with "smoke" as they were back on the air after a three-game losing streak that began with the aforementioned loss to the Thunder. Co-host Matt Hillman tried to lighten the mood by reminding the duo that the Knicks previously put up a nine-game winning streak before going to OKC but Brunson quickly quipped that it "doesn't matter."

Oklahoma City is well-established as one of the NBA's top contenders: it currently tops the Western Conference and recently finished off a 15-game winning streak that ended in Cleveland on Wednesday night. There's a little more on the line for New York (25-13), which currently sits third in the East.

Knicks Thunder — Jan 3, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) goes to the basket beside New York Knicks guard Josh Hart (3) during the second half at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

The Knicks managed to end the dire streak on Wednesday, topping the Toronto Raptors 112-98. But they're aware that wins over the reeling Raptors, losers of 14 of their last 15 games, won't exactly have many placing them in the Finals slots of their NBA playoff predictions.

The nine-game winning streak featured only two wins against teams that currently ranks within the top six of their respective conference. Both came against the severely shorthanded Orlando Magic ... who defeated the Knicks on Monday night despite their lengthy injury report. The Knicks also lost in Chicago on Saturday immediately after the loss in Oklahoma City, one that saw them give up a season-worst 139 points to the mediocre Bulls.

Beyond the wins over the Magic, the Knicks' last home win over a top six foe came on Nov. 8 against Milwaukee.

"This is one of the few years in recent times where Knicks fans are like really excited like 'oh, we can compete and try to make a run,'" Hart said. "A couple losses in a row and you feel like the world's coming to an end. But [that's] the ups and downs of a season. We can go on another nine-game winning streak and then we can go another four-game losing streak. It happens."

"In a season, it's a course of finding it, losing it, re-finding, losing it, and you just hope you build habits and chemistry where you find it in the right time."

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