3 Biggest Disappointments From Knicks' Series vs Hawks So Far

The New York Knicks are dead even with the Atlanta Hawks in the Eastern Conference playoffs' opening round. A 107-106 Game 2 loss brought the Knicks back down to earth after opening the series on a hot note, resulting in a a negative spotlight being shone on certain players who haven't met expectations.

Those underperforming veterans need to step up if New York wants to leave State Farm Arena with a Game 3 win on Thursday night. With that in mind, here are the three Knicks who have left the most to be desired through the first two games of the first-round series against the Hawks.

Mikal Bridges

This one is probably the most obvious. Mikal Bridges's potential game-winning shot didn't fall, which was the difference between a respectable performance and his actual stat line: 3-of-10 from the field and 2-of-6 from the three-point line. He finished with an even plus/minus rating and only made it to the charity stripe twice.

Bridges hasn't shot particularly well from the three-point line in general, going 1-of-4 in Game 1. Unfortunately, the margins are even bigger for Bridges because of the exorbitant price Knicks president Leon Rose paid—Bojan Bogdanović, four unprotected first-round picks in 2025, 2027, 2029, and 2031, a protected 2025 first-rounder from the Milwaukee Bucks, an unprotected pick swap in 2028, and a second-rounder—to bring him aboard.

Bridges has not played up to the standard that Knicks fans have come to expect. As a key starter, he must elevate his effort if New York will have any hope of turning things around.

Miles McBride

Miles McBride's injury woes may be slowing him down and diminishing his defensive impact. McBride did little to slow CJ McCollum, the Hawks' 32-point star performer in Game 2, and second-unit lineups alongside Jordan Clarkson, Landry Shamet, and Mitchell Robinson were net negatives.

McBride pitched in two turnovers and an offensive rebound to New York's losing effort in Game 2, missing his three shot attempts. He's now averaging just 3.0 points while shooting 22.2% from the floor through two games. Postseason shooting struggles aren't new, though, as the ex-West Virginia Mountaineer averaged 5.8 PPG on a 37.8 FG% in 18 outings last spring.

It was an off-game, but McBride will have one year left on his contract after the season; however, the Knicks could look to turn the page if they don't feel he's worth playing out the deal.

Karl-Anthony Towns

It's tough to truly say the Knicks' second-leading scorer, who's shooting above 50% from the field, is a disappointment. But Karl-Anthony Towns is paid enough to shoot at least three times in the fourth quarter of a game when the opponent is storming back in the final stanza.

Towns has been a bit turnover-prone (four per game), and could probably stand to grab a few more rebounds per game, as he's averaging 8.0 boards so far. He's being outshone on the glass by Josh Hart and Robinson, and as the team's No. 2 scoring option and highest-paid player, Towns needs to rely on more than just scoring.

Of course, any hopes for a turnaround will also hinge on head coach Mike Brown putting Towns in a position to succeed. The 56-year-old bench boss has raised eyebrows with his early lineup decisions, including not deploying his star players as often as he should. Hopefully, that changes before the momentum further slips into the Hawks' favor.

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