Knicks Beginning to Cool Off

The New York Knicks aren't packing as much of a punch as they once were.

Jan 17, 2025; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) looks to drive past Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle (30) in the fourth quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

The New York Knicks started the season cold, but eventually turned the heat up and became one of the league's top teams.

However, the past few weeks have seen the Knicks revert to their early-season ways, hovering around the .500 mark in the 2025 calendar year.

Bleacher Report writer Andy Bailey pointed out New York's flaws, especially on the defensive end of the floor.

"The New York Knicks have cooled way off in January," Bailey writes.

"While their offense is still second in the league, it's fair to start worrying about the other end now that we're halfway through the season.

"Tom Thibodeau teams are typically built on a foundation of solid defense. The Knicks are below-average in points allowed per 100 possessions, and they've surrendered at least 117 in four of those five January losses."

The team's struggles on defense have been well-documented, but considering the fact that the Knicks were one of the best defensive teams in the league last season, it's clear that it's a personnel issue.

Going from Isaiah Hartenstein to Karl-Anthony Towns was going to change the dynamic of the team, but it's unlikely that the Knicks expected the pendulum to shift so far in the opposite direction from defensive to offensive juggernaut. With that comes a sacrifice, and that's what has happened to the defense.

If the Knicks want to be considered a true contender, their defense has to make some changes. They can't afford to be some middle of the pack team on the defensive end, because that won't translate well in a playoff series. Also, teams will defend them differently, and their offensive prowess may not get them as far as they would like.

The Knicks have a few months to figure it out, otherwise it may turn into a wasted season for them.

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