New York Knicks lose to the Phoenix Suns 106-99: Not even safe at home

The New York Knicks lost again, failing to crack 100 points against the Phoenix Suns, losing 106-99. The Knicks missed Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart, running out of steam down the stretch.

The Knicks got off to a quick start, with great ball movement and hot shooting. The Suns settled in and used physical defense to work back into a competitive first half.

The Knicks held a slim lead heading into the third quarter and made a big run, pushing their lead to 10. Then, their offense went flat. Throughout the action, the Knicks never stopped getting open looks, but jumpers stopped falling. The Suns won battles on the boards and hit soul-crushing threes off second chances.

There wasn’t a go-to scorer in crunch time. OG Anunoby gave the offense a chance with tough drives, but he couldn’t keep up with Devin Booker and the Suns’ offensive rebounding.

The post-NBA Cup slide continues. Too many players stuck to their comfort zone when the Knicks needed someone to step up while two starters were injured. Let’s take a closer look.

Deuce McBride is the sole player to elevate his game in the absence of Brunson and Hart. Other players stuck to their typical contributions or struggled in bigger roles, but Deuce grabbed the bull by the horns.

He was more than just a jump shooter. McBride attacked screens to get feet in the paint and create, even beating defenders in isolation at times. Deuce sparked a third-quarter run with steals and scoring, but the team lost steam as soon as he rested.

I’m desperately waiting for OG Anunoby’s jumper to come around. For the past few games, Anunoby’s ability to attack the paint has carried his offense. He looks increasingly confident taking opponents off the dribble.

Anunoby’s turnovers and poor field goal percentage might catch your eye. Don’t let it. He attacked when other players shied away from the Suns’ pressure. New York lost its edge whenever OG got tired.

If Mitchell Robinson could muster a little more offense, he’d deserve to close games. Mitch dominated the glass during his minutes, creating numerous second chances for shooters. His rim protection took the entire defense up a notch.

But once the Knicks were in the bonus, Mitch had to sit due to his unreliable free throw shooting. So, he couldn’t stay on the floor during crunch time.

I’m assuming Jordan Clarkson played as much as he did because he was the only source for scoring off the bench. No one else seemed eager to shoot, but Clarkson missed key shots down the stretch.

Clarkson’s defense exacerbated the poor performance. He continually put players on the free throw line with bad fouls.

The theme of the night is that the Knicks needed more from certain players. Karl-Anthony Towns played well for a typical night. He fought for buckets in the paint and hit some crucial jumpers. The big man grabbed boards and dealt with a lot of contact from opposing defenders.

But with Brunson out, the Knicks need KAT to play like a star rather than a good player. When New York needed buckets down the stretch, he was more of a decoy than an option. So, his double-double is a little disappointing.

With Brunson and Hart sitting, Mikal Bridges has to provide more offense. He didn’t attack defenders; most of his field goals came on fast breaks or catch-and-shoot opportunities. The Knicks needed more scoring, more playmaking, more attacking. Bridges remained passive.

I’m also not happy about Mikal’s defense. He didn’t navigate screens well, which let opposing ball handlers hunt matchups or leave left shooters open.

If we’re hunting for optimism, here’s the silver lining in this slump. The team hasn’t been healthy. The Knicks have missed OG, Brunson, and Hart for extended periods, while there haven’t been any breaks. A lot of flaws could fade away when New York gets back to a complete rotation.

But this team was supposed to have depth to overcome the loss of a player here or there. They shouldn’t be this bad on defense, and guys who got paid should be doing more to step up when it’s their turn.

I won’t shoot this team bail. They played hard, but got outworked. There’s an identity problem right now. I don’t know that a solution can come from within, and trade options are slim. I’m starting to worry.

Monday brings another chance to turn things around. I’ll see you next time, Knicks’ fam!