New York Knicks lose two in a row against the Detroit Pistons and Cleveland Cavaliers: Still not over the hump

The New York Knicks lost twice in as many nights against playoff competition. First, they folded against the Detroit Pistons physicality, losing 115-106. Next, they faded and lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers 108-102. The Knicks took big leads early in both games but couldn’t hang on.

It’s worth noting that New York was shorthanded on both nights. OG Anunoby, Josh Hart, and Mitchell Robinson sat out against Detroit. Then Karl-Anthony Towns took the night off against the Cavs. The Knicks held double-digit leads in the first halves of each game and had room to win in crunch time. But Jalen Brunson wasn’t his typical clutch self, and there weren’t as many weapons to pick him up.

The same concerns have lasted all season. The Knicks can’t get stops when they need them and are prone to long scoring droughts as soon as teams pick up their intensity. This is enough to cause concern heading into the playoffs. It’s hard to trust a team that has buckled under pressure to step up when the games become most intense.

Let’s look at the performances for a better picture of the double-header letdown.