The Phoenix Suns were shorthanded. The Knicks still put them through the buzzsaw.
Against a Suns team without Kevin Durant (MCL) and Bradley Beal (calf), New York recorded its fourth straight win and its fifth victory in its last six games with a 138-122 victory at Phoenix’s Footprint Center late Wednesday night.
The Knicks scored 40 or more points in the first quarter for the second game in a row, marking consecutive performances in which they set a new season-high in scoring their 134-106 victory over the Washington Wizards on Monday.
The Knicks have totaled 149 first-half points over their last two games.
Jalen Brunson erupted to match a season-high 36 points on 12-of-21 shooting from the field and 7-of-11 shooting from three-point range, picking up where he left off in last season’s trip to Phoenix, when he exploded for 50 points on 9-of-9 shooting from deep.
Brunson made his first five 3s on Thursday, making it 14 in a row at the Footprint Center before he returned to Earth in the third quarter.
The Knicks’ six-game stretch reveals a team on the cusp of realizing its potential. The numbers tell the story of a squad hitting its offensive stride, yet still grappling with defensive lapses that underscore the need for greater consistency and execution on the other end of the floor.
1
The Knicks rank No. 1 in offensive rating during their four-game winning streak, averaging 131.8 points per 100 possessions.
They also rank No. 1 in offensive rating over the entirety of their six-game stretch, beginning with their 111-99 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Nov. 12.
The Knicks are 5-1 since tipoff that night, deadlocked with four other teams (Boston, Cleveland, Houston and Orlando) for second place behind the Los Angeles Lakers, the only team undefeated in its last six games.
They also rank second in assists per game and are tied for third-fewest in turnovers during this stretch.
The Knicks rank 4th in 3-point percentage (39.6), 10th in 3s made (14.8), and 17th in 3s attempted (37.5), a marker they ranked 22nd in at 34.6 3s attempted per game in the opening 9 games of the season.
The offensive markers match the eye test: With Towns spacing the floor, the Knicks offense is lethal, as the Suns found out first-hand on Wednesday, when all five Knicks starters plus reserve guard Cameron Payne each made two or more 3s.
4
This number represents the double-doubles Jalen Brunson has recorded this season. But here’s another figure worth tracking: Eleven — the number of games in which all five Knicks starters have scored 10 or more points.
For perspective, last season, the Knicks managed this feat 36 times in a campaign marred by injuries. This year, they’re on pace to hit the milestone 60 times — a testament to their evolving offensive identity.
What’s driving this newfound balance? First, an aggressive front office willing to gamble on building a roster around Brunson, their undersized yet transcendent franchise guard. His meteoric rise to All-NBA honors last season made him the focal point of increasingly complex defensive schemes.
And second? Brunson’s adaptability. He is averaging a career-best 7.3 assists per game to start the season. The All-NBA scorer has elevated his playmaking, recognizing how defenses are keying in on him and consistently finding the right options. This season, he has a starting five better equipped to capitalize, generating efficient offense even when the defense forces the ball out of his hands.
115.7
This is the average number of points the Knicks allow per 100 possessions, their defensive rating, where New York ranks ninth-worst among NBA teams during their 5-1 stretch.
The flaws were evident even in victory: Phoenix’s 122 points on Wednesday marked the most the Suns have scored in the seven games Durant has missed due to injury and the second-highest total they’ve posted all season. Despite OG Anunoby taking on the Devin Booker assignment, Booker still dropped 33 points on an efficient 12-of-23 shooting night. Royce O’Neale added fuel, connecting on 5-of-10 from beyond the arc, while the Suns launched 50 three-point attempts, sinking 19 (38%).
While the Knicks’ potent offense has masked some defensive shortcomings—reflected in a stellar plus-10.2 net rating (Thibodeau’s go-to stat), the fourth-best in the league behind Houston, Orlando, and Cleveland — a bottom-10 defensive rating is an ominous sign for a team with championship aspirations.
To contend at the highest level, the Knicks aim to pair a top-10 defense with their dynamic offense, a formula they believe could end New York’s championship drought dating back to 1973.
So what’s holding their defense back?’
Start with three-point defense, glaringly exposed in Phoenix. The Knicks rank bottom-five in opponent three-pointers attempted and made over their last six games — numbers that could haunt them in playoff settings.
Interior defense is also a weak point.
Towns, now manning the five in Mitchell Robinson’s absence, is still adjusting to the role he largely relinquished to Rudy Gobert during his time in Minnesota. Transition defense remains another area of concern, as opposing teams have consistently exploited the Knicks’ lapses in getting back on defense.
0
The number of games the Knicks have played with both Robinson and Precious Achiuwa this season — a glaring stat that underscores the team’s lack of depth in the frontcourt.
Another number to consider? Eight. That’s the average number of players in Tom Thibodeau’s rotation, leaving little margin for error when injuries strike. And injuries have hit hard, particularly to Robinson and Achiuwa, two pivotal pieces the Knicks had counted on to solidify their interior defense and rebounding.
Robinson underwent surgery to address a stress reaction in his left ankle following an injury in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. It marked his second surgery on the same ankle in less than a year, prompting the Knicks to take an ultra-cautious approach with his recovery. On Wednesday, Thibodeau confirmed Robinson has yet to be cleared for full basketball activities, only working on form shooting as his return timeline was pushed to late December or early January.
Achiuwa, meanwhile, suffered an untimely hamstring strain in the preseason finale against the Wizards. Signed to a one-year, $6 million deal as a key addition to offset the loss of Isaiah Hartenstein in free agency, Achiuwa showed promise during the preseason. But his injury sidelined him before the regular season tipped off, leaving the Knicks without a critical piece in their big-man rotation for the opening month.
The absence of both players has left New York relying heavily on Towns to anchor the center position, a role he’s adjusting to after spending much of his time in Minnesota playing alongside four-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert. Beyond Towns, the Knicks’ depth at center consists of Jericho Sims and 58th overall pick Ariel Hukporti — two serviceable options but not the experienced reinforcements Thibodeau likely envisioned when constructing his lineup.
0.289
This number reflects the winning percentage of the Knicks’ opponents during their 5-1 run, adjusted to account for the Phoenix Suns’ struggles without Durant. Officially 9-7 on the season, the Suns are 1-6 since Durant exited the rotation with an MCL injury, and for this analysis, their record is noted as such. The stat underscores the Knicks’ recent success against teams with losing records — a necessary step in stacking wins for playoff positioning in the loaded Eastern Conference. Yet, it also serves as a reminder: the true measure of this team will be how it performs against elite competition, not the league’s bottom feeders.
.577
The winning percentage of the teams the Knicks faced before their recent 5-1 stretch tells a different story.
It paints a picture of early adversity, with New York battling against stronger opponents and suffering six losses in their first 11 games. Four of those defeats came on the road, a telling stat for a team that has struggled to perform away from Madison Square Garden. One loss, however, stands out: a second-leg back-to-back against the Chicago Bulls, who had the advantage of rest and a league-best pace. The Knicks faltered, losing 124-123 on a controversial call that sent Coby White to the line for three free throws. Another low point was their season opener in Boston, where New York gave up an NBA record 29 made threes in a forgettable blowout loss.
.420
This number, which tells the cumulative winning percentage of the Knicks’ upcoming opponents as of Wednesday night, offers a glimpse at the road ahead.
New York is set to complete a grueling five-game cross-country swing before returning to The Garden for a four-game home stand. The road trip features matchups against the Utah Jazz (3-11), the 2023 champion Denver Nuggets (8-5), the reigning Western Conference champion Dallas Mavericks, and the Charlotte Hornets (5-9). Upon returning home, the Knicks will face the injury-plagued New Orleans Pelicans (4-12) and a surging Orlando Magic squad (9-7) that has won six of its last seven games despite losing Paolo Banchero to injury.
While the immediate schedule appears favorable in terms of opponent records, New York must tread carefully. Lesser teams have been known to spring surprises, and consistent execution on both ends of the floor will be essential for the Knicks to maintain their momentum and stay in the Eastern Conference playoff race.
