The Knicks’ defensive shell is broken.
Rotations are slow — or sometimes nonexistent.
As a result, games that start as competitive contests often devolve into target practice for opponents.
The issue runs deeper than just late closeouts. The Knicks also struggle to contain the point of attack. Mikal Bridges, the team’s prized defensive addition, has been a valiant effort on the perimeter, but his 6-6, 215-pound frame routinely gets run into screens set by players built like brick walls.
This forces a chain reaction: either the opposing scorer gets the space they need to fire off a shot, or a Knicks defender has to rotate over — frequently late, or sometimes not at all — exposing the cracks in a defensive shell that isn’t nearly as connected as it needs to be.
This domino effect has been glaring as the Knicks have lost six of their last nine games, the latest coming in Friday’s disheartening 116-99 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. The game marked Julius Randle’s first regular-season return to Madison Square Garden as an active player since the blockbuster offseason trade that brought Karl-Anthony Towns to New York.
Towns, however, missed his second straight game with a right thumb strain sustained in Monday’s loss to the Detroit Pistons. Without the gravity provided by his floor-spacing ability, the Knicks’ offense struggled against the Wolves’ physical, stingy defense.
But the more pressing issue remains New York’s inability to string together consistent defensive stops.
The Knicks went all-in on bolstering their wing defense this offseason. They handed OG Anunoby $212.5 million over five years in free agency and traded five first-round picks and a swap to the Nets to acquire Bridges. Yet, against high-level perimeter scorers, the results have been underwhelming.
Anthony Edwards provided the latest example.
After a quiet first quarter in which he scored just three points on 1-of-7 shooting, the Timberwolves’ All-Star caught fire. Edwards made 11 of his next 14 shots, including seven of his final nine from deep, finishing with 36 points, 13 rebounds, and seven assists.
Friday’s game was a far cry from Dec. 19, when the Knicks dominated the Timberwolves in Minnesota, 133-107. That night, Edwards scored just 17 points on 16 shots, deferring to Randle, who was still acclimating to his new team after the trade.
On Friday, Randle played a more subdued role, scoring 8 points on 2-of-6 shooting, with seven rebounds and six assists. He didn’t attempt his first shot until eight minutes into the first quarter but ultimately walked off the floor victorious in his return to The Garden.
For the Knicks, the game exposed a glaring weakness: poor defensive rotations that undermine their high-powered offense’s chances of competing for an NBA title.
Without Towns, the Knicks’ offense sputtered, failing to reach 100 points. Jalen Brunson led the team with 26 points but needed 23 shots to get there. Bridges struggled from the field, shooting 6-of-17 for 15 points, while Josh Hart, who had a brief shoulder scare, added 12 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 steals.
The bench provided some relief. Cameron Payne delivered an 18-point burst in just four-and-a-half minutes in the first half, though he didn’t score again. Precious Achiuwa chipped in six points and nine rebounds while Miles McBride added four points to keep the bench tally close to Minnesota’s, which got 23 points from hometown hero Naz Reid and another nine from rookie Rob Dillingham.
Towns is expected to return soon, ready to play through his thumb injury. When he does, the Knicks will remind everyone why they’re one of the league’s most potent offensive teams.
But basketball is more than offense — it’s about stopping the other team from finding theirs.
Despite their investments in Bridges and Anunoby, the Knicks have yet to solve their defensive woes. They’ve struggled to contain high-level scorers on the perimeter, and their interior rotations remain a step too slow.
The next test comes Monday, as Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks return to Madison Square Garden.
Young, a player who’s historically thrived in hostile environments, represents yet another challenge for a Knicks defense that has yet to prove it can rise to the occasion against elite competition.
If the Knicks can’t fix their rotations — or their broader defensive identity — soon, their aspirations of contending for a championship may slip away faster than one of Edwards’ unstoppable drives to the rim, like when he shed Bridges using a screen, blew by Brunson, and double-pumped a rim-rocking two-handed dunk over Achiuwa to punctuate Friday night’s loss.
