The New York Knicks dominated the game for most of the time. However, the whole situation went awry when we needed it most. The double-digit lead evaporated completely, the Knicks failed in their last few games and were swept by the Hawks in the end.
What was a great opportunity to achieve a big win turned into a very disappointing defeat and an even bigger question mark has arisen in front of New York after this 107-106 defeat on their own court.
mikal bridges didn't give enough
Bridges should have been one of the Knicks players to calm things down when the game got tense, but he didn't do that here. He finished with just 10 points on 3-10 shooting, and he didn't look like the hungry scorer that New York needed at all.
The problem was not just missed shots but also inaction. In the last game, he took the final shot and missed, which added to the disappointment. A player like Bridges can't disappear in a situation when the game is on the line.
the knicks bench was cold as ice
The Knicks' bench was not enough to help lead the team. New York got 13 points from Mitchell Robinson and seven from Jordan Clarkson, but the rest of the bench combined to score zero.
In a playoff game where every point counts, that's not enough. Atlanta's bench was able to score a total of 28 points, led by Jonathan Kuminga's 19 points, and that extra scoring made the difference in the game when the starters began to fade.
Mike Brown needs to change the system, and the Knicks need to take it more seriously
A big lesson from this loss is that the Knicks can no longer rely solely on talent. Their offense sputtered in the fourth quarter, and the stats showed it: New York managed only 15 points in the quarter, shooting 22.7% from the field; Atlanta, on the other hand, scored 28 points and shot 72.2%.
In fact, the game showed that the Hawks consistently found the right moments to score, while the Knicks kept missing their chances. Even missed a few late shots that could have ensured victory. It is not just a matter of 'bad luck'; This is a problem of the entire system and mentality.
If the style of play is too slow, too predictable, or too relaxed, this team will be victimized in close games.
