If healthy, this Knicks team should have no problem scoring points. It’s the defense that will dictate how many games they win.
And on Saturday, the Knick defense was as bad as it’s been all year. Disjointed against the pick-and-roll. Steps slow in transition. The result? Cade Cunningham and the Pistons dominated the Knicks, 120-111, at the Garden.
New York had no answer for Cunningham (29 points, 15 assists, 10 rebounds). The Pistons hit 50 percent of their threes (18-for-36) and dominated the glass as the Knicks struggled without Karl-Anthony Towns (knee) and Cam Payne (elbow).
“I think communication was the biggest thing,” Mikal Bridges said late Saturday night. “A lot (of poor communication) in transition… And it’s not like a thing that we don’t like each other or anything. It’s just that sense of urgency… We’ve got to understand that when we don’t talk to each other, it’s going to hurt us.”
Bridges sees a correlation between the Knicks’ execution on offense and the effort on defense.
“When things don’t go well offensively we tend to not talk (on defense),” he said. “It’s just something we always fail to do when we struggle on one end of offense. When we get back (on defense), we’re not communicating.”
OG Anunoby also said the Knicks had communication issues in transition against Detroit. Both Bridges and Anunoby think that these errors are correctable.
Still, the Knicks rank 18th in defensive rating after Saturday’s loss. They are 22nd in opponent three-point field goal percentage.
Bridges was asked for an assessment of New York’s defense at this point in the season. He gave an honest assessment.
“Not good, not good. I think we pick and choose when. We ain’t that good to be able to just pick when we want to play defense. I don’t think any team is that good when they just pick when they want to play defense,” Bridges said. “I think it starts with me as well. Just gotta be more vocal and lead by example as well. But it’s all of us.”
Tom Thibodeau expects the Knicks to bounce back on Monday when they play at Toronto.
“I want us to learn, I want us to get better. We have to respond the right way to this,” the head coach said.
Hart questions second tech
Josh Hart was whistled for a second technical with 1:10 left in the fourth quarter on Saturday.
The eight-year veteran didn’t agree with the call. He felt the referee wasn’t being consistent.
“I didn’t understand it. I got my (first) tech for basically saying someone (to) get in the game. I think I was 10 feet away from the ref (and) going into the huddle (when I said it). Didn’t curse or speak disrespectfully to the ref,” Hart said.
Hart asked the official for an explanation. The ref told him, “That’s not how we talk to each other.”
“And I said, ‘OK’ and left it there,” Hart said.
Late in the fourth quarter, Cunningham was being vocal with a ref. He didn’t receive a technical. Hart wasn’t happy about it.
“We’re going on a run and another player walks up to a ref and he cursed,” Hart said. “I just didn’t understand it.”
The Knicks trailed by seven when Hart got his second technical.
“Josh plays on emotion which is great,” Thibodeau said. “But there’s a fine line and just, we can’t have that in the fourth quarter.”
Robinson making progress
Thibodeau said Mitchell Robinson continues to make progress while rehabbing from offseason foot surgery.
“He’s gone to more stuff (on the court) but nothing with the team yet. He’s making good, steady progress and we’re going to be patient with him,” the head coach said.
Robinson hasn’t started running or sprinting yet but has progressed to doing light shooting on the court.
Alumni night
The Knicks hosted more than 40 alumni – or their relatives – to Saturday’s game. The players were introduced to the Garden crowd at halftime. (JR Smith got a strong ovation.)
Thibodeau appreciated seeing the former players back at the Garden.
“I think the organization, (team governor) Jim Dolan obviously, has made a big-time commitment. Leon (Rose) and (William Wesley) deserve a lot of credit for the time that they put into making this happen,” Thibodeau said of the Knick team president and executive vice president.
“It’s just great to see all of those guys and see what they mean to each other and what they mean to the city and the organization,” Thibodeau added. “….I think the backbone of every organization are all the players: former players, current players. I think it’s cool for our players to see. And for the entire league, it’s great. Just to hear them share their stories, it’s very nice. I’m disappointed that we couldn’t win for them tonight.”
Sharing seats
On Thursday, the organization Sharing Seats hosted 13 children at the Knicks-Hornets game.
The children – aged 12 and 13 – are from an Israeli kibbutz that was attacked on October 7, 2023.
They came to New York as part of Project 24
