Knicks Hit With Harsh Reality Check Amid Losing Streak

This year’s New York Knicks have a much deeper rotation than last season, yet rank 28th in bench points, receiving 31.2 points from the second unit.

ESPN believes that the lack of bench scoring could once again cause the Knicks’ downfall in the playoffs, much like it did in last year’s Eastern Conference Finals against an Indiana Pacers team that boasted of a 10- or 11-man rotation.

“Kryptonite: Bench scoring,” read the report analyzing the Knicks’ biggest weakness ahead of the 2026 NBA playoffs.

“It’s amazing when you look at the Knicks starters’ minutes compared to last season: Only Jalen Brunson is close to his numbers from last season at 35 minutes a game,” wrote ESPN’s Vincent Goodwill.

“Still, because coach Mike Brown’s team is so reliant on the starters to produce, New York’s bench is averaging 31.2 PPG, which ranks 28th in the league.”

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Knicks Lack of Consistency

The report highlighted the recent struggles undergone by Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns, both of whom have had to adjust their roles under Mike Brown. Bridges has seen his minutes (34.5 to 30.4), points (15.9 to 11.2) and shot attempts (12.7 to 10.6) all shrink significantly since the All-Star break. Towns has seen a slight uptick in his numbers since the midseason break, but he has routinely been benched in the fourth quarter in favor of Mitchell Robinson — for defensive purposes.

Goodwill believes Bridges and Towns’ slumps will cost the Knicks in the playoffs.

“Mikal Bridges is in a prolonged production slump. Karl-Anthony Towns is constantly under fire,” he wrote.

“Off the bench, Landry Shamet has had moments (39% from 3), Jordan Clarkson has been spotty and Mitchell Robinson isn’t a consistent scoring contributor. Miles McBride is recovering from hernia surgery and could be available in the postseason, but who can Brown truly depend on for alternate options on offense?”

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Knicks Playoffs Path

The Knicks, most likely to finish the season with the third seed, could run into a tricky first-round opponent such as the Atlanta Hawks or Miami Heat. ESPN’s Zach Kram believes the latter is a team that could particularly pose problems for Brown’s team.

“There are two reasons the Heat are best suited to take advantage of New York’s lack of bench scoring,” wrote Kram.

“First, Miami leads all teams with a winning record in bench scoring, with 42.9 points per game, meaning the Heat — led by Sixth Man of the Year contender Jaime Jaquez Jr. — could overwhelm New York’s bench units.

“And second, the Heat play at the fastest pace in the NBA, which could induce greater fatigue in the Knicks’ starters and require Brown to turn more to his weaker bench than usual.”

The Knicks (48-27) will try to snap their two-game losing streak against the Houston Rockets (45-29) on Tuesday night.

Sai Mohan covers the NBA for Heavy.com. Based in Portugal, Sai is a seasoned sports writer with nearly two decades of publishing experience, including bylines at Yardbarker, FanSided’s Hoops Habit, International Business Times, Hindustan Times and more. More about Sai Mohan