AN UGLY START
Knicks’ life without Porzingis just as bad as you’d expect
The Knicks without Kristaps Porzingis is a scary thought. It’s an even scarier sight.
Providing a preview of what the rest of the season could look like without Porzingis, the Knicks unraveled following the seasonending injury to their franchise player, and dropped their fourth straight game, allowing an early ninepoint lead to become a 103-89 loss to the Bucks on Tuesday night.
After opening the season 15-5 at home, the Knicks have now lost six of their past seven games at the Garden.
“Early on, we had the attitude that you’re not coming in here and beating us, we’re protecting home,” Courtney Lee said. “We’ve got to figure out what’s changed and get back to that … and try and turn this thing around. It’s not too late.”
The Knicks started strong, and appeared poised to bounce back from Sunday’s embarrassing loss to the lowly Hawks, with Enes Kanter finished the first quarter with 11 points and six rebounds. Even after Porzingis left the game with a left knee injury early in the second quarter, Tim Hardaway Jr. made four straight shots, giving the Knicks a 39-30 lead.
But soon the offense looked lost without its franchise player, and the Bucks took a 50-46 halftime lead, before opening the third quarter on a 13-4 run. Led by Giannis Antetokounmpo’s 23 points, 11 rebounds, six assists and two blocks, the Bucks led by as much as 21, while the Knicks missed 18-of-23 3pointers, and committed 17 turnovers.
“When [Porzingis] goes down, it kind of got stagnant out there,” Lee said. “Everybody was looking at each other like what are we gonna do, instead of going out there and competing.”
During the four-game losing streak, the Knicks are averaging 87 points, following 18 straight games scoring 99 points or more.
“Right now we’re struggling offensively,” coach Jeff Hornacek said. “These last few games, we’re pressing. I don’t know how many easy shots we’re missing. Besides all that, we gotta take care of the careless turnovers, just sloppy, handing it over to guys.”