Knicks Fourth Quarter Defense Becoming Major Concern

The New York Knicks have struggled to keep their foot on the gas in the fourth quarter amid high-scoring games.

Dec 23, 2024; New York, New York, USA; Toronto Raptors guard Gradey Dick (1) fights for a rebound against New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) during the first quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The New York Knicks boast one of the best offenses in the NBA, ranking second in offensive rating to start the season. Sitting only behind the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Knicks can hit opponents from all different angles throughout the game, resulting in them having just eight games where they scored under 110 points.

While it's encouraging to see the offense perform at a high level, the defense has still struggled. Despite having two elite wing defenders in OG Anunoby and Karl-Anthony Towns, plus other key players, the Knicks can't seem to find any consistency on the defense end. They are in the middle of the pack when it comes to defensive rating.

Particularly, the fourth-quarter defense is a concern. Recently, in a 139-125 win over the Toronto Raptors on Monday night, New York gave up 73 points in the second half, as well as 43 points in the fourth quarter. The game was looking to be a blowout after going up by as many as 33 points, but a rough defensive end to the game saw the team win by just 15.

It's been a problem all season. The Knicks rank 28th in opponent points in the fourth quarter, giving up 31.3 per game. This puts them in company with rebuilding teams like the Washington Wizards (27th) and Portland Trail Blazers (29th), which comes as a slap in the face for a team looking to contend for a championship.

It's not like this is coming from the reserves, either. Head coach Tom Thibodeau is known to keep a short bench, with the starters playing through the fourth quarter in most blowouts. There isn't an excuse to let teams come back into the game, or at least give themselves hope to come back.

While there's hope that the defense will improve, this discouraging fourth-quarter stat should bring concern toward the playoffs. Facing some of the league's best in the spring, New York will have to fix its defense in clutch time if it wants to play basketball through late May and early June.

The Knicks have plenty of time to fix their defensive disparities, whether it be through a trade or letting the rotation develop through the season. However, these defensive lapses cannot persist, especially toward the end of games.

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