Knicks Learning From Their Mistakes

The New York Knicks are getting up after falling down.

Mar 20, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; New York Knicks guard Cameron Payne (1) brings the ball up court during the second quarter against the Charlotte Hornets at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images / Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

The New York Knicks had a bit of a recent blip in their schedule, falling to the San Antonio Spurs and Charlotte Hornets on back-to-back nights.

While Jalen Brunson was out, the Knicks played far below their usual standards and fell to two teams who will be in Cancun this time next month.

However, the Knicks were able to bounce back against the Washington Wizards, and NBA.com writer John Schuhmann praised the performance.

"The Knicks had won 13 straight games against teams that are currently at or below .500 before their back-to-back in San Antonio and Charlotte last week," Schuhmann writes. "They lost both games, allowing 123 points per 100 possessions, with the Spurs and Hornets shooting 31-for-67 (46%) from 3-point range. The Knicks now rank 28th in opponent 3-point percentage, though the percentage of their opponents’ attempts that have been wide open (48%) remains below the league average (51%)."

"The Knicks’ offense also wasn’t very good in the back-to-back, scoring just 39 points on 49 first-quarter possessions over the two games. They lost 11 of their 15 first quarters since the All-Star break before getting off to a much better start against the Wizards on Saturday. With the win over Washington, the Knicks are 26-4 (fourth best) when they’ve led after 12 minutes."

A big part of the reason behind the team's fast start had to do with Cam Payne, who drew his first start since Jan. 1. Payne scored 10 of his 13 points in the first quarter against the Wizards, leading them to a cruising victory at the end of the night.

Payne started with Brunson and Miles McBride out, and if either of them were to miss time in the postseason due to the injuries they have sustained this month, the veteran point guard will give the Knicks a shot to stay in a strong spot on the offensive end of the floor.

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