Could New York Knicks Have a Losing Record Entering 2024?

The New York Knicks have a dangerous schedule ahead after dropping one to the hapless Utah Jazz on Wednesday night.

With a 117-113 loss to the Utah Jazz on Wednesday, the New York Knicks find themselves in a dangerous territory.

New York (13-10) is on relatively safe ground in the playoff picture after the first quarter, currently holding the last of the Eastern Conference's six automatic playoff spots entering Friday night action.

But the Knicks are currently in the midst of what could be the most dangerous stretches of the season: Wednesday's loss in Salt Lake City tipped off a five-game road trip, one tied for their longest of the season and continues on Friday night against the Phoenix Suns (10 p.m. ET, MSG/ESPN). A Los Angeles doubleheader against the Clippers and Lakers awaits on Friday and Monday respectively before they head back home to face the Brooklyn Nets on Dec. 20. 

Donte DiVincenzo (0) endured a brutal loss to the Lauri Markkanen and the Utah Jazz on Wednesday night / Rob Gray, USA TODAY SPORTS

The slate gets no easier upon returning to Madison Square Garden: the Knicks have a Christmas weekend doubleheader against the Milwaukee Bucks, who have already beaten them twice this season. Their calendar year then closes with another road trip, working through Oklahoma City, Orlando, and Indiana. 

Every  opponent in that span, starting with Friday's visit to Footprint Center, owns a winning record. That's a problem for a Knicks group that has had its issues against superior competition: New York is 3-9 against teams with active winning records, including 1-3 against Western Conference opponents of that variety.   

Even more concerning is the apparent defensive lapses the Knicks have endured without starting center Mitchell Robinson, who is due to miss 8-to-10 weeks after undergoing ankle surgery.

In five December games, the Knicks are 2-3 and are giving up a whopping 126.4 points per game to opponents. That includes a brutal 146-122 loss to Milwaukee in their In-Season Tournament quarterfinal game on Dec. 5 and they've given up at least 130 in three of their past five showings, after doing so on only eight occasions all of last year.

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While certainly not ideal, having a losing record at the New Year's landmark wouldn't be a death sentence: the Knicks were only one game over .500 entering 2023 and wound up finishing 47-35. The Nets and Dallas Mavericks ranked second and fourth in their respective conferences at that same point last season. Brooklyn took the last automatic playoff spot at sixth while the Mavericks missed out on the postseason entirely.