Knicks' Rough Patch Highlighted By Late-Game Defensive Woes

The New York Knicks have struggled to start 2025, and a major reason why is the inability to close games on defense.

Jan 6, 2025; New York, New York, USA; Orlando Magic guard Anthony Black (0) looks to drive past New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) in the fourth quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

The New York Knicks have had the exact opposite start to January 2025 than they did in December 2024. In December, the Knicks started 3-1 and finished the month with an impressive 12-2 record. To start 2025, New York is 1-3 and in a major hole with a tough schedule ahead.

The fear was that the Knicks' easier opponents in December would mask the overall struggles that this has had throughout the start of the season. While New York has had some key wins and gone on some impressive streaks, the team has struggled significantly this month, and the opponents are only getting tougher.

A major issue in this three-game skid has been the inability to close on defense. Against the Utah Jazz, the Knicks gave 24 points in the fourth quarter. Against the Oklahoma City Thunder? 37 points. Against the Chicago Bulls? 35 points. Against the shorthanded Orlando Magic? 28 points.

This averages out to New York having given up 31 fourth-quarter points per game to start 2025. Over the last three games, the Knicks are dead last in fourth-quarter points allowed, giving up an average of 33.3.

The fourth-quarter defensive struggles are nothing new for the Knicks this season. They started the season toward the bottom of the NBA in defensive rating, but have improved it since then. Unfortunately, they still lack the ability to close games efficiently.

One thing to note is that the offensive output is still elite for the Knicks. While depth is becoming a major concern amid Karl-Anthony Towns' injury, New York is still third in offensive rating (119.2) and has been toward the top of the league for almost all of the regular season thus far. The Knicks have one side of the figured out, it's just a matter of finding consistency on defense and not losing gas in the fourth quarter.

Again, this speaks to the depth. Head coach Tom Thibodeau can't afford to play more than two to three players off the bench due to the limitations of the rotation. The Knicks will either have to get increased production from players having to step up or look to the trade market to fix the depth struggles. In the end, closing games on defense has been New York's biggest issue.

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