Why Knicks Shouldn't Panic After Slow Start

The New York Knicks are off to a slow start, but that doesn't mean they need to fret.

Jeremy Brener | Nov 9, 2024

Nov 6, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) dribbles Atlanta Hawks center Clint Capela (15) during the first half at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images / Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

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New York Knicks

The New York Knicks may be off to a slow start this season, but they aren't alone in their struggles.

The Knicks are among the overwhelming majority of teams to be .500 or lower to start the season. That's why ESPN insider Tim Bontemps isn't worried about the Knicks or any East contender at the moment.

"The East doesn't look that formidable right now" is an understatement," Bontemps writes. "Philadelphia is off to a worse start than Milwaukee, albeit with Joel Embiid and Paul George sitting out lots of time because of injuries. Paolo Banchero is now out several weeks for Orlando. The Knicks have gotten off to a slow start with their new-look roster. Tyrese Haliburton and the Indiana Pacers have stumbled out of the gates. So have the Miami Heat."

There have been a lot of growing pains for nearly every contender in the Eastern Conference to start the season. The only exceptions have been the Cleveland Cavaliers, who have hit on every cylinder with new head coach Kenny Atkinson and the Boston Celtics, who returned pretty much their entire team after comfortably winning the NBA Finals back in June.

While these teams have struggled to begin the season, the Knicks and their rivals will have to find ways to get past their shortcomings soon. The teams that are most likely to rise back to the top will be the ones who are able to adjust the quickest.

The Knicks have shown signs of success and have been fortunate to be relatively healthy to start the season, so if they can continue growing along their current trajectory, they should be right back in the thick of things in the Eastern Conference.

The Knicks' next matchup comes tomorrow against the Pacers. Tipoff is set for 5 p.m. ET.

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Published Nov 9, 2024

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.