Dylan Backer
Despite falling short of a victory on Wednesday, the New York Knicks showed that they are in the top of the NBA’s class. They played the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder down to the wire, falling short 103-100.
Knicks nearly pulled off a massive win
New York carried a lead into the fourth, but couldn’t hold on after some clutch shots from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Lu Dort. Jalen Brunson picked things up after a slow start, but it wasn’t enough despite them clawing back from a big deficit.
However, they have shown of late that they are capable of beating the top teams. They are coming off wins against the Spurs and Raptors, two teams well in the playoff race and very much contenders for the championship.
A win against the Thunder would have been huge for resume building, but it doesn’t determine who the Knicks are right now. They continued to showcase their strong defense, holding the Thunder to just 103 points despite having some of their main guys back in the lineup.
New York played as hard as possible
What hurt the Knicks especially were the free throws. They struggled at the line, going just 16-for-22, and those six points left off the board ultimately made a massive difference. Despite that, they played tough, hard, and as if they wanted to make a statement.
Despite not securing the win, they should still feel good about how they performed against the best team in the league. Since late January, New York has played like the best team in the league, and they showed that for most of the night, though they wish they could walk away with a win.
They have a chance for redemption coming up, with the Nuggets and Lakers on the road for the next two games. New York has performed well during this tough stretch so far, and they will look to get back in the win column against Denver, a team they have already beaten this season.
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