While the New York Knicks earned a 103-90 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Monday night, the fact that the Knicks had to outscore the Nets to the tune of 28-11 in the game’s fourth quarter to improve to 3-4 sparked additional questions about the reigning NBA champions.
During a recent conversation with Vincent Goodwill of ESPN, big man Karl-Anthony Towns shared how the Knicks losing nine of 11 games fromDec. 31, 2025 through Jan. 19 of this year has him convinced that this version of the team will ultimately be just fine when it matters the most.
Knicks “got closer” amid poor run of form last season
“We didn’t look our best version, and we heard about it,” Towns explained. “This team continued to fall into each other instead of splitting away and … separating. We got closer and closer.”
This past summer, Knicks captain and 2026 NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Jalen Brunson warned that attempting to defend the franchise’s championship would be an “even bigger challenge” and that New York would need to “forget about” what the club achieved during the spring. More recently, Brunson acknowledged that Knicks players needed to “humble ourselves” and “the opposite” of what they received from adoring members of the team’s fan base throughout the summer.
As for Towns, he didn’t sign a desired contract extension before the start of the season. Nevertheless, he suggested such off-the-court matters aren’t impacting the Knicks’ on-the-court performances.
“You’re in New York, you’ve got to play through distractions,” Towns told Goodwill. “That’s what comes with playing here. There’s a lot of pressure, a lot of noise. But as long as this locker room, which has shown it can do, stays together and continues to just believe and fall into each other when things get tough, we can do something special.”
Knicks players “have a lot of trust” despite slow start
Against the Nets, Landry Shamet came off the bench to lead the Knicks with 22 points. Additionally, Jordan Clarkson contributed seven points and a block in 11 minutes en route to finishing the evening a +17.
“It’s open,” Knicks guard Miles McBride told Goodwill. “Anybody can step up, whether it’s the (bench) guys or starters. That’s the thing about this team, our chemistry is so good, and we have a lot of trust because we see each other putting forth a lot of work.”
The Knicks will look to build some positive momentum when they welcome the 1-6 Chicago Bulls to Madison Square Garden on Wednesday evening.