Knicks panic meter after embarrassing season opener vs. Celtics

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The New York Knicks lost in a blowout on opening night to the defending NBA champion Boston Celtics. New York lost 132-109 in a game in which the 23-point differential doesn’t do justice to just how badly they were beaten. The Celtics won the rebounding battle 40-34 and tied the NBA record for made three-pointers in a game (29), which received a humorous quip from the Knicks’ Josh Hart. Granted, opponents will not regularly shoot the ball like the Celtics did against the Knicks (47.5% on three-pointers). But either way, there is considerable reason for Knicks’ fans to not sound the alarm, at least not yet.

Chemistry isn’t established overnight

First of all, there is a legitimate reason why the Knicks looked lost at times on opening night. Many players on the team are now playing new roles. Karl-Anthony Towns, essentially the Knicks’ second-most important player, was traded to the team less than a month ago. That’s a limited run-up to learn what’s expected of him by coach Tom Thibodeau. So, despite playing for Thibodeau in the past, his role on the Knicks is different than what it was in Minnesota, and repetitions are needed for him to fully grasp his role.

But it’s not just Towns. Mikal Bridges is also still new to the team, and playing alongside a similar player in OG Anunoby. Anunoby is still relatively new to the team, too. Hart recently voiced concern over his lack of clarity regarding his role, as well.

The moral of the story is that tinkering with a team whose success was predicated on continuity requires patience. And one game does not constitute patience.

Injuries left two of the Knicks’ big men on the bench

Chemistry wasn’t the only thing missing for the Knicks on opening night. As mentioned above, the Knicks lost the rebounding battle, as well as the ever-important offensive rebounding battle. For what it’s worth, New York averaged 45.2 rebounds per game in 2023-24 (fifth in the NBA) and led the league in offensive rebound percentage.

The thing is, two rebounding machines are currently out of action: Mitchell Robinson and Precious Achiuwa. Robinson represents a major loss. He led the league in offensive rebounds per game last season (4.5), specifically demonstrating a proclivity for the offensive glass on a national stage in the 2024 NBA Playoffs. He’s also no slouch on the defensive glass either.

Achiuwa rebounds incredibly well for his size (six-foot-eight). He averaged a career-high 7.2 rebounds in 24.2 minutes per game last season, with his average jumping to about 10.2 per game when he played 30 or more minutes per game.

So, New York’s work on the glass would likely look considerably different with those two in the rotation.

Mikal Bridges made progress on his jump shot in the second half

The tweaks made to Bridges’ shot have received significant (negative) attention, much of which is fair. His form is most definitely different. He appears to have elongated it a bit, releasing the ball a little higher than before. And his arms are less symmetrical above his head. They resulted in a poor shooting performance throughout the entire pre-season (most notably, 2-for-19 on three-pointers).

In case you wanted another look at Mikal Bridges' shooting form pic.twitter.com/GPy0JfIt98

— Jared Weiss (@JaredWeissNBA) October 22, 2024

However, fear not, Knicks fans. Bridges may have figured it out. Or, rather, he may have reverted to his previous shooting form. After starting 0-for-5 on all field goal attempts and 0-for-4 on threes, he connected on seven of his eight field goal attempts in the second half (sinking two of his three triples)—all the while, demonstrating a slightly different shooting form than what he showed in the first half.

Once Bridges resumes his strong shooting (37.5 career three-point shooter), the Knicks’ offense will operate more fluidly.

Other bright spots

There are other aspects of the Knicks’ opening night loss about which fans can be optimistic. For starters, Miles McBride played brilliantly. He scored 22 points on eight-for-10 shooting. If he keeps that up, McBride could make a case for Sixth Man of the Year consideration.

Additionally, Jalen Brunson, despite not looking like the star he was last season, still weaved around the Celtics’ defense, scoring 22 points on a relatively efficient 9-for-14 shooting night. And Josh Hart looked more comfortable than he did in the preseason, tallying 12 points, four rebounds, and three assists.

Patience is the word of the day for Knicks fans, and it might be required for a bit longer. Chemistry issues are certainly not yet resolved. Robinson will be out through January, at the earliest. Achiuwa remains out for at least the next two weeks. And Bridges likely needs a little more time to iron out his shot. All the while, New York has a tough schedule ahead, with their next three games against the Indiana Pacers, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Miami Heat.

But it’s not how you start the season that matters, it’s how you finish it. And the Knicks still have plenty of upside.  So, be patient and enjoy the ride. But understand that the end destination remains exactly the same.

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