At +16 in the first half, the Knicks thought they could spoil James Harden’s home debut. But, in a boiling Wells Fargo Center, the new Sixers back put on a show with 26 points, 9 assists, 9 rebounds to turn the tide and inflict a sixth consecutive loss on New York (123-108).
Afterwards, Tom Thibodeau pointed to the poor defensive performance of his team, which went from 4th place (107.8 points against 100 possessions) to 17th place among the best defenses this year (110.8 points against 110 possessions). And, for once, it was Julius Randle who more or less took up this language, regretting the loss of the Knicks’ defensive identity, from last season to this season.
« I just think we need to fight harder on defense“, Advance the strong winger in the New York Post. “The coach was forced to take a time-out in the first minutes of the second half because we weren’t fighting enough. It starts with us. We didn’t manage to get the stops at the important moments. Our opponents manage to make series. When you remember who we were last season… We were part of the best defensive teams in the League and we boasted of being able to make stops at key moments. We managed to chain three, four defensive stops in a row. One of the things that the coaching staff shows us after the matches is the number of times we manage to chain three consecutive stops. We don’t do it enough. »
Like his own performance, marked by 12 points in the first quarter and 12 points over the following three periods, Julius Randle sank, like his Knicks. In what was supposed to be Wilt Chamberlain’s 100-point memorial evening, New York suffered the law of another dominant pivot in Joel Embiid (27 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists).
The Knicks in crisis of confidence
Still struck by the third quarter syndrome, during which they will collect 38 points (against only 19 scored), the Knicks were not strong enough to fight against the Sixers in the middle of their honeymoon with their new superstar. Worse, New York continues its slide with only three wins in their last 19 games.
How to lose confidence…
“Personally, I don’t believe in it, but maybe there’s a lack of confidence in the team in general. [en dernier quart] », half-recognizes Julius Randle. “When you start losing a few games in a row, it kills the team spirit a bit. Maybe I need to take matters into my own hands and inspire our game, give words of encouragement. But it’s a very tough league. That’s why winning is so valuable. We have to find a way to win a game. »
Despite 30 points and 7 assists from RJ Barrett, one of the rare rays of sunshine in the gray New York, the Knicks remain among the worst teams in the League in terms of assists. And in terms of collective play, quite simply. But Tom Thibodeau doesn’t care about the attack, as long as the defense is not ready…
“We conceded 68 points in the second half. We have to find a way to win. We are doing good things, but not enough to win a game. »
