When has game No. 44 felt so chaotic and desperate? Which season in recent memory features such dramatic concern at the midseason point?
While the answer is tough to find, the New York Knicks’ current situation is as real as it gets. Losers of nine of their last 11 and 11 of their last 16, the Knicks look to rebound from Monday’s horrific 114-97 loss to the Dallas Mavericks when welcoming in the little brother Brooklyn Nets to MSG Wednesday night.
Jan. 21, 2026: Matchup
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Returning to a true identity
If Mike Brown’s New York Knicks are to turn this thing around, they will have to return to what made this group successful in the first place. It would mean Brown intentionally slows down the pace, encourages his offense to take it to the hole more (decreasing three-point volume and thus decreasing transition defensive opportunities), and barks at his defense to play like rabid dogs.
Look, the underlying issue that led to a fracture in the fanbase of the Tom Thibodeau firing remains largely unspoken: This Knicks roster, while offensively talented, is incredibly slow-footed.
From point guard Jalen Brunson to big man Karl-Anthony Towns, the personnel can put the ball in the hoop on an individual level, but it compares terribly to the rest of the NBA elite. The Indiana Pacers running them out of the gym in last year’s Eastern Conference Finals should have been the first hint, but instead of objectively analyzing the roster, the organization changed coaches.
This season, Brown’s system encourages more movement and more three-point shots, which goes against everything this roster is about.
Watch how the Knicks come out Wednesday night against the Nets. Pay close attention to see if they have the take-it-to-the-hole vigor offensively, and the strap-it-up-defensive snarl.
If they do, it will be a tremendous sign that they understand what needs to be done. If they don’t, and the three-point volume continues to hold firm, they can surely win the game, if they catch fire (as happened earlier in the season), but it won’t solve the criplling issues that plague this squad.
Injury update
New York’s most pressing injury concerns were answered a couple of days ago when point guard Jalen Brunson and wing Josh Hart returned to the lineup. Interestingly, the Knicks’ injury report is currently clean (no players listed).
For Brooklyn, forward Haywood Highsmith is listed as OUT with a knee injury. Highsmith has been on the shelf all season while recovering from meniscus surgery in August.
Game details
The struggling Knicks are a 12-point home favorite (-110) against the tanking Nets (+12, -110), per FanDuel Sportsbook. New York’s moneyline is -620, while Brooklyn’s is set at +420, and the over-under point total is 220.5 (O -108, U -112).
Tip-off from Madison Square Garden is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET, and the game can be viewed on MSG Networks and YES Network.
At 25-18, the New York Knicks are currently tied with the Toronto Raptors as the Eastern Conference’s No. 3 seed. They’re now 7.0 games behind the No. 1-seeded Detroit Pistons, 2.5 games back of the Atlantic Division-leading Boston Celtics, and just 1.5 games ahead of a play-in tournament spot.
