Jalen Brunson, Knicks Stumble to a 3-4 Start

Jalen Brunson and the defending champion Knicks are 3-4, eighth in the East, and they haven't looked anything like the team that ran through the playoffs in June. Friday's 98-93 loss in Philadelphia, with Tyrese Maxey hearing "MVP" chants and LeBron James sealing it with a tip-in, was the latest reminder.

That's a big deal in New York. This team won its first title in 53 years and won 15 of its final 16 playoff games, including 13 straight. Now teams aren't flinching when the Knicks make a run. They're waiting them out.

Where It's Going Wrong

The offense is the problem. New York ranks 22nd in offense, NBA.com tracking has the Knicks shooting 28.8% on shots with four seconds or less on the clock. They were the best in the league in those spots last season. That's usually Brunson time, and the Finals MVP is shooting career lows from the field and from 3.

Brunson knows what's missing. "We have to put a full 48 minutes together," he said after the Sixers loss. Josh Hart pointed to fatigue, and Brunson, being Brunson, fired back: "Josh said he feels the fatigue? Josh is old as s---."

It isn't just him. Mikal Bridges needed four games to hit a 3-pointer. And the backup center spot hasn't been the same since Mitchell Robinson left for Boston, with coach Mike Brown toggling between Andre Drummond and James Wiseman.

The Noise Isn't Helping

Off the court, the Knicks tabled all contract extension talks on Oct. 9, leaving three key players, including Hart and Karl-Anthony Towns, in limbo. There's also been an awkward story about assistant coaches not getting their championship rings on opening night. Brown wouldn't touch it. "I'm not going to talk about that ring stuff, as you can imagine," he said.

Towns isn't panicking. "You're in New York, you've got to play through distractions," he told ESPN. He pointed to last season's 2-9 skid after the NBA Cup as proof this group can pull itself out of a hole. "You don't want to wait to find that magic," he said. "Lightning don't strike twice."

What's Next for the Knicks

The schedule is offering a breather. The Bulls come to Madison Square Garden on Wednesday at 4:30 PM PT, losers of five straight at 1-6, and Nic Claxton is out with a hamstring injury. The Knicks beat Chicago 133-127 on Oct. 29, when Brunson poured in 38 points. The Knicks list no injuries.

Brown says he grades the season in five-game chunks, and Brunson thinks the first month will tell the story. A home date with a struggling team is the right spot to start flipping it.

The Smacktok lean: Brunson dropped 38 on this same Bulls team less than a week ago, and Chicago's down Claxton. We're leaning higher on Brunson's points at the Garden.