The Knicks lost 111-102 to an Orlando team missing Paolo Banchero, and the fourth quarter made the difference. They now face Detroit on Tuesday with no wins and little margin.
Fourth-quarter collapse
Orlando scored 40 in the final period. New York scored 27. The Magic played without Banchero, and Hoops Rumors reported that Jalen Suggs left with a knee injury. They still won. Franz Wagner had 21 of his 23 points in the fourth. The Knicks are 0-3 and sit 13th.
Bridges disappears
Mikal Bridges played 35 minutes, scored 6 points on 3-of-7 shooting and finished minus-23. OG Anunoby was minus-11. The starters scored 91 points. The bench scored 7, and Andre Drummond got seven minutes. The New York Post reported that Drummond bristled after being benched for lack of effort.
Brunson stands alone
Jalen Brunson scored 28 on 12-of-28 shooting and missed six of seven threes. Karl-Anthony Towns added 22 points and 14 rebounds. ESPN's Vincent Goodwill reported that Brunson said the sputtering offense 'falls on my shoulders'. He is right about the volume. The help around him is the problem.
Moves and money
Dalton Knecht joined the roster at $4.2M this season. The Post reported his chance at redemption begins in the G League. Payroll is $220.4M, $20M above the $200.4M tax line. Jose Alvarado is out with a left ankle injury, with an estimated return of Tuesday.
Tuesday test
Detroit comes to New York on Tuesday night on NBC/Peacock. Chicago follows Wednesday, then Philadelphia on Friday. The question for Brown is simple: who closes a game when the starters run dry? The bench cannot keep scoring 7.
What is the Knicks' record after three games?
The Knicks are 0-3 after losing 111-102 to the Magic on October 25. They have lost to the 76ers, Celtics and Magic.
When do the Knicks play next?
The Knicks host the Pistons on Tuesday, October 27, on NBC/Peacock. They visit the Bulls on October 28 and the 76ers on October 30.
