New York is scoring 103.4 per 100 possessions and giving up 110.6, and that gap explains 0-3. Detroit walks into the Garden 3-0 at plus 12.4, so the Knicks get a good look at what they used to be.
The Gap Is Real
Minus 7.2. That is the Knicks' net rating through three games, and the offense is the bigger problem. An attack built on Brunson and Towns is producing 103.4 per 100 possessions. The defense, at 110.6, is not saving anyone either. The losses came by six, four and nine. This is not one bad night. It is three in a row. It does not tell you who this team is. A year ago the same core finished fifth in the league at plus 6.4. Three games is a warning, not a verdict.
Bridges Has Gone Silent
Mikal Bridges is averaging 3.3 points in 30.0 minutes and is 0.0 from three. He is paid $33.5M. Mike Vaccaro of the New York Post called it an all-too-familiar slump. That production from a starting wing puts a hole in the lineup every night. It does not mean he is finished. Three games of cold shooting can flip in one week. But Mike Brown cannot wait long.
Towns Is Doing His Job
Towns is putting up 21.0 points and 12.0 boards and hitting 45.5 percent from deep. His extension talks have been on hold since October 9, and he keeps producing anyway. Brunson is at 22.7 points but 26.7 percent from three, and he told ESPN the offense falls on his shoulders. He is right to own it. The numbers say the problem is spread wider. OG Anunoby is shooting 28.6 from three. Too many shots are missing.
No Money, No Exit
Payroll is $220.4M, above the first apron, against a $200.4M tax line. The 2027 and 2029 firsts belong to Brooklyn. The front office built this roster and locked in its price, and that leaves almost no trade flexibility. Any fix has to come from inside the locker room. That does not rule out a move. It means any move will cost a lot and be hard to pull off.
The Bottom Line
The hole is shallow for now: one game behind Orlando for 10th, two behind Cleveland for 6th, with 79 games left. Detroit arrives 3-0 without Jalen Duren, and Cade Cunningham is averaging 21.3 points and 8.0 assists. The Bulls are next, on the road, the following night. Bad habits are harder to fix than the standings. Beat Detroit, and the slow start gets easier to explain away.
Why are the Knicks 0-3 to start the season?
The offense is scoring 103.4 per 100 possessions against 110.6 allowed, a net rating of minus 7.2. Cold shooting from Bridges, Brunson and Anunoby is the biggest reason.
Is Jalen Duren playing against the Knicks?
No. Duren is out with a right hamstring injury, and Isaiah Joe and Ausar Thompson are also listed for Detroit.
