The New York Knicks are in a difficult spot. Jalen Brunson and his team are suddenly trailing the Atlanta Hawks after back-to-back losses.
Despite entering the series as the higher seed and the favorites, the Knicks are beginning to slip as their first game on the road in Atlanta ended with a 109-108 loss to the Hawks.
“Early on, they made shots. I think the first quarter, they made shots,” Brunson told reporters after the game, explaining what happened.
“We were in rotation, and guys are making shots, and we came down the floor and started a little cold, maybe in the game, and they looked up there shooting like 50 something from the two and then like 60 from three, or something like that, or vice versa. But yeah, they were making shots. Being down early, them playing with the lead for most of the game. Us cutting it to four a couple of times. Then in the fourth, obviously taking the lead in the last minute. I like the way we fought back, but it’s a lot of things that go throughout the game that myself can be better at. Missed opportunity for sure.”
How Do The Knicks Approach Game 4?
The Knicks were understandably frustrated with the way they went out in Game 3.
Brunson checked in for 40 minutes and accounted for 26 points, missing all of his threes. Mikal Bridges clocked 20 minutes of action and scored zero points. Josh Hart played for 40 minutes and shot 1-9 from the field for two points.
With the loss looming over the Knicks, Jalen Brunson explained the mentality as they look to move on.
“It should start after the game,” Brunson said.
“For me, sometimes I like to move on with this day, go to sleep, and then wake up tomorrow and it’s a brand new day. Look at the positives. Look at something to look forward to. Find a way to bounce back, and that positive energy needs to start as soon as possible, for sure, when you wake up tomorrow.”
What’s Next For The Knicks?
Friday is an opportunity for the Knicks to rest and regroup.
On Saturday night, the Knicks and the Hawks will return to the court for Game 4 in Atlanta. At this stage of the series, the Knicks are running out of room for error.
Game 4 will be a must-win for New York, as a 1-3 deficit going back to New York would drastically drop the odds of moving on.