Mikal Bridges was once more held out of the fourth quarter during the New York Knicks’ 126-111 loss to the Detroit Pistons on Thursday night at Madison Square Garden, as the team sought to find scoring options late in the game. Coach Mike Brown chose to keep Landry Shamet on the floor, relying on him for offensive contributions when the score tightened in the final 9½ minutes.
Shamet received the coach’s confidence after hitting a couple of shots, prompting Brown to explain the decision:
“Landry had hit a couple shots. We needed to score,”
Brown said.
“They’re both really good defenders. And so I just stayed with Landry. But it wasn’t anything where, ‘Oh, I’m going to sit Mikal because he’s not doing this, or he’s not doing that.’ We were looking to score points and Landry was the only one to make a shot from behind the arc.”
Shamet finished the contest with 15 points in 28 minutes, while Bridges, who signed a $150 million extension after being acquired for five first-round picks, managed only eight points in 25 minutes and was 0-for-3 on three-point attempts. This marks another instance in which Bridges was benched in favor of Shamet during critical fourth-quarter stretches, following similar decisions during recent wins against the Philadelphia 76ers and Los Angeles Lakers.
Concerns Grow Over NBA Tanking Amid Knicks’ Performance
The dialogue around tanking in the NBA has intensified this season, with Commissioner Adam Silver acknowledging during the All-Star break that it has been
worse this year than we’ve seen in recent memory
and pledging to explore all possible measures to address the problem. Brown weighed in ahead of the Knicks’ game against the Pistons, offering potential solutions to combat late-season intentional losing.
“Definitely trying to make somebody fight for it at the end of the season,”
Brown remarked.
“Whether you have a small tournament before the playoffs start or something like that to where it’s not just guaranteed that the team with the worst record gets the best odds. That may change it a little bit.”
Though the Knicks are not typically associated with tanking, Brown admitted the issue has escalated across the league. He nonetheless showed confidence in Silver’s ability to find answers, stating,
“Adam’s a smart guy and he’s figured out a lot of really good things for this league, so I have a ton of faith in him that he will figure it out.”
OG Anunoby Returns to Knicks Lineup After Injury
OG Anunoby made his return to the Knicks on Thursday after missing the previous four games before the All-Star break due to a painful right toenail avulsion. Anunoby described the severity of his injury, explaining that the full toenail had to be removed, leaving an open and raw wound:
“It’s an open wound, like it’s just flesh and raw, bloody.”
Despite this, he contributed eight points in 32 minutes in the game against Detroit.
Anunoby is generally assigned defensive duties against Pistons’ star Cade Cunningham, who impressed with his performance throughout the game. Without Anunoby’s defensive presence in previous matches, the Knicks suffered a heavy 118-80 loss to Detroit, highlighting his importance to the team’s defensive scheme.
Frustrations Surface Over Knicks Ownership Amid Team Struggles
Off the court, tensions bubbled regarding the Knicks’ ownership. Madison Square Garden Sports revealed plans to potentially separate the Knicks and Rangers into distinct publicly traded companies. This move stirred reactions on social media, particularly from agent Rich Kleiman, co-founder of Boardroom alongside Kevin Durant. Boardroom posted that fans might soon be able to own shares of the Knicks and Rangers, to which Kleiman responded sharply:
“No thanks unless the owner was gone.”
Kleiman represents Kevin Durant, who famously declined a chance with the Knicks by signing with the Brooklyn Nets in free agency back in 2019, an ongoing sore point for the organization’s fanbase and management. Meanwhile, Knicks owner James Dolan has become a frequent target of criticism amid the franchise’s on-court struggles and perceived management issues.
Knicks Face Continued Challenges as Season Progresses
The Knicks’ recent defeat to Detroit highlights ongoing hurdles the team must overcome, especially as critical bench players like Bridges struggle for consistency and the roster deals with injuries. Coach Brown’s rotating lineup decisions have sparked debate, particularly with Bridges’ diminished minutes during crucial stretches.
Given the heated conversations about tanking and ownership frustrations, the Knicks franchise is at a crossroads. How the team navigates these challenges—both in player development and organizational decisions—will shape its trajectory as the NBA season advances toward the playoffs.
