CHICAGO — On paper, the Knicks are the higher group.
They’ve two perennial All-Stars to the Bulls’ none, a pair of three-and-D wings who’d match on any roster, a monster defensive anchor, the league’s best bench scorer over the previous 5 seasons, and not less than three others who might begin or shut video games for playoff contenders.
In the event you simulated it in NBA 2K26, New York would in all probability win 90 instances out of 100.
However basketball isn’t performed on paper, and video video games don’t rely within the standings.
The Knicks needed to win it on the hardwood, in actual time, towards a red-hot Chicago group that entered Friday undefeated at 4–0.
They didn’t.
At full energy for the primary time because the preseason opener, the Knicks fell flat in a 135–125 loss on Halloween — their third straight defeat to shut an early street journey that’s gone from disappointing to alarming.
First got here the stumble in Miami. Then the collapse in Milwaukee. And now, a blowout in Chicago towards a group New York ought to outclass in each measurable class.
This, nevertheless, is the truth of life below Mike Brown: a brand new period that was at all times going to start out bumpy. His full overhaul of each the offense and protection — coupled with accidents to key gamers — assured rising pains. However few anticipated them to look fairly this tough.
It doesn’t get a lot uglier than what unfolded on the United Heart. The Knicks surrendered 35 factors within the first quarter and 37 within the second, with solely a Mikal Bridges buzzer-beating three saving them from trailing by 20-plus at halftime.
They couldn’t cease a soul, their defensive effort no sturdier than the brand new subway turnstiles again residence: nonetheless simple to get by means of.
“I fear extra about us than about our opponents, and I feel when you grow to be elite at what you do and also you imagine in what you do, you are able to do it on the highest degree,” Brown preached earlier than tipoff. “So for us, it’s extra about us. We will fight anybody’s transition if we maintain the ball and execute our guidelines the appropriate means irrespective of if we’re taking part in quick or sluggish. We need to attempt to play quick. We’re not taking part in as quick as I need to proper now, however I don’t wanna regulate each time I see an opponent to them. We need to make individuals regulate to us.”
As a substitute, the Knicks adjusted to everybody however themselves.
They turned the ball over early and sometimes. They misplaced Bulls heart Nikola Vucevic past the arc — he hit 4 threes on eight makes an attempt — and so they had no reply for level guard Josh Giddey, who carved them up for a career-high 32 factors, 10 rebounds, and eight assists. Chicago’s bench poured in 50 factors to New York’s 21, led by Ayo Dosunmu’s 22 on 8-of-10 taking pictures.
And as soon as once more, the Knicks’ offense defaulted to its outdated habits — a heavy dose of Brunson Ball with a aspect of everybody else determine it out.
Jalen Brunson completed with 29 factors on 12-of-25 taking pictures. OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, and Karl-Anthony Cities every added 20-plus. But the Knicks nonetheless managed to lose whereas scoring 125 factors — a quantity that ought to’ve been sufficient to win comfortably.
Mitchell Robinson’s return to the beginning lineup offered no defensive salvation. The Bulls had their means within the paint, on the glass, and from past the arc.
There’s one silver lining: the Knicks don’t go away residence once more for 2 weeks. Their subsequent seven video games are at Madison Sq. Backyard, beginning with a rematch towards the identical Bulls who simply ran them off the ground.
However the spooky fact of Halloween night time? New York’s points go far deeper than journey fatigue or home-court consolation.
This group has work to do — and 5 video games in, they’re already operating out of excuses.
