Knicks Lose Back-and-Forth Game to Suns

Jalen Brunson’s poor decision making 

It is no secret that the Knicks' offense runs through their All-Star point guard Jalen Brunson, and for good reason. Currently, Brunson is eighth in the league in scoring, averaging 29.1 ppg. Against the Suns, he scored 27 points and 5 assists, but of those points only two were scored in the fourth quarter, where he would go 1-for-6. Brunson had two of his four turnovers in the final two minutes of the game as well.

Since Brunson is the Knicks' offensive guy, the style of play revolves around him, which tends to be a ball dominant type of style, which can be costly especially in tight games. Knicks big men Mitchell Robinson and Karl Anthony Towns dominated the rebounding battle versus a smaller Suns team. Town had 15 points (5-11 FG) and 12 rebounds. Robinson off the bench had 8 points (4-5) with 14 rebounds. The Knicks didn’t exploit the matchup inside, and that's on Brunson along with the coaching staff.

Suns' third quarter explosion 

At the 6:00 mark in the third quarter, the Suns went on a 14-0 run that made the game 92-80, and the Knicks weren’t able to overcome that. Unlike the Knicks, the Suns have a heavy ball movement style offense reliant on spacing and three-point shooting. A pair of threes from Royce O’Neale and Devin Booker to top off the run was enough to give the Suns some cushion. Booker would finish with a game-high 31 points. 

This was an extremely gritty game where both teams competed on defense. This game came down to offensive execution and shot making. 

The Knicks have lost five of their last six games. Both teams will resume play on Jan. 11. The Knicks will continue their road trip against the Portland Trail Blazers. While, the Suns will continue their home stand versus the visiting Washington Wizards.