Knicks Six-Game Win Streak Hides Real Concerns

The New York Knicks traveled to Salt Lake City to face a Jazz team sitting at 21-50. It should have been comfortable from the jump. It wasn't. The Knicks were outscored 41-26 in the first quarter, looking completely flat on both ends.

The second half told a different story. The bench stepped up massively, finishing with 51 points on the night, and OG Anunoby put together a 22-point, 70% shooting performance. The Knicks outscored Utah 40-29 in the third quarter and pulled away.

The win was convincing by the end. The first quarter was not. For a team with playoff ambitions, giving up 41 points in the opening quarter to a 21-win team is not something you can brush off.

Knicks vs. Indiana Pacers: No Stars, Still a Fight

The Indiana Pacers came in at 15-56, the worst record in the Eastern Conference, without Pascal Siakam and Tyrese Haliburton. This was supposed to be straightforward. New York jumped out to a 15-point lead and looked in control, and then Indiana put together a 9-0 run in the third quarter and made it a real game.

Jalen Brunson finished with 29 points and nine assists, which sounds great until you see the 44% shooting and the moments where the Pacers were genuinely threatening to come back. Mitchell Robinson was a monster with 22 rebounds, which helped save this one.

The Knicks closed it out 101-92, but a team with no stars and the worst record in the East had them uncomfortable for stretches.

Knicks vs. Golden State Warriors: G-League Roster Almost Won

Steph Curry, Draymond Green, Jimmy Butler, Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford, Moses Moody and more were all out for Golden State that night. The Warriors had nine players on their injury report and were starting two-way players and 10-day contract signees. They even signed a center off the street just to have a player available.

The Knicks were still down 35-21 after the first quarter. Golden State's biggest lead was 21 points. It took a massive third-quarter push, outscoring the Warriors 38-26, to get back in it. Brunson delivered 30 points and carried the offense through the comeback. New York held on, 110-107.

Three points. Against a team that was missing basically every real rotation player they have.

Knicks vs. Indiana Pacers: Slow First Half, Then They Pulled Away

Same opponent, same story in the first half. Indiana came back to Madison Square Garden still without Siakam and Haliburton, and the Knicks still couldn't put them away early. The Pacers trailed just 72-64 at halftime, keeping it a single-digit game for two full quarters.

New York eventually took control in the third and fourth quarters, winning 136-110. Josh Hart was exceptional with 33 points on 12-of-13 shooting, and Anunoby added 26 on 77% from the field. The final margin looked comfortable. The first half did not.

That's the pattern with this team right now. They have the talent to pull away, but they keep making bottom-tier opponents feel competitive longer than they should.

Knicks vs. Brooklyn Nets: The Most Uncomfortable Win of the Stretch

The Brooklyn Nets are a rebuilding team with a 17-54 record. They had no business being in this game. And yet, at one point in the fourth quarter, they led by 13 at Madison Square Garden and looked like they might actually pull it off.

The Knicks shot 40.8% from the field and turned the ball over 22 times. Brunson was off all night, finishing with just 17 points on 36.8% shooting. The offense had no flow, no rhythm, and no answers for stretches. Brooklyn's bench was simply playing harder than New York's starters.

Karl-Anthony Towns was the only reason this one didn't end in complete embarrassment. He finished with 26 points and 15 rebounds and basically willed the Knicks over the line. The final score was 93-92. One point, at home, against a team that is actively trying to lose games for draft picks.

Knicks vs. Washington Wizards: What This Team Should Look Like

The Washington Wizards are 16-55. This one was never close. New York put up 145 points, shot 58.5% from the field, and led by as many as 33. The bench dropped 57 points. Everyone contributed, nothing was forced, and the Knicks looked like a genuine contender for 48 minutes.

This is the version of the team Knicks fans want to see every night. The problem is it took the league's second-worst team to bring it out of them. Four of the five previous games should have looked closer to this, and they didn't.

The next three games, against the New Orleans Pelicans, Charlotte Hornets, and Oklahoma City Thunder, will give a clearer picture. The Pelicans and Hornets are beatable, but they are a step up from what New York just faced. OKC is a different conversation entirely. That game will be the real referendum on where this team actually stands heading into the playoffs.