Mar 9, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; New York Knicks guard Mikal Bridges (25) moves the ball up court against the Los Angeles Clippers during the first half at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Knicks Starters Are Team's Biggest Enemy Right Now

Originally posted on New York Knicks on SI
By Jayesh Pagar | Last updated Mar 11, 2026 10:00 AM ET

The New York Knicks have a serious problem, and it is not coming from the opposing team; it is coming from their own starting five. Over the last four games, when the Knicks have lost, their starters have been flat-out awful in the first quarter, handing opponents comfortable leads before the bench even checks in. This trend is becoming too consistent to ignore, and it is costing New York wins.

The ‍numbers from the first quarter are concrete proof. Against the Cleveland starters, they posted a terrible collective plus/minus in Q1, with OG Anunoby failing to score on 0-1 shooting and Mikal Bridges scoring only 6 points.

Against OKC, it got worse, Brunson scored only 2 points on 1-5 shooting, KAT matched that with two points of his own, and Hart was 0-for-4 from the field. The Lakers game was probably the most concerning; Bridges was completely invisible, scoring 0 points.

The bold truth? The Knicks' starters are not just struggling; they are actively gifting opponents a head start every single night. Across these four losses, the starting unit's combined first-quarter plus/minus was deep in the red, meaning opponents were pulling ahead before halftime even arrived.

Coach Mike Brown has already reduced starter minutes this season, with Josh Hart seeing the biggest drop, but the issue now is not minutes; it is impact. When your five highest-paid players can barely put up 15 combined points in a quarter, the bench gets forced into emergency mode rather than complementary mode.

How the Knicks Fix This Going Forward

New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌ solution begins with Brunson turning up the heat after the tip-off; no more passive first quarters. Bridges has to stop settling and try going for the basket early. KAT must establish a post position immediately rather than drifting to the perimeter. The starters should lead the way, not lag behind.

Luckily, this week's schedule provides a great opportunity to get back on track. The Knicks will play Indiana twice, first on March 13 at Indiana and then on March 17 in Madison Square Garden, plus a home game versus Golden State on March 15.

These are games New York can win if its starters play with urgency from the opening tip-off.

The next game against the Utah Jazz presents the perfect opportunity for the Knicks' starters to prove this is a fixable problem.

This article first appeared on New York Knicks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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