New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson. Jaime Valdez-Imagn Images

Knicks' Jalen Brunson didn't mince words with teammates during players-only meeting

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports
By Matt Wadleigh | Last updated Jan 20, 2026 9:01 PM ET

The New York Knicks just cannot find a way to get back on track.

On Monday night, the Knicks lost for the ninth time in the last 11 games, putting their record at 25-18 in what has been a frustrating few weeks. After the Knicks’ 114-97 loss to the Dallas Mavericks at Madison Square Garden on Monday, Jalen Brunson decided to hold a players-only meeting.

In the meeting, Brunson said they need to “look in the mirror,” as ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne reported on Tuesday.

“Guys, we gotta stop looking at the coaching staff for answers, we gotta stop looking elsewhere. The answers to what is wrong with us right now are right in this room. We gotta look in the mirror,” Shelburne said.

Are tensions rising for the New York Knicks? @ramonashelburne gives us an inside look on what happened after their loss against the Mavericks pic.twitter.com/1MDEIk0pwG
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) January 20, 2026

Brunson added more while speaking to reporters after the game as well, as Shelburne mentioned.

“As a team we know what we have to do. It’s either we do it, we care enough to do it, or we don’t,” Brunson said.

Knicks teammate Josh Hart also said their effort was “embarrassing” after the loss to the Mavericks.

The Knicks surged to a 23-9 record and an NBA Cup victory in December, but they have fallen off a cliff as of late, prompting plenty of questions about the future of this team with the Feb. 5 trade deadline approaching.

The Knicks face the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday, and a loss to a 12-win team might be an ugly scene at Madison Square Garden.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: