NEW YORK — So, who’s to blame for the fourth-quarter collapse of New York Knicks?
The Atlanta Hawks rallied from a 12-point deficit to start the period and stunned New York, 107-106, evening the first-round playoff series at one game apiece Monday, April 20. It tied for the worst blown fourth-quarter lead in Knicks playoff history. The other game was the infamous Reggie Miller "choke" game in the 1994 Eastern Conference Finals.
Is it Mikal Bridges, whose attempted game-winning jumper bounced off front rim?
Is it OG Anunoby, who, with a chance at the line to take a one-point lead with 1:54 to play, missed both free throws?
Is it Karl-Anthony Towns, who didn’t record a single point, rebound, assist, steal or block in nearly eight fourth-quarter minutes?
Is it Jalen Brunson, who got cooked on defense down the stretch (twice) by CJ McCollum and whose shot selection in the fourth felt forced, if not potentially self-serving?
Or is it coach Mike Brown, who oversaw it all?
The reality, frankly, is that it’s some combination of all of the above. Losses like these are rarely the fault of a single person, but of an overall breakdown that’s gradual, at first, before it becomes sudden.
"In that fourth quarter, too, you could tell that they were playing with a level of desperation," Brown told reporters after the game. "There were four 50-50 balls, and they got three of the four. We always use that stat to gauge the level of aggression. And in the fourth quarter, their aggression stepped up."
But – fairly or unfairly – the blame for losses like this almost always fall on the head coach. In this case, there’s plenty to back it up.
The Knicks were outscored 28-15 in the fourth, at one point allowing an 11-0 run that finally ended with 1:21 left in the game. New York shot just 22.7% in the period and converted just five field goals, compared with Atlanta’s figures in the period: 72.2% and 13, respectively.
The curious thing about the fourth was that Brown seemingly didn’t reward Towns for a big third quarter.
In the third, Towns dropped 14 points on 6-of-7 shooting and was active on the offensive glass, getting easier second-chance points. He relied on his range to hit two massive trail 3s. Yet, in the fourth, Towns was not a principal part of New York’s offensive sets or actions, and he recorded just two shot attempts.
The offense, instead, ran through Brunson, which, on one hand, makes sense. Brunson is the team’s best offensive player and elite closer. But the Hawks threw double-teams and traps at Brunson in the quarter, making his touches and shots far more contested.
New York could’ve adjusted to use Brunson almost as a decoy in pick-and-rolls, creating open space and looks for other players, especially Towns.
Granted, Towns also could’ve remained active on the glass to earn some of those offensive touches, but it’s difficult for a player to assert himself when he’s not a key piece in an action.
Another curious thing was that Brown, at one stretch (from 1:50 left in the third, through 7:56 left in the fourth) had both Brunson and Towns getting breathers on the bench. Teams often stagger their rotations so at least one of their primary scorers is on the floor at all times.
In that span, the Knicks lead went from 12 to nine, but it signaled a change in the game for Atlanta, which built momentum from that point.
"I don’t think (the game got away)," Brown said. "We’ve played that lineup quite a bit since the end of the season, and that lineup has been pretty good. We weren’t good tonight, and we turned the ball over a few too many times during that period.
"But we had opportunities where our starters were in and we were up eight to 10, and Atlanta closed it. So I wouldn’t say that specific lineup caused it."
He’s not wrong, but it’s the job of the coach to understand that a team’s drive or focus or determination has been compromised, especially late in games. It’s also the coach’s job to motivate and guide his team to correct that.
The Knicks became far too passive. They didn’t match Atlanta’s pace and intention, and Brown’s tactics seemingly never addressed that.
So, now, the Knicks may have just given a young team a ton of confidence.
"This is a game we should’ve won," forward Josh Hart told reporters after the game, "and in the playoffs you can’t give away games."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Knicks collapse against Hawks in fourth quarter. Who's to blame?
