LOS ANGELES — Life with out Jalen Brunson was predictably troublesome.
Particularly in crunch time.
With Captain Clutch inactive due to a sprained ankle, the Knicks scored simply 10 factors within the remaining seven minutes and had been overwhelmed down the stretch in a 105-95 Friday night time loss to the Clippers.
The offense stagnated and produced its lowest level whole since Jan. 6, capped by an unsightly fourth quarter.
“It will be an adjustment,” Josh Hart stated. “This was on a back-to-back with no follow, not a lot time or movie or strolling by and all that. So it’s going to take a bit of little bit of an adjustment to the offense, particularly within the fourth quarter. The fourth quarter is a special animal.
“So it’s going to take a minute. But that’s what happens when your main guy goes down. But I’m happy with how we competed today. Now we just got to find different ways to get the offense clicking.”
The Knicks (40-23), who shot simply 39 p.c general and 27 p.c on treys, fell to 0-2 to start out their five-game street journey within the Western Convention, with video games upcoming at Sacramento, Portland and Golden State.
Their present three-game shedding streak is tied for the longest this season.
Brunson is out not less than two weeks, however doubtless longer, due to the harm suffered in Thursday’s loss to the Lakers.
He remained with the Knicks in L.A., however wasn’t on the bench on the Intuit Dome.
They clearly wanted the purpose guard in uniform.
Virtually all his teammates struggled Friday. Miles McBride, who changed Brunson within the beginning lineup, managed simply seven factors on 2-of-13 capturing.
Karl-Anthony Cities missed 13-of-22 shot makes an attempt. Josh Hart and OG Anunoby mixed to shoot 10-for-28.
Mikal Bridges dedicated a team-high 4 turnovers.
“We have to adapt quickly,” Tom Thibodeau stated. “We have more than enough and we have to find a way to get it done.”
For the Clippers (34-29), James Harden and Kawhi Leonard had been inefficient however mixed for 47 factors, and that was sufficient to beat a group with out Brunson.
The Knicks, taking part in on the second night time of a back-to-back after Thursday’s time beyond regulation affair towards the Lakers, got here out sluggish.
They fell right into a 9-0 gap from tipoff, failing to attain for the opening 3 ½ minutes.
However they rapidly recovered and held a nine-point lead within the second quarter.
Their fourth quarter began with a one-point deficit.
Then they fell aside.
The Knicks had been taking part in with out Mitchell Robinson, who rested for the second of the back-to-back video games to keep up his well being after lacking 10 months.
Valuable Achiuwa returned from his one-game absence due to hamstring soreness, dropping 9 factors and 5 rebounds in 16 minutes.
It was simply Brunson’s second missed sport this season and first since Jan. 1.
The Knicks went 1-4 with out him final season.
Earlier than the sport, Thibodeau pleaded for effort with out their captain.
“Everyone has to step up,” he stated. “The thing is, you’re not replacing Jalen individually. You’re doing that collectively. So how? Everyone’s capable of playing great defense. Everyone’s capable of rebounding the ball well. Everyone’s capable of taking care of the ball. So if you defend, you rebound and you keep your turnovers down, you’re going to be in position to win. And then you have to make things happen at the end of the game. That’s what we’re striving for. The margin of error is smaller.”
Too small, because it turned out, towards the Clippers.
