The New York Knicks opened their title defense with a 106-100 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday night, but the biggest concern was not necessarily their lack of depth. It was how much the team relied on its bench to get going while its starters struggled to find a rhythm.
After going 1-4 during the preseason, the Knicks entered opening night with questions about whether their reserves could provide enough production behind the starting lineup. Early on, those concerns appeared to be overblown. Andre Drummond, Jordan Clarkson, Landry Shamet and Jose Alvarado gave New York a much-needed spark, helping the team build a double-digit lead.
The problem was that the energy did not last, and the starters struggled to make up for it when the game was on the line.
Drummond and the Bench Bring the Energy
The Knicks got off to a sluggish start, shooting poorly and struggling to establish an offensive rhythm. Karl-Anthony Towns also picked up two quick fouls in the first quarter, forcing head coach Mike Brown to turn to his bench earlier than expected.
Drummond answered the call.
Making his Knicks debut against his former team, the veteran center immediately made his presence felt on both ends of the floor. He scored around the basket, controlled the glass and gave New York an interior presence while Towns sat with foul trouble.
Drummond finished the first half with 10 points and 12 rebounds, recording a double-double before the break. He ended the night with 12 points, 14 rebounds, four assists, two blocks and a steal.
The rest of the bench helped build on that momentum. New York opened the second quarter with an 11-2 run, pushing its lead to 10 points. Shamet and Alvarado provided outside shooting, while Clarkson added another scoring option.
The reserves supplied the energy that had been missing from the opening minutes accounting for 25 of the Knicks’ 58 points and a four-point lead heading into the half. For a team whose preseason record raised questions about its supporting cast, the first half was an encouraging response.
The Starters Struggled to Find Their Rhythm
While the bench helped the Knicks build their lead, the starting lineup never consistently found its footing.
Towns’ early foul trouble disrupted his night, forcing Brown to adjust his rotation before the game had settled in. Although Towns recovered late and finished with 19 points and 12 rebounds, the Knicks needed more from their starters throughout the game, not just in the fourth quarter.
Mikal Bridges was especially quiet, finishing with just four points in 33 minutes. OG Anunoby also had a difficult shooting night, making only three of his 12 field-goal attempts and going 1-of-9 from 3-point range. His struggles limited another important scoring option for New York.
The Knicks could afford some of those struggles while Drummond and the other reserves were providing a lift. But as Philadelphia found its rhythm, New York’s starters did not do enough to keep the team in control.
Brunson’s Late Misses Seal the Loss
The Knicks’ problems became even more noticeable down the stretch.
After Philadelphia took control with an 11-0 run to close the third quarter, New York spent much of the fourth trying to fight its way back. Towns helped lead that push, knocking down timely three-pointers to keep the Knicks within reach.
But when New York needed its best player to deliver, Jalen Brunson could not find the shot.
Brunson finished with 21 points but shot just 6-for-19 from the field. He struggled to convert in the final minutes, missing a potential go-ahead jumper before airballing a three-pointer with 10 seconds remaining. The miss effectively ended New York’s comeback hopes.
Brunson has earned the trust to take those shots after his performances during the Knicks’ championship run. However, his late-game struggles highlighted a larger problem: New York was relying on difficult individual shots instead of consistently executing as a team.
Anunoby also committed a costly turnover late in the game that led to a Tyrese Maxey fast-break dunk, making the Knicks’ comeback even more difficult.
The bench had helped create the opportunity to win, but the starters could not finish the job.
The Bench Is Encouraging, but Consistency Is Key
The Knicks’ opening-night loss does not mean their preseason concerns about depth were completely unfounded. After making an early impact, the bench became less productive in the second half, scoring only nine additional points after halftime.
Still, the first-half performance offered a reason for optimism. Drummond showed he can provide valuable minutes when Towns is unavailable, while Clarkson, Shamet and Alvarado demonstrated that the reserves can contribute offensively.
The bigger takeaway is that the Knicks need their starters and bench to complement each other. The reserves cannot be expected to carry the team every night, especially when the starting lineup struggles to shoot efficiently and close out games.
New York has plenty of time to clean up those issues over an 82-game season. But on a night meant to celebrate a championship, the Knicks learned that their depth may not be their biggest problem. They need their starting five to play with the same energy and consistency that their bench brought in the first half.
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