The New York Knicks have slid in recent NBA power rankings after undergoing struggles last week.
Knicks fall two spots in CBS Sports’ NBA power rankings
CBS Sports’ Colin Ward-Henninger dropped the Knicks from No. 5 to No. 7 overall in his latest installment on Thursday.
The Knicks (43-26) have gone 3-3 without All-Star Jalen Brunson active in the lineup due to an ankle injury. They’ve suffered unexpected losses to the San Antonio Spurs as well as the Charlotte Hornets in their last two contests.
Knicks are searching for answers amid tough stretch
For much of the season, Knicks players have spoken about not reaching their ceiling yet. They’ve also preached defensive continuity as the playoffs near.
Yet, New York has not been triumphant against elite teams in the league, as seen again in their 97-94 loss to the Golden State Warriors on March 15. They’ve now dropped winnable games against struggling, shorthanded teams also. Brunson’s 26.3 points and 7.4 assists per game have not been easy to make up for.
Consequently, the Knicks have skidded to No. 21 in the league in offensive rating (112.6). Additionally, their bench has failed to raise their league-worst scoring average of 21.4 PPG.
Thus, New York will look to right the ship over the next few days as the month of March comes to a close. They’re expected to get Brunson back at the end of the month, or at the top of April.