The Knicks are off to a better start through 13 games this year compared to their surprising season last year, sitting at 7-6. However, the major difference this year is that there are actual expectations of making the playoffs. The Knicks have dropped very winnable games this year to teams that they should definitely be beating. Behind these losses are some underperforming players that need to figure things out.

1. Immanuel Quickley

Immanuel Quickley played a fair role in the reemergence of the Knicks last season, mostly due to his great shooting and ability to defend the perimeter. So far this season, he’s been less than average at both those aspects.

Quickley is shooting an abysmal 32.7% from behind the arc this season, compared to 39% last season. I’m willing to give a bit of a pass for him on this because he is not the only one struggling with the new ball. Also, he has put muscle on his arms, which sometimes needs time to adjust. However, another thing affecting his shooting that no one likes to talk about, is the new foul rules. Quickley was an underrated foul baiter as a rookie, and he still sometimes tries to bait defenses into those wacky fouls.

When it comes to his defense, he has definitely improved over the past week, with his defense leading the Knicks back into games against the Bucks and Hornets. But in total, he has been horrendous guarding the ball. Without any real advanced stats to show, it is clear from the eye test that he has struggled greatly to keep his man in front of him. Without being able to score or defend, he has been quite disappointing to watch, especially after being a great addition to the rotation last year.

2. Mitchell Robinson

Man, Mitch has taken a MASSIVE step back on defense this year, which is his main reason for staying on the floor against the Knicks. With his first 2 years in the NBA, his only problem on defense was his fouling. During the 2020-21 season, prior to injury, he had started to decrease his fouls and was looking like a top 10 rim protector in the entire league.

Since coming back from injury, it seems he is only looking for blocks, and not trying to play actual defense, leading to him being in foul trouble again. The amount of times that Robinson has been caught not looking at the ball on defense this season is through the roof. This has resulted in a lot of easy baskets around the rim for teams running screens and cuts, as Mitch seems glued to his man instead of watching the ball.

3. Julius Randle

Saving the best for last, Julius Randle.

The 2021 NBA Most Improved Player Award winner has been looking like Beyblade as of recent, instead of King Don Julio. His per game stats of 21, 10, and 5 do not tell his story at all. When he has the ball, it seems that the offense stops, much like when the Knicks had to rely on Carmelo Anthony so much in the early to mid 2010’s. The difference here is that Julius Randle has plenty of options and other guys who can move the ball. Do not let the 5 assists per game fool you. He has been spinning into the lane only looking out for himself. He has been taking very difficult shots as well, only shooting 41% from the field this year.

Julius Randle’s defense last year was beautiful to watch. He could switch onto guards in the pick-and-roll, close out without fouling, and get blocks at the rim like he was a 7-footer. This year, he has been a liability guarding the PnR. He also cannot keep anyone in front of him, instead sending his matchup into the big man at the rim, AKA Mitchell Robinson, who then fouls his matchup.

The Knicks have a chance to improve on their performances tonight at 7:30pm EST against the Pacers, who exploited their terrible defense last time.