On Thursday night, the New York Knicks got blasted by the Washington Wizards, who have arguably been the NBA’s worst team, relative to summer expectations, this season.
Then, afterward, they were blasted by one of their own: Brandon Jennings.
From the New York Post‘s Marc Berman:
“We haven’t been locking in well on the road,” Jennings said after the Knicks failed to hit the .500 mark and dropped to 5-7. “That’s our big problem. If we want to be the team we think we are, we’re going to have to lock in better on the road. We got to play 10 times harder. Teams play better when they’re at home because they’re feeling good.
“We’re the Knicks. You have to know what’s across your chest. There’s a bigger bull’s-eye on it. Everybody wants to beat us. It’s a known national team. These are games we have to win. We should be disappointed. We can’t just put together two quarters or try to come back in the fourth.”
…
“When coaches are doing the game plan, we got to listen,’’ Jennings added. “When the coach is writing the play, everybody’s got to pay attention. There’s a lot at stake for us.’’
The Knicks having a target on their backs is overblown. Unless opposing squads take exception to Derrick Rose thinking a non-playoff team is a superteam, there really isn’t a special incentive to try your darnedest against the ‘Bockers.
But we’re going to let Jennings preach anyway, right or wrong. He wrapped Thursday’s loss—which wasn’t as close as the 119-112 score suggests—with 17 points and 10 assists. He is never going to be the most efficient scorer or a quality defender, but he plays his ass off and doesn’t quit on nearly as many plays as some of his teammates (cough, Derrick Rose and Carmelo Anthony, cough).
Plus, Jennings is mostly right. The Knicks are 1-5 on the road, with one of the five worst net ratings in hostile territory, according to NBA.com. Their league-worst defense gets worse away from Madison Square Garden, and the offense isn’t nearly potent enough to prop it up.
And if, as Jennings alludes to, the Knicks aren’t totally engaged in huddles, be it on the road or at home, well then that’s a problem—a big one.
Is this loss to the Wizards, along with Jennings’ pointed words, enough to act as a wake-up call? We’ll find out.
