The New York Knicks have lost a game.
It feels almost fake, but nonetheless, they just suffered their first defeat since Game Three against the Atlanta Hawks in the first-round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs. While losing just one game in a seven-game series that they already led by two isn't the end of the world, it might mean more than many Knicks fans want to admit. The Hawks know it all too well.
For better or for worse, New York lives and dies by their ability to completely dictate the pace and momentum. It was unlocked against Atlanta, and they hadn't let go of it until Monday night.
Hawks were able to steal two games because Knicks weren't connected
It would be an overreaction to say the Knicks all of a sudden aren't connected anymore after one loss, but all it takes for a team to go back to old habits is for their undefeated formula to suddenly stop being as effective as it's been.
This was the weakest they've looked since suffering back-to-back defeats against the Hawks. There was a sudden momentum shift in the second half of Game Two against the Hawks, and it took them some time to fully recover, before eventually dominating the rest of the series.
The thing is, though, the Spurs are a much better team than the Hawks, and this is the biggest stage in the world. It's a bit different than a first-round series that didn't hold a ton of weight. Even the slightest mistakes, or in-game momentum shifts, could be indicators of who is starting to get the upper-hand on the other.
When doubt starts to creep in, it can be incredibly demoralizing to an otherwise perfect stretch of games. They found a system that worked mid-series against Atlanta, and now that they're beginning to revert to some poor habits, it could be too late to fully return to what worked.
They must make a key adjustment before it's too late
What helped them against Atlanta, and up until now, was their ability to not get too reliant on their biggest star due to contributions from the bulk of the roster. Iso-ball won't work against this resilient Spurs squad, but it's what they depended on for much of the second half of Game Three.
It didn't come out of nowhere, either. It almost caused them to blow their big lead in Game Two, but a crucial mistake from Victor Wembanyama saved their streak. Now that the streak, and much of the momentum, is gone, they need to embrace exactly what helped them ascend in the first place.
Atlanta contained Jalen Brunson for the most part, and San Antonio is doing it too. Uncoincidentally, these have been the two toughest challenges for them as they pursue their first title in 53 years.
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