New York Knicks Struggling Against Postseason-Caliber Opponents

The New York Knicks are beating up on lesser teams, but to take the next step towards contending, they must defeat equal competition.

The New York Knicks have completed 30 games of the 2016-17 NBA regular season with an above .500 record. For as encouraging as the 16-14 record may be, New York isn’t allowing itself to become complacent.

Following the Knicks’ 119-114 loss to the Boston Celtics on Christmas Day, the players are taking accountability for their inability to win big games.

New York has played well enough in 2016-17 to be a postseason-caliber team. It’s two games above .500 after 30 games and is in control of its own destiny as it pertains to competing for a berth in the playoffs.

According to Marc Berman of The New York Post, starting shooting guard Courtney Lee knows how important it will be to beat postseason-caliber competition.

“That’s the jump we got to make,’’ shooting guard Courtney Lee said. “Just learn from it and put it all together so when we play those losing teams we’re supposed to take of, we do that, but then the plus-.500 teams we got to start taking care of that, too.”

It’s certainly progress to beat the teams you’re supposed to beat, but winning against equal competition will be the key long-term.

New York is currently 11-5 at home and 5-9 on the road, although it’s improved in the latter regard as the season has progressed. Since opening the season at 1-5 away from Madison Square Garden, the Knicks are 4-4 during road games.

That turnaround implies that New York is steadily improving in a way that could trickle into other areas of focus.

Most notably: the Knicks need to get up and win big games against high-quality opponents.

New York has played 11 opponents that are on pace to make the playoffs in 2016-17. Those teams are Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte, Cleveland, Golden State, Houston, Indiana, Memphis, Oklahoma City, Toronto, and Utah.

New York is 3-10 during the 13 games it played against said opponents, with the lone wins coming against Atlanta, Indiana without Monta Ellis, and Memphis without Tony Allen—and with Mike Conley on a minutes restriction.

Simply put: the Knicks need to win more games against postseason-caliber opponents.

Fortunately, Lee and the Knicks aren’t losing faith in the team’s potential or ability.