The New York Knicks have had a strong season so far, but the past two games were disappointing. They lost to the San Antonio Spurs on New Year's Eve, which was an understandable loss due to the close result.
Considering the Knicks are the second seed in the Eastern Conference, they were the favorites to win the game against the Atlanta Hawks on Friday. Unfortunately, the Knicks did not win the game, which led to boos at Madison Square Garden.
The Knicks' coach admits they failed against the Hawks
The Knicks had a rare bad performance against the Hawks. New York's players and coaches would admit that it was a bad game, considering they did not even breach 100 points. The Hawks dominated the game after the first half, as the Knicks could not bounce back from a terrible second quarter, when they only scored 17 points.
The Hawks made sure to keep riding the wave of momentum, as they had a superb third quarter as well. In the fourth quarter, the Knicks tried to mount a comeback, but they were way too deep in the hole after the first 36 minutes.
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Over the past few months, the Knicks have been superb, as they have held on the number two seed in the Eastern Conference behind the Detroit Pistons. Before the season started, the Knicks were one of the favorites to win the East, and they are in a good position as the second seed.
Unfortunately, some fans are unhappy because of the two latest results. Losing to the Hawks is not a good result, considering they are in a free fall. They are embroiled in constant trade rumors for Trae Young, so losing to them is not a good look for head coach Mike Brown and his Knicks.
"It's just how we played. I was booing myself, inside I was like, 'Boo Mike, you stink,' so they have a right to boo me. Everybody else, especially if we are playing the way we are playing, starting with how we guard the ball, and not getting back in transition. It's tough to stomach because you're not giving yourself a chance," Brown said after the loss to Atlanta.
It is a good reaction to a loss because Brown is taking full accountability for the loss. This is a defeat that can be hard to stomach, but it appears that Brown is aware of the team's mistakes, and he will be working hard to resolve them.
This is a good approach to a defeat because Brown wants his team to do better. Not only is he asking a lot from his players, but he is also demanding a lot from himself. He wants to be the best version of himself, and addressing valid criticism is the way to go.
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