For a few weeks, it felt like the New York Knicks were headed for another familiar spiral. After a strong start and an NBA Cup win that raised expectations, January exposed their flaws quickly. Blown leads, a rough skid, and a home loss to Dallas had the city ready to pounce on the Mecca that was just in the Conference Finals a season ago. Thankfully, over the last two games, they have shown signs of recovery.
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The Knicks reminded everyone how quickly things can swing. The 54-point demolition of Brooklyn did not move the needle much, but it clearly flipped a switch internally. And today, against a surging Sixers team that had owned the recent matchup, the Knicks finally answered back, squeezing out a 112-109 win that was less about style and more about stability. It was not a statement game. It was something better.
It was proof they were still in the fight. And it would not be a Knicks win without a vintage Jalen Brunson performance. Mr. Clutch dropped 31 points and was instrumental in New York’s offense, despite missing two important free throws that would have ended the game one possession sooner. Regardless, a win is a win. Brunson acknowledged New York’s skid during his post-game interview with the press, but he also expressed that this is a team that will continue to climb.
“It’s good. It’s good for us to continue to work and just try to be better. Honestly, we had a slump. We had to work our way through it. It happened. And now we just got to keep on climbing,” said Brunson post game.
There’s a reason Brunson is regarded as the face of the franchise. He continues to deliver, not just on the court, but by how the team is perceived off of it.
“We had a slump…it happened…Now we just gotta keep on climbing”
–– Jalen Brunson (31-5-6, 6 threes) on Knicks 2-0 after 2-9 pic.twitter.com/f4r2bIZSYz
— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) January 25, 2026
Brunson knows that the New York media is ruthless and the fans are rabid. They let the team know their disappointment in them, especially after getting outclassed at home against Dallas. Back-to-back wins will ease the tide for now, but Brunson knows how quickly the pendulum can swing back the other direction.
What really needs to be addressed is whatever is happening with Karl-Anthony Towns. KAT has had every opportunity to take games over, yet he fouled out fairly early in the Philly game and New York looked considerably better without him. OG finally looked like a threat, Shamet hit his shots, and Mitchell Robinson even put the rock in the hole.
This stretch feels less like a turning point and more like a crossroads. The Knicks do not need to be perfect right now, but they do need to figure out who they actually are when games get tight, and who they can trust when it matters.
Brunson’s leadership is steady enough to keep them afloat, but questions around roles, especially with KAT, are not going away just because the win column looks better for a couple of nights. If New York wants this season to mean something, the answers have to come soon, because in this city, patience always runs out faster than the schedule.
