The New York Knicks have barely begun their title defense, yet the panic has already started. Two games into the new NBA season, the defending champions are winless, questions are being asked about Jalen Brunson, and rival fans are wasting no time reminding everyone that even champions can look vulnerable.
Friday night’s 107-103 defeat to the Boston Celtics made matters worse. The Knicks fought back late, had opportunities to change the outcome, and ultimately watched Jayson Tatum deliver the decisive blows. Now, instead of celebrating their championship pedigree, New York must deal with a growing debate over whether its slow start is simply an early-season wobble or a warning sign.
But calling Brunson a choker after two games? That is where I believe the criticism has gone too far.
Jalen Brunson Takes the Heat After Celtics Defeat
Brunson finished with 19 points against Boston, shooting seven of 17 from the field and two of five from three-point range. Those numbers were hardly disastrous, but they were not the kind of performance supporters expected from the Finals MVP when the Knicks needed someone to take control late.
One moment attracted particular attention. With New York trailing by four and just 3.6 seconds remaining, Brunson had an opportunity to make his free throws and give the Knicks a chance. The missed opportunity became ammunition for critics online, with one blunt reaction declaring, “Jalen Brunson choked.”
It is a brutal assessment, especially for a player who has repeatedly demonstrated that he can carry an offense through difficult playoff situations.
Was Brunson perfect against Boston? Absolutely not. Could he have done more in the closing moments? Certainly. But there is a difference between criticising a disappointing performance and suddenly questioning the character of a player who helped lead New York to a championship.
The Knicks did not become champions by accident, and Brunson did not become their leader overnight.
Why the Reaction to an 0-2 Start Feels Premature
Thankfully, not everybody has joined the panic.
One response circulating among NBA fans captured the situation perfectly: “It’s 0-2, not 0-20.”
That is the perspective Knicks supporters should hold onto. The season has only just started, and two defeats do not erase everything this team accomplished last season.
New York opened its campaign with a 106-100 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on ring night before falling to Boston. Losing both games is disappointing, particularly when the expectations surrounding a defending champion are so high.
However, the schedule has hardly offered a gentle introduction.
Philadelphia proved capable of making life difficult in the opener, while Boston presented another serious test. Neither defeat is something the Knicks should celebrate, but neither should be treated as proof that their championship run was a fluke.
The real concern is how they respond.
Championship teams are judged not only by how they win but also by how quickly they correct their mistakes. New York has an opportunity to show that its opening struggles are temporary rather than the beginning of a much bigger problem.
Jayson Tatum Exposed the Knicks’ Late-Game Problems
Boston deserves credit for this victory, and Tatum was the biggest reason the Celtics escaped with the win.
The Celtics superstar finished with 36 points, nine rebounds and seven assists, scoring 25 of his points in the second half. When the Knicks threatened to complete their comeback, Tatum repeatedly found answers.
New York trailed by as many as 12 points in the fourth quarter but refused to surrender. Karl-Anthony Towns helped spark the rally, Josh Hart connected from three-point range, and Brunson’s floater brought the Knicks closer.
For a moment, it looked as though the defending champions might steal a result.
Then Tatum stepped up again.
His ability to deliver difficult shots under pressure separated the two teams. Boston also benefited from Paul George and Neemias Queta scoring 15 points apiece, giving the Celtics valuable support when the game became tight.
The lesson for New York is clear: fighting back is encouraging, but championship teams must finish the job.
The Knicks showed enough resilience to make the contest interesting. They did not show enough consistency to win it.
Mikal Bridges Must Do More to Help Brunson
While Brunson has become the headline, he is not the only Knick who needs to improve.
Mikal Bridges endured a particularly difficult night against Boston, finishing without a point after missing all eight of his field-goal attempts. His struggles followed an underwhelming shooting performance in the season opener, making his early form a genuine concern.
Bridges is too important to New York’s ambitions for this to become a prolonged problem.
The Knicks need his scoring, defensive versatility and ability to punish opponents who concentrate too much attention on Brunson. When Bridges is struggling, opposing defenses can devote more energy to disrupting the team’s primary creator.
That makes Brunson’s job harder.
Karl-Anthony Towns, meanwhile, scored 22 points and collected 10 rebounds against Boston. OG Anunoby contributed 20 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists, while reserve guard Miles McBride added 20 points.
Those contributions show that New York has players capable of producing offensively. The challenge is getting everybody to contribute consistently, particularly when the game reaches its most important moments.
Blaming everything on Brunson ignores the wider issues affecting this team.
Losing Mitchell Robinson Could Become a Bigger Problem
There is also a significant personnel change worth watching.
Mitchell Robinson is now with Boston after spending his first eight NBA seasons with the Knicks. His departure matters because rim protection and interior defense are difficult qualities to replace, especially against teams with strong frontcourt players.
Robinson made his presence felt against his former teammates, finishing with four points, four rebounds and a block despite struggling with early foul trouble.
New York must find ways to compensate for his absence. If opponents consistently find opportunities near the basket or dominate the offensive glass, the Knicks could face problems that cannot be solved simply by asking Brunson to score more points.
It is too early to conclude that Robinson’s departure will derail the season. Nevertheless, the defensive issues visible in the opening games deserve attention.
The Orlando Magic Game Suddenly Matters More
The Knicks now turn their attention to the Orlando Magic, with a chance to secure their first victory of the season.
Another defeat would increase the noise around the team, particularly with expectations so high after last season’s success. Still, even an 0-3 start would not automatically end their championship ambitions.
What matters most is whether the Knicks begin showing tangible improvement.
Brunson needs to rediscover his rhythm, Bridges must become more productive, and the defense needs to show greater discipline. Head coach Mike Brown also has to find a way to get the team playing with the energy and physicality expected of defending champions.
My view is simple: writing off Brunson and the Knicks after two games is premature. The criticism of their execution is justified, but the declarations that their championship success was undeserved are ridiculous.
New York has problems to solve, and the players must take responsibility. But champions deserve the chance to respond before their entire season is judged.
Do you think Brunson and the Knicks will bounce back against Orlando, or are these early defeats exposing deeper problems? Share your thoughts.