This was the night that left a bad taste, even before you checked the final score. The Knicks were overwhelmed early, fell behind fast, and never seriously threatened to flip the momentum before losing 101-112. That alone would sting. What made it worse was watching Jalen Brunson limp off the floor after just five minutes, leaving the offense without its engine and the rest of the roster exposed.
With Brunson out, the spotlight shifted to Karl-Anthony Towns. That spotlight didn’t treat him kindly. New York needed its highest-paid star to steady things, and instead, the night drifted away possession by possession. Sacramento played freely, lived at the line, and turned the game into a long chase that the Knicks were never equipped to win.
OG Anunoby: C+
Game Stats: 15 PTS, 3 REB, 4 AST, 2 BLK, 1 TOV, 5-13 FG, 0-6 3-PT FG, 5-8 FT, 27 MIN
OG Anunoby worked, but the shot never followed him home. He attacked the rim when lanes opened and stayed engaged defensively, but the missed threes piled up quickly. Six attempts from deep without a make hurt a Knicks team already struggling to space the floor.
Defensively, he did what he usually does – contest, rotate, stay disciplined. Offensively, though, the lack of perimeter rhythm made it easier for Sacramento to load up elsewhere. Solid effort, limited impact.
Mitchell Robinson: C+
Game Stats: 8 PTS, 11 REB, 1 STL, 1 BLK, 3-3 FG, 2-4 FT, 19 MIN
Robinson was one of the few Knicks who consistently won his matchup. He cleaned the glass, protected the rim, and finished everything around the basket.
The minutes were limited, but his presence mattered. When he was on the floor, New York at least looked competitive inside.
Josh Hart: C+
Game Stats: 10 PTS, 5 REB, 5 AST, 1 BLK, 2 TOV, 4-7 FG, 2-4 3-PT FG, 0-2 FT, 32 MIN
Josh Hart brought energy, as he almost always does. He moved the ball, crashed the glass, and didn’t shy away from tough assignments. The numbers don’t scream impact, but his presence helped keep the game from completely unraveling in the middle quarters.
That said, this wasn’t a takeover night. Missed free throws and a few stalled possessions kept his effort from swinging momentum. He played his role, the problem was that New York needed someone to play above it.
Miles McBride: C+
Game Stats: 10 PTS, 6 REB, 6 AST, 4-14 FG, 2-8 3-PT FG, 28 MIN
McBride was active and involved, which counts for something on a night like this. He pushed the ball, looked to create, and kept the offense moving when it stalled.
The shooting efficiency wasn’t there, and a few open looks came up empty, but his playmaking helped stabilize things when the Knicks were searching for answers.
Jordan Clarkson: C+
Game Stats: 11 PTS, 3 REB, 2 STL, 5-11 FG, 1-4 3-PT FG, 23 MIN
Clarkson at least tried to inject some life into a stagnant offense. He attacked early in his minutes, got to his spots, and played with confidence that was otherwise missing from the second unit.
The shot selection wavered at times, but his aggression was necessary. Without him, the scoring droughts might have been even uglier.
Tyler Kolek: C+
Game Stats: 7 PTS, 5 REB, 5 AST, 1 STL, 3-9 FG, 1-4 3-PT FG, 24 MIN
Kolek showed poise in a difficult spot. He handled the ball, made the right reads, and didn’t force the game to speed up beyond his comfort level.
The shooting was inconsistent, but his feel for the game stood out. On a night full of frustration, his minutes were quietly encouraging.
Mikal Bridges: C
Game Stats: 19 PTS, 3 REB, 2 STL, 1 BLK, 6-20 FG, 2-9 3-PT FG, 5-5 FT, 36 MIN
Mikal Bridges took shots. A lot of them. The efficiency never came with it. He forced the issue at times, especially late in possessions, and Sacramento was content to let him fire away.
The defensive activity showed up, steals, contests, effort, but the offensive rhythm just wasn’t there. When you’re 6-for-20 on a night your team desperately needs scoring stability, the volume becomes part of the problem.
Karl-Anthony Towns: C
Game Stats: 13 PTS, 4 REB, 1 AST, 5 STL, 3 TOV, 5-14 FG, 0-1 3-PT FG, 3-4 FT, 33 MIN
This was a quiet night in the worst possible way. Towns never established himself inside, rarely forced mismatches, and let the game slide past him. The five steals jump off the page, but they didn’t translate into control or confidence on the offensive end. Too many touches ended without pressure on the defense.
With Brunson sidelined, this was a chance for Towns to take command. Instead, he floated. He took shots, but few felt decisive. For a player expected to anchor this group when things go sideways, this performance landed well below the standard.
Jalen Brunson: N/A
Game Stats: 4 PTS, 1 TOV, 2-3 FG, 0-1 3-PT FG, 5 MIN
The grade isn’t about performance, it’s about circumstance. Brunson barely had time to break a sweat before heading to the locker room. His absence changed everything about this game.
Once he went down, the offense lost structure, tempo, and direction. His night ended early, but the impact of his exit lingered for the remaining 43 minutes.
Guerschon Yabusele: N/A
Game Stats: 2 PTS, 3 REB, 1-5 FG, 6 MIN
Yabusele only had six minutes of action, but packaged a lot of production in terms of going for boards and taking shots. Still, he couldn’t affect the game.
Mohamed Diawara: N/A
Game Stats: 2 REB, 1 TOV, 3 MIN
Diawara only had three minutes and grabbed two rebounds, so he didn’t get a chance to affect the game.
Ariel Hukporti: N/A
Game Stats: 2 PTS, 1-1 FG, 3 MIN
In a limited time, Hukporti made a shot in three minutes, but we can’t give him anything except an N/A.
Pacome Dadiet: N/A
Game Stats: 3 MIN
Dadiet played three minutes, didn’t get a chance to impact the game, so an N/A is fair.
