The New York Knicks started the 2025-2026 season on a hot streak, climbing to the third seed in the Eastern Conference and capturing the 2025 NBA Cup. January has told a different story for the Knicks, as the franchise is 3-7 in its past 10 games.
There could be numerous factors contributing to New York's slump. On a recent episode of Ticket & The Truth, Paul Pierce suggested that Brunson's teammates may not enjoy playing with the six-foot-two point guard.
"I don't think they like to play with Brunson, because it's like, you've got all these weapons. He's their best player, but I don't think they like to play with him because they're so inconsistent. When you've got guys like Anunoby, who's averaged a double in this league, and guys like Mikal Bridges, who's averaged a double, they're out there open or need more touches."
Is Brunson to Blame?
This season, Brunson is averaging 27.9 points and 6.1 assists over 39 games. He was recently named an Eastern Conference starter for the 2026 NBA All-Star Game.
In addition to his high production, Brunson has made an active effort in the locker room to combat the team's losing streak.
After the Knicks suffered a double-digit loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Monday night, it was reported that Brunson called an all-players meeting. New York then followed up with a 54-point victory over the Brooklyn Nets days after the intervention.
In addition to Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, Miles McBride, and Josh Hart are averaging double digits in points for the Knicks. Both Bridges and Anunoby are within three points of their career averages.
Regardless of Pierce's claim, the Knicks' cold streak may be taken out of context. Brunson was not active during New York's losses to the Phoenix Suns and Golden State Warriors, and the three-time All-Star played less than five minutes in the franchise's loss to the Sacramento Kings.
Whether it’s time to hit the panic button on the Knicks will become clearer as All-Star Weekend approaches.
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