Via the New York Post:
The Knicks began their second 10-game segment of the season Wednesday night in Brooklyn with an embarrassing defeat, even busting the trend of statistical mediocrity — in almost every way — from their 5-5 start.
All of their wins in that initial stretch had come against teams with losing records, while all of the losses were suffered against clubs above the .500 mark.
Kevin Durant and the Nets came in with a 4-7 record — not to mention being embroiled in a recent coaching change and the Kyrie Irving suspension — yet hammered the Knicks from start to finish in a 112-85 beatdown at Barclays Center.
Through Tuesday’s league-wide shutdown for Election Day — a terrific idea, by the way — the Knicks also were squarely in the middle of the NBA pack statistically, ranking 16th in offense and 16th in defense (they’re now No. 23 in offense and No. 19 in defense). Such symmetry held both encouraging and disappointing trends depending on your general optimism or pessimism when evaluating the team’s progress and long-term prognosis, beginning with how they respond to this horrid showing Friday night at home against the Pistons.
