Shorthanded Knicks come out flat against Hawks in one of their worst losses of season

This was no way to start the new year.

The Knicks came out flatter than a pancake for their first game of 2026 and produced one of their worst performances of the season.

For what should have been the last possession of the first half, Jalen Brunson, who was under no pressure from the defense, was too slow walking the ball up the court and was called for an eight-second violation.

That lack of focus on the unforced error was a perfect encapsulation of their uninspiring showing as the Knicks fell 111-99 to the Hawks on Friday night at Madison Square Garden.

They were shorthanded, with a major hole at center without Karl-Anthony Towns (illness) and Mitchell Robinson (load management).

And they were still without Josh Hart (ankle) and Landry Shamet (shoulder).

It certainly showed.

The Knicks, after a three-game win streak, have dropped two straight ahead of a tough back-to-back with the 76ers coming to town Saturday.

And since their NBA Cup triumph, they are just 5-4.

They showed more life in the fourth quarter — they started the quarter on an 11-0 run to cut their deficit to 13 and provide the MSG crowd with some juice.

But two straight 3s from Luke Kennard reestablished a 19-point Hawks lead.

The Knicks cut the deficit to 11 with just under four minutes left and nine with 1:29 left, but never got closer.

Coach Mike Brown has criticized the Knicks defense repeatedly in recent games.

But it wasn’t the defense that was lacking Friday — they were brutal on both sides of the ball.

Brunson finished with 24 points, but got little help from healthy co-stars OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges until it was too late.

Anunoby had 19 — seven of which came in the fourth quarter when the Knicks were already facing a big deficit — and Bridges recorded 18 — 12 of which came in the fourth.

As a team, the Knicks shot just 36 percent from the field and a rough 20 percent from 3-point range.

And they let the Hawks shoot 48 percent from the field, led by Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Onyeka Okongwu, who tallied 23 points apiece.

All the Knicks absences forced Brown to again go deeper into his bench.

But that expanded bench struggled.

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Jordan Clarkson was a non-factor.

Ariel Hukporti, starting with no Towns or Robinson, did not make an impact.

Tyler Kolek failed to affect the game like he has recently.

Kevin McCullar Jr., who has entered the rotation without Hart, took a step back.

Mohamed Diawara missed all three shots he took.

Pacôme Dadiet and Trey Jamison III even briefly saw the court.

Guerschon Yabusele was the only member of the bench unit who mostly held his own.

The Knicks were flying for a few weeks, winning 11 of 12 games, including the NBA Cup final.

But all of a sudden, they’ve begun to falter.

They have an immediate chance to respond.