Knicks Face Thunder in Crucial Home Test Amid Struggles

The New York Knicks are set to host the Oklahoma City Thunder at Madison Square Garden on Friday night, marking their second meeting in seven days. The Thunder previously defeated the Knicks 139-112 on January 3, 2025, in Oklahoma City, leaving New York searching for answers amid a three-game losing streak.

Knicks guard Jalen Brunson emphasized the importance of the matchup during a recent episode of his podcast, ‘Roommates Show.’ ‘I know people don’t want to hear this, but this is a test of who we are and how we’re going to respond,’ Brunson said. ‘We’re obviously not doing our best, ball’s not going in. We’re just a step late. It’s not an excuse, but how are we going to respond as a team?’

The Thunder, currently leading the Western Conference, recently ended a 15-game winning streak with a loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Meanwhile, the Knicks (25-13) sit third in the Eastern Conference but have struggled against top-tier opponents. Their nine-game winning streak earlier this season included only two victories against teams currently ranked in the top six of their respective conferences.

New York snapped their losing streak with a 112-98 win over the struggling Toronto Raptors on Wednesday. However, the victory did little to ease concerns about their ability to compete with elite teams. ‘This is one of the few years in recent times where Knicks fans are like really excited like, ‘oh, we can compete and try to make a run,’’ said Knicks forward Josh Hart. ‘A couple losses in a row and you feel like the world’s coming to an end.’

The Knicks’ last home win against a top-six opponent came on November 8 against the Milwaukee Bucks. With the Thunder’s high-powered offense led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Friday’s game will serve as a critical benchmark for New York’s playoff aspirations.