The Knicks Still Haven’t Proven They’re Real Contenders

The New York Knicks fall short against the Oklahoma City Thunder, raising questions about their contender status after another hard-fought loss. Despite standout efforts from Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, and Mikal Bridges, the Knicks couldn’t keep pace with the Thunder’s elite defense and late-game execution. Is being "competitive" enough, or do the Knicks lack the firepower to topple top NBA teams? Gavin Schall and XJ break down Karl-Anthony Towns’ perplexing usage, Deuce McBride’s critical injury scare, and unwarranted criticism from Reggie Miller. Key topics include the starting lineup’s fit issues, the impact of losing Deuce McBride, and Josh Hart’s red-hot shooting streak. The hosts debate whether Brunson’s primary playmaking limits Towns’ effectiveness, and what the Thunder’s defensive tactics reveal about New York’s playoff ceiling. Can the Knicks fix their late-game woes—or is this the limit of their 2026 title hopes? Timestamps 0:00 — Knicks Lose to Thunder 1:15 — The Knicks are past moral victories vs elite teams 12:43 — Turbo Tax Ad Break 13:21 — Join The Everydayer Club! 13:41 — Reggie Miller and the Karl-Anthony Towns narrative 22:55 — Five Hour Energy Ad Break 23:51 — Indeed Ad Break 24:44 — Deuce McBride injury implications 29:20 — Josh Hart's shooting + player takeaways Follow & Subscribe on all Podcast platforms 🎧 https://lockedonpodcasts.com/podcasts/locked-on-knicks/ Everydayer Club If you never miss an episode, it’s time to make it official. Join the Locked On Everydayer Club and get ad-free audio, access to our members-only Discord, and more — all built for our most loyal fans. Click here to learn more and join your team’s community: https://lockedonpodcasts.com/everydayerclub Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! TurboTax This year you’re getting a major upgrade — Intuit TurboTax now has in-person locations nationwide. Visit http://TurboTax.com/local to book your appointment today. Quo Make this the year where no opportunity - and no cutsomer - slips away. Try Quo for free plus get 20% off your first 6 months when you go to http://Quo.com/lockedonnba. Robinhood You’re no longer just a spectator. Play by play. You decide. Trade Every Play with Robinhood. Now available across the U.S. Download the Robinhood app now to begin. Futures and cleared swaps trading involves significant risk and is not appropriate for everyone. Event contracts are offered by Robinhood Derivatives, LLC., a registered futures commission merchant and swap firm. 5-Hour ENERGY Have your cake & drink it too. Birthday cake-flavor is back, no fork needed. Vanilla-y cakey flavor, caffeinated kick, and no sugar. It's party time. Order Now at 5-hourENERGY.com or Amazon. Indeed Listeners of this show get a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to help give your job the premium placement it deserves at http://Indeed.com/podcast Gametime Today's episode is brought to you by Gametime. Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDON for $20 off your first purchase. Terms and conditions apply. FanDuel Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. During the tournament FanDuel is offering $300 back in Bonus Bets every day for ten days. Visit https://FANDUEL.COM to get started — Play Your Game. FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.