Wrote about it, possibly, being a big few days for the Knicks starters. Also, some thoughts on New York’s playoff rotation: www.nytimes.com/athletic/717...

Wrote about it, possibly, being a big few days for the Knicks starters. Also, some thoughts on New York’s playoff rotation: www.nytimes.com/athletic/717...

KAT is OUT tonight. Mitch will start.

Karl-Anthony Towns has been added to the Knicks’ injury report as questionable due to right elbow management.

The Knicks have no players listed on tomorrow’s injury report. Everyone is healthy and available To play.

Knicks are pulling away from MEM here late. Had a chance to be a much-needed vibes win but Grizzlies made the Knicks work the bulk of the second half. KAT gets his triple-double: 18, 11 and 11 (also had 7 turnovers on a night the Knicks are at 18 as a team with two minutes left.)

Landry Shamet will return tonight against Memphis. Jalen Brunson is questionable with right ankle soreness McBride and Robinson are both OUT due to injury management.

Jarrett Allen has worn one sneaker every game for 9 years — and he needs your help finding it again. Cade & Giddey wear close to 60 in a szn. Josh Hart likes his shoes TIGHT. My league-wide feature on the quirky bond between NBA players & their shoes: www.nytimes.com/athletic/711...

If you have a size 17, TB Black and White Kyrie 3, Jarrett Allen is in the hunt. He’s run out of pairs of the only shoe he’s worn for every one of his 620 career games.

Jarrett Allen has worn one sneaker every game for 9 years — and he needs your help finding it again. Cade & Giddey wear close to 60 in a szn. Josh Hart likes his shoes TIGHT. My league-wide feature on the quirky bond between NBA players & their shoes: www.nytimes.com/athletic/711...

Josh Hart said the Knicks aren’t heading in the right direction. Jalen Brunson said New York has a long way to go. Mike Brown said “broken record” twice. www.nytimes.com/athletic/716...

Josh Hart said the team is heading in the wrong direction ahead of the playoffs and called tomorrow against Memphis a “must win.” Frustrated by some of the same stuff continuously popping up — lack of togetherness, focus, attention to detail, etc.

If the Cavs beat the Lakers tonight, New York and Cleveland would have the same record but Knicks will keep the 3 seed because of the tiebreaker

FINAL: Houston 111, New York 94 With 6 games left, the Knicks' are in the midst of a three game losing streak and are now 0-5 against the last five opponents with winning records. Some stuff to figure out, not a lot of time. www.nytimes.com/athletic/715...

Going to assume Mike Brown has his starters in, down 21 with 2:26 remaining and six games left, because he wants them to figure some shit out/feel good ... and, again, people might be getting tomorrow in Memphis off.

Knicks, down 19 with 8:13 left, are going to give it one last run as Brunson checks back in. New York plays in Memphis tomorrow. Wouldn't be surprised if some guys sit.

END OF 3Q: Rockets 92, Knicks 72. New York was down 13 at half. Hart and Clarkson are the only players who have taken at least five shots and are shooting 50 percent or better. Rest of the team is a combined 18-47 from field (38 percent)

Knicks are just making a few too many mistakes defensively to start the 3Q -- messed up pick-and-roll coverage once or twice, got beat backdoor. Offense has been better but not getting enough stops now and KD is being KD. Houston up 13

KD, Sheppard and Eason are a combined 17 for 21 in the first half with 43 points --- more than the Knicks as a team. New York's deficit is up to 19 after it was 18 and they got it down to single digits.

Deuce finally got a shot to fall since coming back and threw his hands up like, 'Thank you'

KD and Alvarado have been chirping at each other all half lol

Huge minutes from Alvarado and Clarkson to bring New York back. Both have been awesome.

Knicks have got their deficit down to single digits after trailing by as many as 17. Good start for the Alvarado-Clarkson-Bridges-OG-KAT group.

END OF 1Q: Rockets 37. Knicks 21. Not much good at all from New York. When Clarkson and Mitch came in, there was a bit more juice on both ends but the deficit was far too large to overcome against a Houston team that is still playing OK after the initial outburst.

If you need a silver lining, the Knicks trailed by 18 to the Rockets later in the game than this one during the first matchup and won.

Knicks are down 12-1. Mike Brown timeout.

Rockets are going with an all 6-7-and-up lineup against the Knicks as Eason is starting over Sheppard.

Miles McBride is good to go, Mike Brown says. Surprising development based on how bad it looked it OKC.

Miles McBride was at Knicks shootaround today and appeared to have done basketball activities based on his smile and him sweating as he walked past us. Still questionable

The Knicks’ offense is slipping. They haven’t beaten a good team in a while. The rotations are in flux. The playoffs start soon, and do we even know what the best version looks like? “I don’t think we’ve seen it yet.” My column: www.nytimes.com/athletic/715...

The Knicks’ offense is slipping. They haven’t beaten a good team in a while. The rotations are in flux. The playoffs start soon, and do we even know what the best version looks like? “I don’t think we’ve seen it yet.” My column: www.nytimes.com/athletic/715...

Mike Brown: "IT was a hard-fought ball game, but the thing I was most disappointed in is the energy we used on the officials. They shot 38 FTs. Were all of them legit? IDk. Some of them were because we reached."

FINAL: OKC 111, Knicks 100. New York put up a good fight, Thunder didn't pull away until final few minutes. With the playoffs around the corner, the Knicks have lost four straight games to teams with winning records. Have a chance again to end that Tuesday in Houston.

SGA couldn't really make any field goals for three quarters and has hit three big ones here in the fourth. Knicks down 9.

Unless I don't understand the rule, the Knicks are going to win the challenge but it'll still be OKC ball. KAT saved the ball from going out of bounds but it went to Hartenstein anyway.

Knicks were down six when both Brunson and SGA sat. Now down just two with Brunson and Hart checking back in.

Miles McBride is still being evaluated and is doubtful to return.

END OF 3Q: OKC 84, New York 78 Been a weird, disjointed and intense game. Brunson with 25 points and Hart with 15 points.

Mike Brown just got in the refs face and a technical after that foul call on Josh Hart. He wanted the same call on the other end.

McBride came down holding his groin area, which is where he got surgery. Walked slowly to the bench and then to the locker room.

left in the 3Q*

OKC 64, Knicks 61 with 6:55 left. Josh Hart has four triples. SGA is struggling but J-Dub is picking up the slack with 20.

KAT gets hit with an offensive foul and Flagrant-1.

HALFTIME: Thunder 53, Knicks 52. Jalen Brunson being Brunson and Josh Hart's 3-point shooting have kept New York in this thing. Defense has been solid, too. Like the defense on SGA for the most part.

Bridges with 10 points so far in the first half. Hit a contested, deep 3 that the Knicks needed

Anunoby just picked up his third foul with 8:59 left in the 2Q.

Looks like Mike Brown is going back to Alvarado to start the 2Q. He went with Kolek in the second half of last game.

END OF 1Q: OKC 26, Knicks 23. Thought New York was OK defensively -- Thunder did miss a few easy ones. New York's offense missed some good looks but thought it's handled the OKC defense well. Need more from the bench. Not a ton of good in that 1Q from them.

Knicks need Mitch to be better on his close-outs. HE jumps on almost every fake. Latest one led to a Mitchell 3.