Alan Hahn's post on New York Knicks | Latest updates on Sulia

On this trip the most troubling issue has been, as @AlTrautwig labeled it, The Second Quarter of Doom. More:

Perhaps it should be known as The Sloppy Seconds? The Knicks had gotten through the first quarters of all three games on this trip without much trouble and early in the second quarters they were very much in the game. And then in an instant it all went horribly wrong. * - In Golden State, they trailed 26-25 early in the quarter. Then the offense suddenly went cold and the Warriors tore off a 17-4 run. Game Over. * - In Denver, the Knicks were down 33-30 early in the quarter. Then the offense went suddenly cold and the Nuggets tore off a 21-1 run. Game Over. * - In Portland, the Knicks LED 48-38 with 3:43 to go in the half. Then the offense went suddenly cold and the Blazers tore off a 13-0 run. Game Over. Well, sort of. The Knicks, playing without Melo and Tyson Chandler, trailed by 16 in the third, but managed to cut it to four early in the fourth quarter to give themselves a chance to steal this game. But as quickly as they got back into it, they fell right back out of it. The common theme in these second quarter woes involve missed shots (Steve Novak, who is on the floor to start the second quarter most games, has been ice cold) and poor transition defense. But there's also an issue of a lack of resiliency. The Knicks aren't showing much of it at all. When a team makes a run, the Knicks don't dig in. Mike Woodson didn't call a timeout during the Blazers' 13-0 run to end the half, which was curious. It also points to the difference in this team without a healthy Carmelo Anthony. When you have a scorer like that, he can counter a run with big shots. Melo hasn't been that player in almost two weeks. And let's also not overlook the fact that this is just not a good defensive team. They don't have that mentality of a team that will get into you and make you uncomfortable to get you out of that rhythm that spawns these runs by opposing teams.