Part 2/7:
Given the circumstances, many fans and analysts now consider this one of the worst losses of the young season for the Knicks. Despite a prior loss to Utah weighing heavily on their supporters, the defeat against an undermanned Magic team, which was struggling under fatigue and injury, felt especially stinging.
In the post-game locker room, the vibe was understandably somber. A sharp contrast emerged from their previous games, particularly considering the opportunity that had been at hand. Just days earlier, the Knicks were on the verge of securing their tenth consecutive win on the road against Oklahoma City, but they remarkably fell apart in a critical stretch against Chicago before crumbling entirely against Orlando.