These Knicks have lost the clutch gene that defined their title run

INDIANAPOLIS — Mike Brown had said it a few times already this season about late-game failures, just as he repeated it Friday night after the Knicks lost another close game to the Pacers:

“That play did not cost us the game,” he said.

In this instance, Brown was referring to a missed fadeaway from Karl-Anthony Towns at the buzzer. It would’ve tied the score. Instead, the ball bounced off the rim, and Brown went to his media availability to lament about his usual: turnovers, free-throw discrepancies, physicality.

Although those factors have played a role in the Knicks’ disappointing start, the real reason for the humdrum 6-6 record is the area Brown has often glossed over: crunch-time ineptitude.