5 Things that went wrong for the New York Knicks in the 2020-21 NBA season

#3 Lack of offensive threat

Derrick Rose was the primary offensive creator in the series for the New York Knicks

Aside from Derrick Rose in game three, no other Knicks player had a game of 30 points or more in the series. In fact, there were only five 20+ point performances from a New York player across the five games. When starters are regularly scoring single-digit points or none at all at times, and your opponent scores more than 100 points in four of the five contests, it is extremely difficult to win a ball game.

The New York Knicks hadn't been a prolific offensive side throughout the regular season, averaging just 108 points per game. However, along with Randle's struggles, the rest of the roster shot poorly too (except for Derrick Rose) in the postseason and was barely able to put up 97 points a night in the series.

Looking ahead to the offseason, the Knicks front office needs to bring in another offensive creator in the backcourt and some wing shooters to take this team to the next level.

#4 Inability to control Trae Young in the playoffs

Atlanta Hawks star Trae Young ran riot in the playoffs

While there was a lot to like about the New York Knicks' defense in the opening two games of the series, they were still unable to control Trae Young. The Knicks harried the ball and forced turnovers, but ultimately it was the diminutive guard who stole the show in the big lights of Madison Square Garden.

TRAE YOUNG TAKES A BOW IN MSG AFTER ELIMINATING KNICKS. 🍿👀 pic.twitter.com/L6i5A0S65H

— House of Highlights (@HoHighlights) June 3, 2021

Against one of the stiffest defenses in the league, Young was still able to average 29.2 points and 9.8 assists while being able to shoot at 44% from the floor. The Knicks also sent him to the line over seven times per game where he made over 90% of attempts. Shutting down Young should have been the New York Knicks' no.1 priority, however he had free rein throughout the series and had three games of 30 points or more.

#5 Not making home court advantage matter

New York Knicks home crowd at Madison Square Garden

Madison Square Garden is the mecca of NBA basketball, though it has lost its threatening edge and electric atmosphere over the last eight years as the Knicks struggled to put a winning season together. That soon changed this campaign as fans flocked back to the Garden to finally cheer on a team with grit and a desire to succeed.

MSG was packed to the rafters and made a deafening noise in all three of the home games the New York Knicks had in the series. However, they lost two of their matchups at home, narrowly in game one but then by 14 points in game five in which Trae Young bowed to the crowd as the villain of the Knicks fanbase.

Fans will continue to make MSG a daunting environment if the New York Knicks continue to be a winning side next year and qualify for the playoffs. However, the team needs to make it count. Not every player will be able to play in such a hostile arena and perform as well as Young did and that is what they must prey off of in the future.