Knicks cant overcome wretched offense against Magic as losing skid hits three

The Knicks hadn’t dropped three straight games all season, but this loss to the injury-decimated Magic truly punctuated their ugliest shooting stretch and play of the year. Let us repeat for effect: this was downright ugly. With Karl-Anthony Towns sitting out for the third time this season with a right knee issue, the Knicks couldn’t overcome a wretched night from the outside to extend their three-game skid in a 103-94 loss to Orlando at the Garden. The Knicks converted only four of their 22 attempts from 3-point range — beating the NBA low total for the season by one — and they are shooting just 28.8 percent from deep over their past six games overall. Mikal Bridges scored 24 points but missed five of six from long range as the Knicks (24-13) kicked off a stretch of 12 of 14 games at home with a clunker.They began the day tied with the Pacers for the most road games in the league (13-8). Jalen Brunson also scored 24 points before fouling out and Josh Hart added 15 with 14 rebounds for the Knicks, while Cole Anthony led the Magic with 24. “Obviously we had a heavy road schedule, now it flips.

I think we [have] six in a row [at home],” Tom Thibodeau said before the game.“But you can’t look at it in totality; just lock in to the game that’s in front of you.

I think that’s important. “Make sure you’re doing the things that are necessary to win.” Thibodeau’s team certainly had done those things in their three previous wins since Dec.3 against the Magic (22-16).

No.4 Orlando is one spot behind the Knicks in the Eastern Conference standings despite the continued injury absences of Paolo Banchero, brothers Franz and Moe Wagner and most recently, Jalen Suggs. With Towns sidelined after limping off the court late in Saturday’s loss in Chicago, Jericho Sims got his third start of the season and finished with four points and 10 rebounds in 29 minutes. Bridges scored nine points and Brunson netted eight in the final 1:05 — after mis...