LOS ANGELES — Life without Jalen Brunson was predictably difficult.
Especially in crunch time.
With Captain Clutch inactive because of a sprained ankle, the Knicks scored just 10 points in the final seven minutes and were overwhelmed down the stretch in a 105-95 Friday night loss to the Clippers.
The offense stagnated and produced its lowest point total since Jan. 6, capped by an ugly fourth quarter.
The Knicks (40-23), who shot just 39 percent overall and 27 percent on treys, fell to 0-2 to start their five-game road trip in the Western Conference, with games upcoming at Sacramento, Portland and Golden State.
Their current three-game losing streak is tied for the longest this season.
Brunson is out at least two weeks, but likely longer, because of the injury suffered in Thursday’s loss to the Lakers.
He remained with the Knicks in L.A., but wasn’t on the bench at the Intuit Dome.
They clearly needed the point guard in uniform.
Almost all his teammates struggled Friday. Miles McBride, who replaced Brunson in the starting lineup, managed just seven points on 2-of-13 shooting.
Karl-Anthony Towns missed 13-of-22 shot attempts. Josh Hart and OG Anunoby combined to shoot 10-for-28.
Mikal Bridges committed a team-high four turnovers.
For the Clippers (34-29), James Harden and Kawhi Leonard were inefficient but combined for 47 points, and that was enough to beat a team without Brunson.
The Knicks, playing on the second night of a back-to-back after Thursday’s overtime affair against the Lakers, came out sluggish.
They fell into a 9-0 hole from tipoff, failing to score for the opening 3 ½ minutes.
But they quickly recovered and held a nine-point lead in the second quarter.
Their fourth quarter started with a one-point deficit.
Then they fell apart.
The Knicks were playing without Mitchell Robinson, who rested for the second of the back-to-back games to maintain his health after missing 10 months.
Precious Achiuwa returned from his one-game absence because of hamstring soreness, dropping nine points and five rebounds in 16 minutes.
It was just Brunson’s second missed game this season and first since Jan. 1.
The Knicks went 1-4 without him last season.
Before the game, Thibodeau pleaded for effort without their captain.
“Everyone has to step up,” he said. “The thing is, you’re not replacing Jalen individually. You’re doing that collectively. So how? Everyone’s capable of playing great defense. Everyone’s capable of rebounding the ball well. Everyone’s capable of taking care of the ball. So if you defend, you rebound and you keep your turnovers down, you’re going to be in position to win. And then you have to make things happen at the end of the game. That’s what we’re striving for. The margin of error is smaller.”
Too small, as it turned out, against the Clippers.
