New York has lost to the 76ers, Celtics and Magic, including one game they led for most of the way before collapsing in the fourth quarter.
The Knicks are off to the worst possible defense of their title, dropping their first three games despite bringing back essentially the same roster that won it all. Losses to Philadelphia, Boston and Orlando have the defending champs searching for answers, with the Orlando game particularly sour since New York held the lead for most of it before fading in the fourth quarter.
Part of the problem looks less like a hangover and more like a tougher neighborhood. The Eastern Conference has gotten stronger around them, and the margin for error that got the Knicks through last season appears to have shrunk.
History offers a sliver of comfort. The Knicks are just the third defending champion this century to start 0-3, and at least one team has managed to open 0-3 and still win the title, though that was Michael Jordan's Bulls, not exactly a reassuring comparison for anyone else. There is also a reminder that this roster has weathered rough stretches before without it meaning much by season's end.
For now, nobody is panicking, at least not publicly. But three games in, the champs look nothing like one.