New York Knicks, Kristaps Porzingis trade
Mar 23, 2017; Portland, OR, USA; New York Knicks forward Kristaps Porzingis (6) shoots the ball over Portland Trail Blazers forward Al-Farouq Aminu (8) during the first half of the game at the Moda Center. USA TODAY Sports / Steve Dykes-

New York Knicks (23-31) forward Kristaps Porzingis was furious on Sunday (Monday AEDT) after his team suffered a 99-96 loss to the Atlanta Hawks (16-37) at Madison Square Garden. With 1:07 left in the game, the Knicks blew a four-point lead, allowing Atlanta to rally back in a late victory.

After the game, Porzingis called out his Knicks teammates and pondered if the team possessed the mental toughness to close out tight contests. The Knicks were going up against Hawks team that is primed to finish with the worst record in the NBA, or at least in the Eastern Conference.

"I can't even process that we lost. I can't believe it. It was our game. It was 100 percent our game. Stuff happened quick, and boom, it was over. We're just not there yet as a team. We keep losing these games," a furious Porzingis said after the team's third consecutive loss, via ESPN.

Young Knicks team continue to lose close games

Despite losing ten of their last 14 games, the Knicks are only four games out of the eighth and final playoff berth in the competitive Eastern Conference. Porzingis, named an All-Star for the first time in his young career, is trying to end the Knicks' five-year postseason drought. Teammate Courtney Lee echoed Porzingis' sentiments.

"I would say (it was) the most embarrassing game that we lost, being in the situation where a lot of the situations there was time to score, and we just didn't capitalize on opportunities. We were in position to win this game, and I think we just checked out and lost focus on a couple of plays, and it cost us," said Lee, who finished with 7 points and 5 rebounds in Sunday's loss.

Kristaps Porzingis and the New York Knicks will stay at home to host the Milwaukee Bucks (29-23) Tuesday before starting a three-game road trip. The Knicks will travel to Toronto Raptors (Thursday), Indiana Pacers (Sunday) and Philadelphia 76ers (next Monday) before returning home for the All-Star break.