Knicks frustrated, confused with lack of effort

”We keep digging ourselves deeper and deeper – I know it’s early in the season, you’ve got to take it day by day – but at the rate this is going, we’re going to be in too deep of a hole to dig out,” All-Star Carmelo Anthony said.

The Knicks admitted they didn’t play with defensive intensity or a fighting spirit, which is far worse than just playing poorly.

”I think everything that we’re doing is correctable, but I think effort has got to come behind it a little bit more and we’ve got to be true to ourselves, because we’re not playing well as a unit right now,” coach Mike Woodson said.

The Knicks are 3-6 after winning 54 games last season and their first Atlantic Division title since 1994.

They were blown out twice in a week on their home floor and things might be getting worse at home: The next team to visit is Indiana, which shares the NBA’s best record and pushed the Knicks around while ousting them in six games in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

He shot 3 for 18 and fell to 8 for 43 for the season at MSG, the worst start by a player on his home floor since DeShawn Stevenson started 6 for 43 for the Nets in 2011-12, according to STATS.

Their division is so bad right now that the Knicks are only a game out of first place.