New York sports fans, maybe more than any other fanbase in sports, live and die by their teams. When things are good, they're riding high as can be and you'd be hard pressed to find a more dedicated group behind their team.

But what comes with that is an equal and opposite reaction when things are bad. New York fans are intolerant of mediocre play and they'll let their beloved teams know that without hesitation. 

That's why after the New York Knicks fell to the Phoenix Suns on Saturday for their third loss in a row, the packed stands of Madison Square Garden booed in unison at the orange and blue as the final seconds ran out and the buzzer sounded. 

New York head coach Mike Brown doesn't resent the dissatisfaction that the home crowd feels for his team, if anything he understands the relationship that passion and outrage have in the hearts of the fans that pack the stands to watch the Knicks play night after night.

"You don't ever want to have boos, but at the end of the day the fans here are passionate and you want to respect and embrace their passion," Brown said (via BASKETMAN). "But, it hurts. It hurts the staff, it hurts the players."

Unfortunately, the Knicks have given their fans a lot to boo about in recent weeks. Since winning the NBA Cup and reigning atop the Atlantic Division with one of the best records in the NBA, the Knicks have gone just 2-8. 

In those last 10 games, the Knicks have averaged 110.6 points, 44.2 rebounds and 25.3 assists per game as a team all below their season averages, and shot 44.2% as a team.

They've fallen to third in the Atlantic Division with a 25-17 record after looking like clear playoff favorites in the early part of the year and with star Jalen Brunson day-to-day with an ankle injury and missing Saturday's game, the Knicks are clearly trending downward and looking to be in bad shape. 

With just under half the season to go, there's still plenty of time for the Knicks to redeem themselves in the eyes of their fans and get back into playoff contending shape.

Hearing their fans turn on them hurt Brown and the team, but Brown is still standing strong by his players and applauded their effort despite the loss. Though, he's still understanding of how the fans are feeling and what the Knicks have to do make sure it doesn't become a regular occurrence. 

"We're not trying to lose," Brown said. "Our guys played hard so I take my hat off to them for that. But, the fans in my opinion have every right to boo or to cheer or do whatever they want. They pay their hard earned money to come to the games and this is entertainment for them so you've got to respect that."