The starts aren’t getting better.

The Knicks have faced a significant first-quarter deficit in seven of their past eight games, including going down by double figures in five of them.

Clearly, the starting five without Mitchell Robinson isn’t working, but there is a simple solution for coach Tom Thibodeau.

Start one of your better players. Start the guy who is having the best season of his career, who is without a doubt one of your most effective two-way players, who is second on your roster in assist-to-turnover ratio, has the second-best net rating and the second-best defensive rating on the team.