Knicks Are the Rodney Dangerfield of the NBA

We were told the East would go through Detroit. 

We were told once Jayson Tatum returned the Celtics were the team to beat.

We were told that the Hawks would beat the Knicks.

We were told that the Sixers, after they successfully came back against the Celtics, would come out of the Eastern Conference.

You know what all those teams have in common? They're all playing golf, that's what. Meanwhile the team nobody took seriously this postseason is one win away from its first trip to the finals since 1999.

It's time to face facts. The New York Knicks have become a juggernaut. They are 11-2 this postseason. Their point differential in those 11 wins is a plus 236; in the two losses, it's a minus two.

Since January 20, the Knicks have the third best record in the NBA (39-13), the number one net rating (12.5), the number one offensive rating (120.9) and the number one defensive rating (108.4).

In 13 playoff games, they've won by 25 points or more four times; held opponents to under 100 points six times; and allowed more than 110 points just once: the closeout game against the Sixers. 

And yet, despite that, they get all the respect of Rodney Dangerfield. Even now, the same geniuses who dismissed them during the regular season are now bending themselves into a pretzel trying to discount what they are doing in the postseason. You should hear some of them.

"They haven't beaten anyone in the playoffs."

"They've had the cheapest run to the finals in NBA history."

"Analytically we've won two out of three on the expected score."

That last gem came from Kenny Atkinson, who apparently doesn't know his team is trailing 3-0 in the series. From what we've seen on the court, his players are just as clueless.

Meanwhile in the Western Conference - you know, the supposedly superior one - the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs have beaten the likes of the Phoenix Suns (4-0), the L.A. Lakers (4-0), the Portland Trailblazers (4-1) and Minnesota Timberwolves (4-2). None, except for maybe the T-Wolves, were considered legitimate contenders going into the season. Yet to hear it from the so-called "experts," either of those teams would wipe the floor with whomever comes out of the East. I swear if stupidity were an Olympic event, these bozos would win the gold. You can't make this shit up, even if you tried.

First of all, if the Knicks were to win the championship, they wouldn't be the first team to have a "cheap" run. In 2023, the Nuggets beat an 8th, 4th, 7th and 8th seed; in 2024, the Celtics beat an 8th, 4th, 6th and 5th seed; and in 2025, the Thunder beat an 8th, 4th, 6th and 4th seed. Not one of those teams had a 10-game win streak during their march to a title, or for that matter the highest margin of victory or highest point differential like the Knicks currently do.

Second of all, why is that even relevant? Where is it written that success in the postseason has to be qualified? History is replete with examples of lady luck shining on teams. You think Knicks fans care one iota that their team didn't have to face the Celtics or Pistons to get to the finals? Not in the least. You play the hand your dealt. Anything else is sour grapes.

If anything, I've been impressed with this team's discipline and demeanor. Not since the 1998 and 99 Yankees have we seen a New York area team dominate like these Knicks. They haven't once pounded their chests or counted their chickens before they're hatched. Even now, on the eve of what could be their greatest accomplishment in more than a quarter century, they are laser focused on the task ahead.

In 1994, the Rangers finally broke their 54 year drought and won the Stanley Cup. Who's to say this isn't the year the Knicks finally break their 53 year drought and win the championship?

Go, New York, Go, New York, Go!

Hart and Soul

Two up, two down. Fresh off a historic come-from-behind victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers in game one of the Eastern Conference finals, the New York Knicks won their ninth playoff game in a row 109-93, and are now two wins away from their first finals appearance since 1999.

The Cavs, to their credit, showed no signs of a hangover. They did everything possible to even the series. They doubled-teamed Jalen Brunson, which left Josh Hart wide open. The thinking was if they were going to lose, it would not be at the hands of the best clutch player in the league. They even dominated the glass early, out rebounding New York 12-8 in the first quarter. And for their efforts, they took a 27-24 lead into the second. 

But the Knicks were just too good and too deep for them. They took a 53-49 lead into the half; they then went on an 18-0 run in the third quarter and never looked back. After missing his first three attempts from downtown, Hart went 5 for his next 8 and wound up with a game-high 26 points. Brunson, after being held to just two points in the first half, finished the game with 19 and recorded a career-high 14 assists. Mikal Bridges contributed 19 points of his own, while Karl-Anthony Towns picked up another double-double, his eighth in 12 postseason games.

But the night belonged to Hart. After being pulled in the fourth quarter of game one, the forward / guard was determined to redeem himself. Time and again his Villanova buddy saw him unguarded outside the key and got the ball to him. And Hart made the Cavs pay dearly for their disrespect.

Throughout this season, Mike Brown has had to walk a fine line between appreciating the intangibles Hart brings to the table while also acknowledging the limitations to his game. It was a needle Tom Thibodeau did not have the stomach to thread. As difficult as it was to bench him in game one, Brown knew he could count on him to bounce back in game two.

That's another difference between both coaches: Brown isn't afraid to pull his starters when they're not performing well. He has enough faith in his bench to know someone will come through. It could be Shamet - like it was in game one - or Deuce McBride or Jordan Clarkson or Jose Alvarado. There are no passengers on Brown's train. If you're wearing a Knicks jersey, you're expected to contribute when your number gets called. 

The results speak for themselves. The compete level of this team is off the charts. Yes, they've won nine in a row, but it's the way they're winning that's most impressive. During this stretch, the Knicks have outscored their opponents by 212 points; the best point differential over a nine-game span of any team - regular season or postseason - in NBA history. 

For those who continue to dismiss them, I don't know what more evidence you need. I have watched the Knicks for more than 50 years. Not even the 1992 through 2000 teams under Pat Riley and Jeff Van Gundy were this dominant. At this point, it isn't a question of if they beat Cleveland, but how many games it will take. 

At the risk of invoking - and paraphrasing - the lyrics to one of my favorite songs from the '80s, if things keep going like this, Knicks fans are going to be partying like it's 1999 pretty soon. 

Miracle on 33rd Street

With just under eight minutes to go in the fourth quarter of game one of the Eastern Conference finals, the New York Knicks were trailing the Cleveland Cavaliers 93-71. They were 4-24 from three, and it looked to all the world as if they were going to lose. ESPN analytics gave them a .1 percent chance of winning; not 1 percent, .1 percent.

The rust vs. rest debate had been settled decidedly in the rust camp's favor. Indeed, yours truly tweeted the title of my next piece: "Rust Never Sleeps," a pun on the classic Neil Young album from 1979. Oh well, I thought, at least they wouldn't blow a lead like they did a year ago to the Indiana Pacers. I still felt confident that the Knicks would win the series; it was just going to be a little more difficult now.

And then something truly remarkable began to happen. The Knicks went on an 18-1 run over the next four minutes to pull within five before Kenny Atkinson finally called a timeout. They then outscored the Cavs 12-7 the rest of the fourth quarter, and 14-3 in overtime to complete one of the most improbable and unbelievable comebacks in NBA history. In all, New York outscored Cleveland 44-11 over the final 12:52, and won 115-104 to take a 1-0 lead in the series. 

In the play-by-play era - which goes back 30 years - teams trailing by 20 or more points in the fourth quarter of a playoff game were 1-594. That one win was by the L.A. Clippers, who overcame a 24 point deficit against the Memphis Grizzlies, April 29, 2012. Make that 2-594.

So how did the Knicks pull it off? Two words: Jalen Brunson. Captain Clutch scored 17 of his game-high 38 points in the fourth quarter and OT. He abused James Harden, who, true to form, had more turnovers (6) than field goals (5). Possession after possession, Brunson blew right past the 36 year old like he was standing still. Why on Earth Atkinson didn't pull him is a mystery. The Beard was utterly useless on both ends of the court down the stretch.

But then that wasn't the only brain fart the Cavs coach had. Apparently Atkinson didn't realize that he had four timeouts left, because at his post-game presser he said he wanted to save them for the last minute of what he felt would be a one-possession game. While it was a one possession game late in regulation, by not using two of his timeouts earlier - when it might've made a difference - he lost both of them. It is inconceivable that someone as experienced as Atkinson didn't know this.

But while Atkinson had arguably his worst game as a head coach, Mike Brown had one of his best. With 7:52 to go in regulation, he replaced Josh Hart, who was a minus 23 in 31 minutes, with Landry Shamet, who was a plus 25 in 17 minutes. That move gave the Knicks a lineup with five genuine scoring threats. The Cavs now had to defend five players instead of four. That meant they couldn't double team Brunson. 

It was no coincidence that right after the substitution, the whole demeanor of the game changed. The vaunted Knicks offense that we were waiting for suddenly appeared. In addition to Brunson's 17 points, Karl-Anthony Towns had two field goals, Mikal Bridges had a pair three pointers, and Shamet hit three from downtown. 

But the principal reason New York won this game was because Cleveland simply ran out of gas. As I wrote in my series preview, teams that are extended a full seven games in their first two rounds tend not to do so well in the next. Going into this postseason, their record was 1-4 in conference finals.

So now what? Well for starters, the Cavs are in deep trouble. They let a game they had well in hand slip away from them. Just ask the Knicks what that means; they never recovered from that catastrophic loss to the Pacers last year. And since it's unlikely New York will have another slow start like it did in game one, Cleveland has an almost impossible task ahead of it.

As for the men in orange and blue, they shouldn't look this gift horse in the mouth. They dodged a bullet that would've felled most teams. They need to come out from the opening tip off and remind the Cavs that they are the best team left standing in the East; that they've won a franchise-record eight games in a row; and that they have the deepest bench as well as the number one defensive rating among all teams in the postseason. 

Oh, and they also have the best clutch player in all of basketball. 

Knicks Playoff Preview (Round Three)

For the second year in a row, the New York Knicks find themselves in the Eastern Conference Finals. Their opponent, the fourth-place Cleveland Cavaliers, ousted the first-place Detroit Pistons in a thrilling seven-game series. And thanks to the seventh-place Philadelphia 76ers beating the second-place Boston Celtics in the first round, the Knicks are the first three seed or lower team to have home court advantage through the first three rounds since seeding began in 1984.

This matchup is ironic in that throughout most of the regular season, the prevailing sentiment was that the Pistons or Celtics would come out of the East. Instead, it'll be the Cavs and Knicks who will battle it out for the honor. Funny how that works. 

In the last round, I was guilty of giving the Sixers too much credit. I really thought they would give the Knicks all they could handle. About the only thing the Knicks handled were the brooms they used to sweep them out the playoffs. New York treated Philly like they were a bunch of G-Leaguers. Make no mistake about it: the Cavs are no G-League team. They are the toughest opponent the Knicks have faced so far in these playoffs. Conversely, the Knicks are the toughest opponent the Cavs have faced so far in these playoffs. 

How tough? Both teams combined to have the top 10 plus / minus Eastern Conference players in the postseason. Jalen Brunson leads the way with a plus 162, while Jarrett Allen of the Cavs brings up the rear with a plus 44. And that means we're in for one helluva conference finals. Anyone predicting a short series is sniffing something that would be illegal, even in Colorado. 

Before we get to the keys for the Knicks, a final thought on the Pistons. Watching these bullies get their comeuppance was truly gratifying. Detroit thought they could resurrect the Bad Boys of the late ‘80s and early ‘90s. Instead, they earned themselves a trip to the golf course. Bottom line: It takes more than intimidation and hard fouls to win a championship in today's NBA; it takes talent. In the end, the Pistons didn't have enough of it.

Now for the keys. 

1. A healthy OG Anunoby. It goes without saying that Anunoby must be fully recovered from the right hamstring pull he sustained in game two of the Sixers series. The Knicks will need his elite-level defense. If he is not at full strength or - worse - re-injures himself, New York will have its hands full contending with Cleveland's backcourt.

2. Win the turnover battle. The Cavs have committed the second-most turnovers this postseason, averaging 16.6 per game, with James Harden the worst offender at 4.8 per game. Meanwhile, the Knicks have committed the fifth-fewest turnovers at 13.3 per game. That trend needs to continue, and the best way for that to happen is for New York to pressure both Donovan Mitchell and Harden whenever they have the ball. Expect Mikal Bridges to guard Mitchell, while Anunoby gets Harden.

3. Contain Mobley and Allen. Unlike Joel Embiid, who was, for all intents and purposes, useless, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen can score and defend. While not as physical as Jalen Duren and Tobias Harris, they can still cause trouble for New York in the paint. The best way to deal with them is for Karl-Anthony Towns to continue being the point center. That will force Kenny Atkinson to bring one of his big men out to the perimeter which is what the Sixers were forced to do in the last round. And that will free up Mitchell Robinson to grab as many offensive rebounds as he can. Expect Mike Brown to play both centers together at times in this series. It is the one matchup New York can truly exploit.

4. Hit the open threes. The Knicks are leading all NBA teams this postseason in three-point shooting at 40.8 percent. The Cavs are 7th at 34 percent. While Cleveland's defense has improved somewhat in the playoffs, they're still nowhere near elite level, meaning New York will get plenty of open looks from beyond the arc. They need to bury as many of them as possible. 

Last year, the Knicks blew a late fourth-quarter, double-digit lead against the Pacers and never recovered. I don't expect they will repeat that same mistake. In fact, I've been impressed with the level of maturity and poise this team has exhibited throughout these playoffs. After the Sixers series, there were no wild celebrations or chest thumping. It's as if they realize what the goal is and what they will have to do to achieve it. The only other past local-area teams that have displayed that much focus were the '86 Mets and Giants and the '94 Rangers.

Something to keep in mind: prior to this postseason, only five teams had advanced to the conference finals while being extended a full seven games through the first two rounds since the NBA went to a best of seven format in all four rounds in 2003. Their record was 1-4. The Celtics won in '08, while the Mavericks ('03), Suns ('06), Raptors ('10) and Nuggets ('20) all lost. The point is playing that many games that early in the playoffs takes a lot out of a team.

To sum up: this will be a long series. Both teams have multiple ways they can beat you, both teams have very good benches, and both teams are well coached. The difference is on defense, where the Knicks have the clear advantage. It's been 27 years since this team last made the finals. That streak comes to an end here. New York in six. 

And now for the Western Conference Finals.

San Antonio over Oklahoma City in six. I know I said OKC would repeat as champions in my last preview, but that was before I saw what Victor Wembanyama did to Rudy Gobert of the Minnesota Timberwolves. Put succinctly, the NBA has never seen anyone with Wemby's skillset in well over a generation. He's the equivalent of what baseball calls a five-tool player. Imagine a player who can defend like Bill Russell, block shots like Hakeem Olajuwon, rebound like Moses Malone, pass like John Stockton and shoot like Steph Curry. The last player to dominate his sport the way Wemby does was Wayne Gretzky. That's why I'm picking the Spurs to win this series and quite possibly the title.

As with my last three previews, if the Knicks advance, I'll preview the finals; if not, whoever wins the West will win the title. 

Knicks Dodge A Bullet

It was quite a night at "The World's Most Famous Arena." The New York Knicks, trailing 90-89 going into the fourth quarter, rallied to beat the Philadelphia 76ers 108-102. Jalen Brunson led the way with eight points - 26 in all - while Karl-Anthony Towns had 20 for the game, along with 10 rebounds, and finished just three assists shy of his third triple double of this postseason. 

But as good as Brunson and KAT were, it was the Knicks stifling defense that proved to be the difference. After giving up 90 points through three quarters, the orange and blue went into lock down mode in the fourth, holding the Sixers to 12 points on 4-19 shooting; 1-10 from three. It was the fifth straight playoff win for New York, one shy of the franchise record set in 1999. That team, if you recall, went to the finals.

The biggest story of the game, however, had nothing to do with the scoreboard. With approximately three minutes to go in the game, OG Anunoby appeared to injure his right hamstring after coming down awkwardly on a dunk attempt that was rejected by Paul George. Seconds later he was seen holding the back of his right leg and noticeably limping as he signaled to the bench to come out of the game. He would not return. 

For the remainder of the night and well into the following day, Knicks fans anxiously waited for word about the severity of OG's injury, and more importantly, how long he would be sidelined. Nothing was riding on it, of course, except the entire season and the fate of the free world.

Then at 1:44 P.M. yesterday, Shams Charania of ESPN reported that Anunoby had been diagnosed with a right hamstring strain and was listed as day to day. Millions of Knicks fans across the tri-state area breathe a sigh of relief. No tear; just a strain. The worst had been avoided. The Knicks dodged a bullet. 

It cannot be overstated just how invaluable Anunoby is to this team's playoff hopes. How invaluable? During the regular season, OG missed 15 games; during that stretch, the Knicks went 8-7. In the postseason, Anunoby is shooting a team-high 61.9 percent from the field; 53.8 percent from three. He leads the Knicks with a +6.2 offensive net impact; KAT is next at +2.0. Among players remaining in the playoffs, Anunoby is second behind between Chet Holmgren in total leverage, which tracks scoring, shot creation, shot-blocking, rebounding and defense. He's tied with Brunson with a league-best +118.

Last November, I wrote a piece in which I made the argument that Anunoby is the "most indispensable player" on the Knicks. I've seen nothing since then that has contradicted that argument. Put succinctly, this team has no chance of getting to the finals, much less winning a championship without him. Hearing he'll be back soon is like Christmas in July, or in this case May. 

As for when that is, I think we can rule out games three and four. Mike Brown would be nuts to risk further injury to his star forward. In fact, if the Knicks gain a split in Philly and go up 3-1, we might not see him for the remainder of the series. But if the Sixers should win both games, OG could return for game five.

As for the adjustments Brown will have to make to his lineup, he could turn to Landry Shamet and Deuce McBride to take some of Anunoby's minutes. Mohamed Diawara is also an option. Leon Rose assembled one of the deepest rosters in the NBA. Now it's time to find out just how good a job he did.

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus; and he wears a Knicks jersey. 

Knicks Send a Message

I've been watching the Knicks for more than 50 years and I've never seen anything like this. Neither has the NBA, apparently. Since losing game three to the Atlanta Hawks 109-108, this team has undergone a metamorphosis that would make David Banner proud. They beat the Hawks 114-98, 126-97 and 140-89 to advance to the second round. They then pummeled the Philadelphia 76ers 137-98 to take a 1-0 lead. Four games, four wins, three blowouts, with a total point differential of +135. 

New York shot 48, 57, 59 and 63 percent respectively from the field in those four games. This postseason, Karl-Anthony Towns has two triple doubles, two double doubles and is averaging six assists per game; Jalen Brunson is averaging 27.6 points and 5.7 assists per game; and O.G. Anunoby is averaging 7.9 rebounds and 21 points per game on 63.7 percent shooting; 59.4 percent from three.

But even more impressive than the offensive output has been the commitment to defense. During this four-game win streak, the Knicks have not allowed an opponent to score 100 points against them once. Since the playoffs began, they have the top five plus / minus players: Brunson (+111), Anunoby (+106), Josh Hart (+105), Towns (+103) and Miles McBride (+85); the top five net rating players: McBride (30.5), Towns (24.9), Hart (22.6), Brunson (22.3) and Anunoby (20.6); and the second-best team defensive rating at 103.6. Philadelphia, incidentally, is 14th at 117.4.

The Sixers and their fans can rationalize all they want about what happened Monday night at the Garden as simply being a hangover from their emotional win against the Celtics in game seven. And if that had been a one-off, I might tend to agree. Trouble is, it wasn't. The reality is game one of this series looked eerily similar to game six of the last series, and that isn't good news for the city of brotherly love.

The Knicks are sending a message loud and clear, not just to the Sixers, but to every so-called "expert" who doubted them. And that message is, "Dismiss us at your own peril." This team isn't just having an historic run; it's clearly the best team in the Eastern Conference. Hell, the way they're playing, they might even be the best team in the league.

Hyperbole? I think not. Compare what the Knicks have done in these playoffs with what other teams in their conference have done. The Detroit Pistons had to come from 3-1 down to beat the 8th seed Orlando Magic; the Celtics blew a 3-1 lead to the 7th seed Sixers; and the Cleveland Cavaliers needed a full seven games to dispose of the 5th seed Toronto Raptors. All three of those teams, at one point or another during the regular season, had better odds of coming out of the East than the Knicks.

I thought going in that Philly would pose a huge matchup problem for New York, and just to be clear, this series is far from over;  they still could pose a matchup problem. But if game one is any indication, it's the Knicks that are posing the matchup problem for the Sixers. Joel Embiid is, without question, an offensive force in the paint. In the first half he drew three fouls a piece on Towns and Mitchell Robinson; a problem that coach Mike Brown said his team would need to address going forward. 

On the other end of the court, however, Embiid is about as useless as tits on a bull, and the Knicks know it. Brunson and KAT exposed his lack of mobility several times with the pick and roll. Look for that to continue as the series progresses. The more the Knicks make Embiid work defensively, the less effective he will be offensively. Did you see him at the end of the Boston series? The man looked gassed. And that's exactly what New York wants: a gassed and ineffective Embiid in the closing minutes of each game. 

Then there's the bench. I'll say it again: New York has the deepest roster of any team in the Eastern Conference. Embiid and Tyrese Maxey are undoubtedly superstars and deserving of praise, but the reason the Knicks have gone through their opponents like shit through a goose this postseason is because they're not a one or a two-man show. KAT and Brunson may garner most of the headlines, but Brown is getting contributions from every player in his lineup. This is not meant as a slight on Tom Thibodeau, but no way this team would be playing as well as it is if he were still coaching them. That should painfully obvious to all but the most ardent Thibs apologists.

I predicted before this series began that it would go seven games, and, who knows, it very well might. But the way New York is playing right now, I wouldn't be surprised if it gets wrapped up in six or five. Not because the Sixers are a bad team, but because the Knicks are that much better. 

That being said, some adjustments will have to be made before game two tonight, notably how they guard Embiid. Clearly Towns and Robinson are not the answer. The Knicks cannot afford to have their two big men in foul trouble by halftime, especially since it's unlikely that we'll see another blowout like we saw in game one. If I were Brown, I'd put Anunoby on Embiid. Two years ago, both he and Precious Achiuwa did a pretty effective job on him. The best way to prevent Embiid from being a one-man wrecking crew is to keep him on the perimeter. Waiting until he gets to the top of the key with the ball is too late.

If the Knicks can "contain Embiid," as I wrote in my preview, and if they continue to defend the way they've been doing so far in these playoffs, they'll advance to their second consecutive conference finals. It's just a matter of when, not if.

P.S.: Less than an hour after this piece was published, ESPN's Shams Charania reported that Joel Embiid has been ruled out for game two tonight at the Garden. There is absolutely no excuse for the Knicks not going up 2-0 in the series.

Knicks Playoff Preview (Round Two)

Before I get to the Knicks, I wanted to talk a little bit about the Boston Celtics. For the second season in a row, the darlings of the East were eliminated in a series they were favored in. Last year it was the Knicks; this year it was the Philadelphia 76ers. This loss was particularly egregious because Boston had a 3-1 lead. But like last year, the over-reliance on the three pointer proved to be their Waterloo. Over the last three games of the series, the Celtics shot under 30 percent from downtown. I've said it before and I'll say it again: this is a flawed team that is given way too much credit for a playoff run they had two years ago when everything went their way. Unless changes are made to their offensive approach they will never get to another conference final, much less win another title.

Now onto the Knicks. To say I was rooting for Boston would be putting it mildly. Leon Rose built this roster specifically to beat the Celtics, and while I think it is certainly capable of beating the Sixers, it will be more difficult. 

The keys for the Knicks will be as follows:

1. Contain Embiid. There's nothing the Knicks can do to stop Tyrese Maxey; he's going to get his points. But Maxey alone won't be enough for the Sixers to advance. That's where Joel Embiid comes in. Two years ago, he basically played on one leg and still managed to average 33 points and 10.8 rebounds per game. The Knicks have to find a way to contain him or they will lose this series.

2. KAT and Brunson have to lead the way. In the last three games of the Atlanta series, this duo finally found their stride, and the results spoke for themselves. Karl-Anthony Towns had 26 assists and two triple doubles while Jalen Brunson averaged 25 points primarily playing off the ball. Both will have to continue to lead this team for New York to advance.

3. Brown has to utilize his bench. Philly has an imposing starting five, but their bench consists of Quentin Grimes and three guys named Moe, Larry and Curley. So thin is the Sixers bench that Nick Nurse was forced to play Maxey, Paul George and VJ Edgecombe each more than 40 minutes in game seven against the Celtics. Even Embiid played 39 minutes. There is no way they can sustain that kind of usage, especially Embiid who was limited to 38 games this season. Unlike his predecessor Tom Thibodeau, Mike Brown will likely go with a ten-man rotation, which means his starters will be have plenty left in the tank late in games. I expect Jose Alvarado, Deuce McBride, Jordan Clarkson, Landry Shamet and Mitchell Robinson will get significant playing time. The longer this series goes on, the more it favors the Knicks.

4. Don't throw away games. The Sixers are more than capable of winning games on their own merit. They don't need any help from a Knicks team that against the Hawks fell asleep in the fourth quarter of game two and got off to slow start in the first quarter of game three. Whatever switch this team flipped in game four needs to stay open. If they throw away any games in this series, they will be going home.

While the Knicks have the home-court advantage in this series, that might not mean as much as you think. That's because both teams closed out their respective series on the road and both are more than capable of winning in each other's buildings. Two years ago, the Knicks blew a chance to clinch at home and were forced to do so in Philly. Don't think for a minute if the shoe were on the other foot that the Sixers couldn't return the favor. This promises to be the most hotly contested series of the second round.

In the end, the Knicks bench will be the determining factor in this series. Rose has constructed a solid roster that is as deep as it is talented. New York in seven. 

And now for the other series.

Eastern Conference:

Detroit over Cleveland in six. The Pistons were pushed to a seventh game by the Magic, but while the Cavs can score, their reluctance to play defense will be their undoing in this series.

Western Conference: 

Oklahoma City over Los Angeles in five. The Lakers took advantage of a flawed Rockets team in round one. The Thunder have no flaws.

San Antonio over Minnesota in six. If Anthony Edwards were available I might take the T-Wolves. Unfortunately he's not.

If the Knicks advance, I'll preview the third round. If not, my pick to win it all is OKC. 

Enjoy the ride, people.

Knicks Take Care of Business in Atlanta

Early in the first quarter of game six, the Atlanta Hawks, who were facing elimination, led the New York Knicks 9-5. If you were anything like me you were probably muttering to yourself, "Great, I guess we're going to have a game seven at Madison Square Garden after all."

Fortunately for us Debbie Downers, the Knicks had other plans. They outscored the Hawks 35-6 the rest of the quarter and 43-21 in the second to take a commanding 83-36 lead into the locker room. It was the most dominant half of playoff basketball in the history of the NBA. 

And the Knicks didn't stop there. They kept their foot on the gas in the second half and increased their lead to 117-64 going into the fourth. When it was all over, the Knicks routed the Hawks 140-89. It was the third largest margin of victory in a close out game in the play-by-play era.

To be honest, I thought New York would win this series in six, but never in my wildest dreams did I think they'd put that kind of ass whoopin' on them. The Knicks outscored the Hawks 380-284 over the last three games. The last time the city of Atlanta was that badly destroyed, Sherman set it on fire. 

So how did the Knicks do it? How did they go from losing games two and three by a single point to completely dominating games four, five and six? And make no mistake about it, this was domination in the strictest sense of the word. The Knicks margin of victory over the Hawks in this series was 105 points. To put that into perspective, the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder's margin of victory over the Phoenix Suns was just 69 points. And the Thunder swept their series, mind you.

Defense was the key. In these playoffs, the Knicks have the second best defensive rating at 103.9. Only the Detroit Pistons, at 102.9, are better. This turnaround didn't begin once the postseason started; it began on January 21 with a 120-66 mauling of the Brooklyn Nets. Since then, New York's defensive rating has been the second best in the NBA.

But the biggest reason for the Knicks success lies with Mike Brown. After game three, he made the adjustments that finally unleashed this offense. Jalen Brunson got Karl-Anthony Towns involved and KAT, for his part, became the distributor in chief; a point center, if you will. Over the last three games, Towns had two triple doubles and 26 assists. Only Nicola Jokic averaged more assists, and his team was eliminated by the Minnesota Timberwolves.

I said this playoff series was a microcosm of the Knicks regular season, and it turned out to be that way. When their offense clicked, they looked like a team that couldn't be stopped; when it stalled, they looked like a team that couldn't get out of its own way. And therein lies the paradox, and the challenge. Whoever they play in the second round, they must remember what they did right in this series and carry it over into the next if they want to advance.

As for who they play, we'll know that soon enough. The Philadelphia 76ers forced a game seven against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden Saturday night. If the Sixers win, the Knicks will have home court; if the Celtics win, they'll open on the road.

If I were the Knicks, I'd much rather play Boston. With the Celtics you know what you're getting: a team that lives and dies with the three pointer. When they go in, they win; when they don't, they lose. In the three games the Celtics have won in this series they've shot over 35 percent from beyond the arc; in the three games they've lost, they shot under 30 percent from there.

Philadelphia, on the other hand, presents all kinds of matchup problems for New York, starting with their center Joel Embiid. The Sixers are 24-14 when Embiid plays; 21-23 when he doesn't. Two years ago when the Knicks beat the Sixers, Embiid, was injured and the Knicks still struggled to contain him. This postseason, he appears to be fully recovered after having surgery to remove his appendix. Playing alongside Tyrese Maxey, the most underrated guard in the league, Philly could definitely win.

The way I see it, Leon Rose built this roster specifically to beat the Celtics. With OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges on the wing, New York would have the advantage over Boston. Against Philly, it's anybody's guess who would prevail.

Typically, I don't like projecting ahead. After all, the Hawks thought the Knicks would be an easier team to beat and look what happened to them. All I'm saying is when you look at both teams objectively, the Sixers scare me; the Celtics not so much.

Knicks Need To Treat This Game As a Must Win

Generally speaking, I hate the term must win; it's the most overused and abused term in sports. For the record, the only "must wins" are elimination games, when losing means your season is over. I'm making an exception in this case. Game five against the Atlanta Hawks is a must win for the New York Knicks.

No, the Knicks season will not be over if they lose tonight at the Garden, and yes, they are more than capable of beating the Hawks in Atlanta in game six and closing them out in their building in game seven. But why on Earth would the Knicks want to subject themselves to that kind of pressure?

To be clear, the Knicks have been the better team in this series. They've played a total of two bad quarters - the 4th in game two and the 1st in game three. But that was enough to lose both games by one point a piece. In the two wins, New York has outscored Atlanta by a combined 27 points. You could make the argument that had they not taken their foot off the gas in game two and not gotten off to such a slow start in game three, the Knicks would now be awaiting the winner of the Celtics / Sixers series. 

Unfortunately that didn't happen, and here we are tied at two. In many respects, this series has been a microcosm of the Knicks season. One minute hot, the next cold. It's amazing to think that the same team that routed the Nuggets in Denver barely beat the Nets in Brooklyn. They have been the ultimate enigma for a fanbase that has often times been frustrated by the lack of consistency on the court. 

And that is why it is absolutely imperative that the Knicks not fall behind 3-2 going back to Atlanta. Even with all their talent and resolve, there is no guarantee that they would force a game seven. And should they lose this series, it will be a very long offseason for this team, I can assure you. Mike Brown will almost certainly be fired and Leon Rose would be forced to make some drastic changes to the roster. To put it another way, the Knicks aren't just fighting to beat the Hawks; they're fighting to stay together as a core.

So how do they accomplish both? By remembering what they did right in game four. I wrote at the start of the series that the Knicks had to get Karl-Anthony Towns involved. They did so in game one and most of game two. But then they forgot about their big man in the 4th quarter of game two and the Hawks mounted a comeback. The Knicks recovered from a slow start in game three to take a three-point lead but couldn't hold it because, once again, they didn't go to KAT when it counted. Jalen Brunson turned the ball over in the closing seconds and that was that.

In game four, however, the Knicks put on a clinic. It was one of their better games of the season. They started strong and they finished strong. Towns was, by far, the best player on the court, recording the fourth playoff triple double in franchise history. He had plenty of help. O.G. Anunoby had a game-high 22 points and 10 rebounds, while Brunson and Deuce McBride chipped in 19 and 11 points respectively. As a team, the Knicks had 23 assists, and led for 94 percent of the game. But perhaps the most important stat was that New York did not allow Atlanta a single fast-break point through three quarters. 

The Knicks need to bottle that performance and bring it with them to the Garden tonight. Every chance they get they need to put the ball in KAT's hands and let him do his thing. Because when they've done that, when they've let KAT be KAT, the Hawks have had no answer for him. None. I've heard of mismatches, but this one takes the cake. Mike Brown has to make it abundantly clear to his captain that in this series, he needs to defer to his center. It doesn't mean Brunson can't contribute; he did, after all, have 19 points in the last game. But the fact is the Knicks offense is more fluid and diverse when he plays off the ball, and conversely, it grows stagnant when he hogs the ball.

So, to sum up. The Knicks need to get off to a fast start, they need to get the ball to their big guy, and they need to keep their foot on the accelerator. If they do those things, they'll be one step closer to a rematch with the Celtics; if they don't, they'll be one step closer to the most disappointing playoff defeat since the last time they lost to the Hawks in 2021.

We all remember how that felt.

64-2

For seven quarters, the New York Knicks had the Atlanta Hawks right where they wanted them. They had beaten them in game one of their best of seven series 113-102, and led them 91-79 going into the fourth quarter of game two. They were on the verge of going up 2-0. Outside the Garden, the fans were chanting "We want Boston," in anticipation of what looked like a four-game sweep. And then everything came crashing down. Atlanta outscored New York 28-15 over the final 12 minutes to eke out a narrow one-point win.

It was a devastating loss to a team many, myself included, thought would be a very tough opponent. Going into last night's game, the Knicks were 64-1 in the playoffs when taking a double-digit lead into the fourth quarter. Make that 64-2.

How could this have happen? How did a team as experienced as the Knicks unravel against a team that was making its first appearance in the postseason in seven years?

There was a lot of blame to go around, starting with:

1. Mike Brown: For 11 minutes, Brown inexplicably took his two best scorers - Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns - both out of the game, and went with a lineup that consisted primarily of Jose Alvarado, Jordan Clarkson, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby and Mitchell Robinson. During that span, the Knicks were outscored by seven points. In another bizarre move, Brown elected to call a timeout with 2:43 left in the fourth quarter and New York in possession, leading 100-99. Brunson was driving to the basket when the whistle blew. That timeout would come back to haunt the Knicks as they were unable to stop the clock with 5.6 seconds left in the game, forcing Bridges to take a last second desperation shot that hit the rim and bounced away.

2. The Bench: Apart from Robinson (13 points and 7 rebounds) and Clarkson (7 and 5), the bench was MIA. Alvarado, Deuce McBride and Landry Shamet were a combined 0-7. McBride's performance was particularly disappointing, as the Knicks are counting on him to be the primary scorer off the bench. At least Alvarado was a plus 5; everyone else was a minus, including Robinson, who was a team-high minus 10.

3. Free Throws: After going 25-30 (83%) from the free throw line in game one, the Knicks went 17-27 (63%) in game two. Anunoby missed two critical free throws late in the fourth that could've given his team the win. The Knicks are not going to beat the Hawks missing that many free throws.

4. Jalen Brunson: I wrote before the series began that for the Knicks to advance Brunson could not be the only scorer on the team. And for the first three quarters of last night's game, the Captain was a ball distributer, assisting on seven baskets. But then in the fourth quarter, he became a ball hogger. Towns, who scored 14 points in the third quarter, took only two shots in the fourth. The Knicks offense stalled and had their worst output of the season.

The good news is that all four of these issues can and will be addressed going forward. Brown, hopefully, will not sit both Brunson and KAT at the same time, and will use his timeouts more judiciously; the bench, especially McBride, won't be so anemic; the Knicks will do much better from the free-throw line; and Brunson will get the ball to KAT instead of trying to win the game on his own. More good news: despite their fourth-quarter collapse last night, the Knicks are defending very well in this series. Their defensive rating of 108.7 is eighth among the 16 teams in the postseason. Atlanta, by comparison, is 10th. The Knicks did not lose because of their defense; they lost because of their offense, or lack thereof.

Which leads me to the bad news. Thanks to their malpractice, the Hawks now have the home-court advantage as they head back to Atlanta for the next two games, where they are 17-4 over the second half of the season. That means New York will have its work cut out for it trying to get a split. 

This is what happens when you don't take care of business; you give your opponent a lifeline. The Knicks could've had a stranglehold on this series; instead, they're in for the fight of their lives.

A fight they could well end up losing. 

Knicks Playoff Preview (Round One)

For the fourth season in a row, the New York Knicks are in the playoffs; and for the third season in a row, they've won at least 50 games. Without question, this is the best team since the one Pat Riley took to the finals in 1994.

And like that '94 team that didn't have to face Michael Jordan, this Knicks team was the prohibitive favorite to come out of the East going into the season. That's because both Tyrese Haliburton and Jayson Tatum suffered Achilles injuries and were presumed out for at least a year.

Well, a funny thing happened. While Haliburton never came back, Tatum did, making a Boston Celtics team that was already having a surprisingly good year without him an even more imposing threat. As if that wasn't bad enough, the Detroit Pistons, the team the Knicks beat in the first round last year, came out of nowhere to win 60 games. Oh, and I almost forget to mention that the Atlanta Hawks, who went 21-9 over the last 30 games, deliberately tanked their last game so they could fall to the 6th seed and play the Knicks in the first round.

So much for a glide path to the finals. If this Knicks team is going to win its first championship since 1973, it is going to have to do so while going through a gauntlet that would make walking through a mine field seem like a stroll through the park.

The good news is that they should have more in the tank than last year's team. Under Mike Brown, the starters averaged roughly three minutes less per game than they did under Tom Thibodeau. More good news: from January 21, only the Oklahoma City Thunder had a better defensive rating than New York: 109.1 to 109.4. For the season, the Knicks were a league-best +11.7 in the fourth quarter, the highest ever recorded in the modern play-by-play era. Over the last three postseasons, Jalen Brunson has more 40 point playoff games (8) than Nikola Jokic (6) or Anthony Edwards (5); and Karl-Anthony Towns had more double doubles this season (56) than Jokic (55).

Now the bad news? The Knicks two best scorers (Brunson and KAT) also happen to be their two worst defenders. And while this year's team is better than the one that went to Eastern Conference finals last year, it has also been plagued by inconsistencies. The same team that routed the Nuggets in Denver also barely survived the Nets in Brooklyn. I have written about this several times and it bears repeating: the Knicks are capable of going all the way to the finals; they're also capable of being ousted in the first round. And the most frustrating thing about them is that you don't know which team will show up Saturday night at the Garden.

Notwithstanding those concerns, what are the keys to the Knicks beating the Hawks? It comes down to three.

1. Get KAT involved early and often. As good as the Hawks were in the second half, they have no one who can guard Towns in the paint. The Knicks must get the ball to him, no excuses. He is capable of dominating this series. 20 plus points and 14-15 rebounds per game is a must for New York to advance. 

2. Control the boards. It's no secret that when the Knicks win it's usually because they out-rebound their opponents, particularly on the offensive glass, and this leads to second or third shot attempts. This is where Mitchell Robinson factors in. I expect Brown to play him and Towns together on the court, especially in the fourth quarter. If New York controls the boards, they will win this series.

3. Don't let Brunson shoulder all the load. While there's no doubt Brunson will be the best Knick in the series, he can't beat the Hawks all by himself. Other players, like Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, Josh Hart and Deuce McBride will have to step up and contribute on the score sheet. The Knicks averaged 27.4 assists per game this season; to beat the Hawks, they are going to have to meet or exceed that average.

In case you haven't noticed, the Knicks have a history of drawing tough first-round opponents in the Leon Rose era: The Cavaliers in '23, the Sixers in '24 and the Pistons last year. The Hawks are no exception. Contrary to what many in the fanbase are saying, this will not be a quick series, or an easy one. They won't say it publicly, but to a man the Knicks would much rather have played the Toronto Raptors.

That being said, the Knicks, if they bring their A game, should dispense with Atlanta. If they don't, heads will roll. New York in six.

Here's how I see the rest of the first-round matchups going:

Eastern Conference: 

Detroit over Orlando in five. The Magic bludgeoned a flawed Hornets team in the Play-In just for the privilege of playing the Pistons.

Boston over Philadelphia in five. Even with a healthy Joel Embiid this would've been a heavy lift for the Sixers. Without him, it's impossible.

Cleveland over Toronto in five. The Raptors caught a break when the Hawks tanked in their last game. It won't make enough of a difference against the Cavs.

Western Conference:

OKC over Phoenix in five. The Thunder needed an easy first round opponent to defend their title. They got one in the Suns.

San Antonio over Portland in six. I'm probably giving the Trail Blazers more credit than they deserve, or maybe it's because this is the first postseason for the Spurs in seven years.

Denver over Minnesota in six. I know the Ant Man has historically done well against the Joker, but there's something about this Nuggets team that makes me think this could be their year. Plus, I have them in the finals against the Knicks.

Houston over Los Angeles in five. This would've been a great series if Luka and Austin Reaves had been healthy. Without them, the Lakers are toast.

As in past years, if the Knicks advance, I'll preview the second round. If they don't, my pick is the Nuggets to win it all. 

Ya Gotta Have Hart

Don't let the Debbie Downers spoil the moment for you. Last night's game between the New York Knicks and the Boston Celtics at the Garden was huge, and not because of playoff seeding. Barring a miracle, the Cleveland Cavaliers have pretty much resigned themselves to a fourth place finish in the Eastern Conference, all but guaranteeing the Knicks and Celtics will meet in the second round; assuming, that is, both teams beat their respective first-round opponents. 

It was huge because this team, which has been the sports equivalent of Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde most of the season, badly needed a statement win before going into the playoffs. And they got one. By beating the Celtics 112-106, the Knicks won the season series 3-1 and improved their record against teams with winning records to 29-22; last season, they were 0-4 and 12-22 respectively.

The difference isn't just in the won / loss column. Since January 21, the Knicks have the third best defensive rating in the league at 109.3. Last season, it was 11th best at 114.3. This season, they have a fourth quarter point differential of plus 236; last season, it was minus 82. Some of their wins have been epic: 114-89 over the Spurs and 142-103 over the Nuggets, while others have been pedestrian: 93-92 over the Nets and 110-107 over a depleted Warriors team. I've heard of keeping your powder dry, but this is ridiculous.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: if the team that throttled the Spurs and Nuggets shows up in the playoffs, they'll make it to the conference finals, maybe even the league finals. But if the team that squeaked by the Nets and Warriors shows up in the playoffs, they'll go out in the first round. Now you know what I mean by Jekyll and Hyde. They're either ascending to the top of Mount Everest or they're sinking to the bottom of the Mariana Trench. There's no in-between. And the scary part is that on paper, only the Oklahoma City Thunder are deeper and more talented.

That's why these wins against teams like the Celtics are so crucial. The Knicks have a habit of playing up to or down to the level of their opponents, and beating a playoff-bound team that many are picking to win the East will do wonders for their psyche.

Last night it was Josh Hart who was the hero. He scored 23 of his game-high 26 points in the second half - including two three pointers in the closing minute - to propel his team to victory. To quote Stefan Bondy, "The Celtics dared Josh Hart to beat them. He obliged." But as clutch as Hart was, he had help. Jalen Brunson had one of his better games of the season with 25 points and 10 assists, while Karl-Anthony Towns scored seven of his 16 points in the fourth quarter. It is essential that these two players work well together for the Knicks to have any hope of a deep playoff run.

Overall, New York outscored Boston 46-32 in the paint, and outshot them 54-45 percent from the field and 43-37 from three-point range. They also had a season-low seven turnovers to the Celtics 11. The only stat line they struggled with was on the boards, where the Celtics out rebounded them 42-30. As for Jalen Brown not being dressed, you play against the team that's on the court. If we're going to start qualifying Knicks wins, what about all those games Brunson, Towns, or Hart missed that the Knicks lost? Can we award them a couple more wins for being shorthanded? The bottom line is if a team can't win without its best player in the lineup, it doesn't deserve to be called a contender. 

Anyway, it was a win; an important win. And that's all that matters. 

Knicks Move On From Thibs

After the New York Knicks lost to the Indiana Pacers in last year's playoffs, I wrote that their future "looked bright." And it certainly appeared that way. A team decimated by injuries still managed to get to a game seven before finally succumbing to the inevitable. One could certainly be excused for being optimistic about the 2024-25 season. And with the offseason moves Leon Rose made, the consensus was that this franchise was on the verge of achieving something great; something it hadn't achieved since 1973: a title.

But even though this season's roster was more talented than last season's, the toughness and resiliency that had come to define past Tom Thibodeau teams was missing. The Knicks were among the worst teams in the NBA when it came to defending the perimeter. Opponents shot 36.7 percent from three against them. Only the Phoenix Suns (37 percent), Atlanta Hawks (37.7 percent), Philadelphia 76ers (37.8 percent) and Sacramento Kings (38.1 percent) were more porous from beyond the arc.

It was frustrating to watch a team as gifted offensively as the Knicks were be so inept defensively. Was it a matter of chemistry? Perhaps. After all, making two significant trades the way Rose did - the latter coming literally as training camp was beginning - could have upset the apple cart, I suppose. Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo were very popular players in that locker room; losing them no doubt hurt. Indeed, it looked as if this roster had been thrown together in the hopes it would somehow be able to figure it out.

And at times it appeared as though it had. The Knicks went 12-2 in the month of December to improve their record to 23-10. But only one of those wins came against a playoff team. In January and February, the Knicks went a collective 16-10, but were 0-4 against teams ahead of them in the standings. Further, the manner in which the Knicks lost those games was disconcerting, to say the least. They were competitive in only one of them. During the regular season, the Knicks went 0-10 versus the Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers and Oklahoma City Thunder. Not a very good sign for a team with championship aspirations. Despite finishing 51-31, it was obvious to even the most casual observer that this was a flawed team.

Going into this year's playoffs, I thought the Knicks, at the very least, had to beat the Detroit Pistons for Thibs to keep his job. But when they upset the Celtics in six, I naturally assumed he was safe. Obviously, I was wrong. The fact is, despite their woeful record against Boston during the regular season, the Knicks were built with the expressed purpose of dethroning the champs. And that is precisely what happened. Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns both had the series of a lifetime, especially Bridges who literally stole games one and two in Boston with his defense.

But against the Pacers, the Knicks were always a step behind, and not just physically. Throughout the series, Rick Carlisle thoroughly out-coached Thibs, who was late making adjustments, and at times reluctant to make substitutions. After dropping the first two games at the Garden, he finally tinkered with his lineup, inserting Landry Shamet and Delon Wright into the rotation. The result was a badly-needed win and a chance to get even in the series. But then Carlisle made his adjustments and just like that the Knicks were on the brink of elimination. They forced a game six, but couldn't will a game seven. In the end, Indiana exposed every flaw in their game. While Thibs was playing checkers, Carlisle was playing chess.

In the executive offices at 4 Penn Plaza, Rose clearly did not like what he saw. Either this team - the one he assembled through a series of trades and signings - wasn't good enough or it simply wasn't being coached well enough. To quote Sherlock Holmes, "When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth." Rose knew it couldn't be the former, so he concluded it had to be the latter.

It is an axiom in sports that you coach the team you have, not the one you wish you had. It was clear from day one that the makeup of this roster clashed with the way Thibs preferred to coach. In short, this was never his team. And unless this is your first day on planet Earth, you have to know that whenever a coach and a GM butt heads over player personnel, it is always the coach who loses.

So now Rose, in addition to fortifying a roster he believes is a contender, will be looking for a new head coach. It won't be easy. Coaches that guide their teams to back-to-back 50 win seasons don't grow on trees. Whoever he picks will have the unenviable task of winning over a core that to a man loved Thibs. Jalen Brunson, in particular, will be a hard sale. I can't imagine Rose made this move without at least giving his captain a heads up.

One potential candidate is already on staff. Rick Brunson - Jalen's father - has been an assistant coach with the Knicks since the 2022-23 season. He knows the roster inside out, and from what little we know of him, he won't make the one mistake Thibs kept making over and over during his tenure: driving this team into the ground. The fact is Knick starters had considerably more minutes on the court than any other team this season. In the clincher against the Celtics, the Knicks were up 35 with less than six minutes to go and Thibs still hadn't put his bench players in. There is simply no excuse for that happening. None.

Now for the sixty-four thousand dollar question: What role, if any, did James Dolan play in this? While there's no evidence that he ordered the firing, it's inconceivable that he wasn't consulted on it, especially given that the Knicks will owe Thibs $30 million to NOT coach the team next season. You don't give away that much money without getting the owner's blessing.

Just to be clear, the Knicks did not fire Red Auerbach; they fired a coach whose stubbornness walked hand-in-hand with his work ethic. Yes, he brought back a culture of winning, but this team was probably not going to win a championship under him. Rose did what he had to do.

So, the Tom Thibodeau era has officially come to an end in New York. 

Knicks fans await to see who his successor will be.

The Three Things Knicks Must Do To Get To a Game Seven

With their backs up against the wall and facing elimination, the New York Knicks took to the court Thursday night at Madison Square Garden, and in front of 19,812 screaming, loyal fans, played their best game of the postseason, dominating the Indian Pacers from the opening tip-off to the final buzzer, en route to a 111-94 victory.

Jalen Brunson - AKA, Mr. Clutch - led all scorers with 32 points, while Karl-Anthony Towns - playing with a bad knee - dominated in the paint with 24 points and 13 rebounds.

But just like in the fourth quarter of game three, there were plenty of heroes for the men in orange and blue, starting with the head coach. Tom Thibodeau went with an unprecedented ten-man rotation. This meant the starters weren't gassed in the closing minutes of the game. Not one Knick logged more than 36 minutes.

Landry Shamet and Delon Wright continued to impress coming off the bench, as did Precious Achiuwa, who has appeared in only nine of the Knicks 17 playoff games. All three were plusses on the night. 

But the biggest reason this series is going back to Indiana for a game six was the New York defense, which was, in a word, incredible. The Knicks forced the Pacers into a half-court offense, something they don't thrive in. Tyrese Haliburton, who had quite possibly his best game as a Pacer in game four, had a defender on him every time he touched the ball. Indeed, every Pacer was guarded closely throughout the game. It's the first time we've seen the Knicks this aggressive on defense all season, and it worked. 

Before the start of the Eastern Conference finals, I wrote that if this series became a track meet, the Knicks would lose; if it became more of a half-court series, the Knicks would win. Well the Knicks finally got the memo in game five.

So what do the Knicks have to do tonight to force a game seven back at the Garden?

1. Dictate the pace. Rick Carlisle will make adjustments, just as he has done throughout the series, but it still comes down to which team controls the tempo. The Pacers will want to run and gun; the Knicks must remain disciplined and not allow them to. Brian Windhorst of ESPN put it this way. If the score is 26-24 after one, regardless of who is ahead, that bodes well for the Knicks; if the score is 38-35, that bodes well for the Pacers. In other words, if it's a high-scoring game, the Knicks will likely be eliminated. 

2. Defend, defend, defend. The best way to control the tempo of this game is to make Indiana work for every basket it gets. That means that Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby have to guard Haliburton and Pascal Siakam like their lives depend on it. No wide-open three-point attempts like the Pacers had in games one, two and four. Every shot has to be contested, no exceptions.

3. KAT has to continue to dominate in the paint. When Towns has played at his best, the Pacers have had no answers for him. Myles Turner tries, but he's badly outclassed. Indeed, it seems the only one capable of stopping Towns is Towns himself. With the Knicks leading 72-52 halfway through the third quarter in game five, KAT picked up his fourth foul, forcing Thibs to pull him, which led to a 12-2 run by Indiana. He has to be smarter than that in game six for the Knicks to survive.

Now it's entirely possible the Knicks could do all this and still lose the game. As I wrote in my preview, this is an excellent Pacers team. Since January 1, they have the fourth best record in the NBA. You don't accomplish that just by beating scrub teams.

But one thing is certain: if the Knicks fail to do the above, their season will be over.

You can take that to the bank.

Knicks Half Way Home

In the end, it wasn’t close. The New York Knicks, who needed fourth quarter comebacks in games one, two and four, left nothing to chance in game six. They dominated the Boston Celtics pretty much from the opening tip-off, en-route to a series-clinching 119-81 victory Friday night at Madison Square Garden. It was, by far, their most complete game in these playoffs.

Every starter was in double digits, with Josh Hart recording a triple double. Jalen Brunson led all Knicks with 23 points, while Karl-Anthony Towns scored 21 and grabbed a team-high twelve rebounds. The win catapulted New York into the Eastern Conference finals for the first time since 2000; it was also the first time since 1999 that the Knicks clinched a best of seven series on their home court.

The off-season acquisitions of Mikal Bridges and Towns - often criticized during regular season - have given this franchise its best starting five since the Pat Riley / Jeff Van Gundy era.  If this is what Leon Rose envisioned over the summer when he gave up five first-round picks, Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo, then he has been vindicated, at least for the moment.

But it was the return of Mitchell Robinson from a left ankle injury at the end of February that seems to have had the biggest impact on this team's fortunes. The 7-0 center has vastly improved the Knicks rim defense. Against the Celtics, New York was a plus 46 when Robinson was on the court versus a minus 43 when he was off. Imagine how many more regular season wins the Knicks might have had if Robinson had been healthy all year. Indeed, the best decision Rose appears to have made was not unloading him at the trade deadline for a depth scorer. Had he done so, the Knicks would probably be on the golf course right now.

I'd be lying if I said I saw this coming. My heart may have said Knicks in seven, but my head said Celtics in five. Given how many times my heart has been broken over the years, I had every reason to expect a quick and decisive loss for the men in orange and blue.

To quote a well-known scripture verse,  "O ye of little faith."

In my defense, though, I was hardly alone. Even an incurable optimist would've had a hard time believing the Knicks were capable of beating the Celtics in the playoffs, given they were 0-4 against them during the regular season, and only one of those losses was competitive. That most of the sports writers and talking heads had Boston winning in four or five games was less about an anti-New York bias than it was about an objective, sober analysis of where both teams were. The overwhelming view was that the Knicks were a very good team that was still a year or two away from challenging for the title.

But then a switch was thrown and logic went out the window. The fact is these are no longer the same Knicks who struggled during the regular season against the elite teams in the league. They have a swagger about them that is eerily familiar to those '90s teams. The resiliency that was missing most of the season, and which defined last year's team, is back with a vengeance. They believe in themselves, and they feel they are never out of a game, as evidenced by the fact that they've come-from-behind in six of their eight postseason wins.

And now they are eight wins away from their first NBA championship since 1973.

52 years! God, when you say it like that, it sounds like an eternity. That's because it is. Think about it: 90 percent of the fans who showed up outside the Garden to celebrate the Knicks win over the Celtics probably weren't alive in 1973. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if a third of them weren't around when they last went to the finals in '99. When I tell people I remember Clyde Frazier, Earl Monroe, Willis Reed and Dave DeBusschere, I'm not bragging; I'm just showing my gratitude for having had the opportunity to see such greatness in my lifetime.

And now all of us have the opportunity to see such greatness right before our very eyes. There is something special about this Tom Thibodeau-coached team; I can feel it. Every once in a while the basketball gods shower their favor upon a team. Don't get me wrong: I am not predicting a championship. Knowing my luck, that would be the kiss of death. What I am saying is that if the Knicks play the Indiana Pacers like they did the Celtics in game six, I like their chances. A lot.

This much is certain: the next time my head contradicts my heart, I'll tell it to go fuck itself!

Knicks Need To Wake Up!

It's generally accepted that when the Boston Celtics are fully healthy, they’re damn near impossible to defend against. With Jason Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Derrick White and Kristaps Porzingis, they can spread the floor better than any team in the NBA. When you add the likely sixth man of the year award winner Payton Pritchard to the mix you can see why they won 61 games this season, and why they went 16-3 last season in the playoffs. Yes, they're that good.

But with Tatum out and Porzingis not remotely close to being himself, they have only two legit scoring threats on the court: Brown and White. In theory, this should make them easier to defend against, right? 

So much for theory. The Celtics, facing elimination, routed the Knicks Wednesday night 127-102 to force a game six Friday night at Madison Square Garden. Brown had 26 points and 12 assists, while White led all scorers with 34 points. 

Meanwhile, Jalen Brunson had his worst game as a Knick, picking up five personal fouls in the third quarter and fouling out in the fourth; OG Anunoby went 1-12 overall from the field; and Karl-Anthony Towns got into early foul trouble and ended up playing only 29 minutes in the game. The only bright spot was Mitchell Robinson, who actually went 6-6 from the free-throw line.

Frankly, I'm at a loss to explain what happened here. New York, with a chance to wrap up the series and advance to its first conference finals appearance in 25 years, had a horrific second half, getting outscored by the Celtics 68-43. Every Knick was a minus for the game. 

Surely they had to have known which two players on the Celtics were going to have to carry the load offensively. And yet on virtually every Boston possession, both Williams and White were so alone, they could've sent out for a pizza. Did the Knicks really believe the Celtics would just roll over and die? The total lack of urgency on their end was stunning to behold.

And now the Knicks, who haven't won a best of seven series on their own court since 1999, will have to close out the defending champs Friday night or face the very real prospect of being only the 14th team in NBA history to blow a series after leading 3-1. 

Don't kid yourself. While game six is not technically a must win for the Knicks, losing it would mean a game seven in Boston, where the Celtics, even without Tatum, would be the overwhelming favorites to move on.

So how do the Knicks keep that from happening?

It starts with defense. New York did a terrible job communicating as a team, especially in its own zone. The result was missed coverages that led to wide open three point attempts. That cannot continue in game six. The Knicks have to force Williams and White into contested shots; they have to be on them like white on rice. Waiting until they get the ball in their hands is too late.

Brunson and Towns have to be the best players on the court. While it's highly unlikely that Brunson will repeat his brutal game-five performance, he needs to be that clutch player who clinched the series against the Pistons and led his team to victory in game four of this series. As for Towns, he's been hot and cold in these playoffs. He needs to assert himself more in the paint and avoid early foul trouble. There's no way a third-string center should ever dominate someone with his ability.

Bring a sense of urgency for a full 48 minutes, not just the last twelve. The Knicks need to treat game six like it's game seven. From the opening tip off to the final buzzer, they need to outwork the Celtics, who will, once more, be looking to stay alive. That means they need to fight for every loose ball, avoid costly turnovers and get back on defense when the shot doesn't go in. Remember, Boston is still shorthanded. New York needs to exploit that to its advantage.

If the Knicks play their best basketball; if they play hard the entire game, they should prevail. If they don't; if they blow this series against the Celtics, they will have no one but themselves to blame. 

Knicks Making Believers Out of Non-Believers

After Saturday afternoon's rather underwhelming effort by the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden, the prevailing sentiment by the "experts" was that even though the Boston Celtics still trailed 2-1, they had taken control of the series and were now favored to wrap it up in six.

There was only one small problem: the Knicks never got the memo. They came out Monday night with their best performance of the postseason, beating the Celtics 121-113 to take a 3-1 lead and a stranglehold on the series.

Indeed, except for the last minute and a half of the first quarter in which the Celtics hit four consecutive three-pointers to take a 39-28 lead, the Knicks were the better team on the court for most of the night. Unlike the first two games in Boston, the men in orange and blue did not wait for the fourth quarter to mount their comeback. They began it with 9:05 left in the third, trailing 72-58.

And just as he has done throughout these playoffs, Jalen Brunson led the way for his teammates. He scored 26 points in the second half, 18 in the third quarter. Overall he finished with 39 for the Knicks. But he was not the only hero for the home team. OG Anunoby (20), Mikal Bridges (23) and Karl-Anthony Towns (23) each answered the bell, as well. It was, by far, the most balanced scoring attack the Knicks have had in this series. New York outscored Boston 70-51 in the second half.

To paraphrase Jerry Garcia, what a long, strange series it's been. In each of the first four games, the Celtics have had a double-digit lead in the third quarter, and in three of those four games, the Knicks came from behind to win. And the culprit in each of those Boston losses was their poor shooting performance from three-point range.

In games one and two, the Celtics shot a collective 25-100 (25 percent) from beyond the arc; in game three, they were 20-40 (50 percent) from downtown; and in game four, they went 12-24 (50 percent) from three in the first half, but only 6-24 (25 percent) in the second half. 

Put succinctly, when the Celtics hit their threes, they win; when they don't, they lose. There's no Plan B. Boston's inability, or unwillingness, to make in-game adjustments has been its biggest problem in this series. In short, their arrogance has been their own worst enemy. And now the Knicks, who entered this series as heavy underdogs, and were 1-11 during the regular season against teams ahead of them in the standings, are one win away from their first conference finals appearance since 2000.

And without Jayson Tatum, who suffered a season-ending Achilles injury late in the fourth quarter, the chances of Boston mounting its own comeback and preventing that from happening is about as remote as a leopard changing its stripes. All season long, the Celtics have lived by the three and now they seem determined to die by it.

Which is just fine for a fanbase that has waited 52 years to celebrate a championship. And here's the best thing: should the Knicks and the Indiana Pacers advance - both teams lead their respective series 3-1 - New York would have the home court advantage. 

The lion's share of the credit for this metamorphosis goes to Tom Thibodeau. He has badly out-coached his counterpart, Joe Mazzulla in this series. He has made the necessary adjustments that have put the Knicks in position to capitalize on the Celtics shortcomings.

Case in point, the way he's handled Mitchell Robinson. The backup center is a plus 35 over the four games against Boston, but his liability at the free-throw line has been a big concern for the Knicks. However, rather than bench him, Thibs continues to play him, which has forced Mazzulla to foul him and, as a result, put the Celtics in the bonus earlier than he would prefer. Who'd have thunk that the Knicks of all teams would be winning the battle of coaching?

Bottom line: the Knicks are making believers out of non-believers; they are playing clutch basketball; their best players have been better than the Celtics best players; and they are almost halfway through this most improbable journey. 

A journey whose final destination has yet to be determined.