Knicks Go From Cardiac Arrest To Cardiac Kids in Fourth Quarter

After blowing a 14 point lead with 2:51 to go in game one, and then following that up with a very lackluster second-half effort in game two, the New York Knicks were on the verge of falling behind 3-0 in their series against the Indian Pacers with 3:20 to go in the second quarter. At that point, the Pacers were ahead 55-35 and were in complete control of the game. The Knicks looked more like a team that was eager to get to the golf course than a team that was looking to capture its first title in 52 years.

But there were signs that the patient wasn't completely dead. The Knicks went on a 10-3 run to close out the half. And trailing 74-59 with 4:46 to go in the third quarter, the Knicks went on another run to get within ten heading into the fourth.

And that was when Karl-Anthony Towns decided to show up. Through three quarters, the 7-0 center had just four points. Let me repeat that. Towns had just FOUR FUCKING POINTS through three quarters! To put that in perspective, Mitchell Robinson had six. I already had the title for my next Knicks piece: "The Incredible Shrinking Center." It looked like Kitty KAT was phoning it in.

But in the fourth quarter, he was a man possessed. He hit the first of three three-pointers just 20 seconds in, followed by a pair of driving layups in the first couple minutes and a thunderous dunk with 8:02 to go that evoked memories of another center who went by the nickname "Chocolate Thunder." In all, Towns had 20 points, eight rebounds, two assists and was a plus 14 in the quarter to help his team get back in the series. With the win - their sixth in seven games - New York now trails Indiana 2-1 and has a shot at getting even Tuesday night.

But as great as Towns was, he had help. Josh Hart, who had been benched by Tom Thibodaeu to start the game, and was a minus 16 in the first half, had four points, five rebounds and was a plus 16 in the fourth quarter. In fact, every Knick was a plus in that quarter, including Jalen Brunson, who once again got into foul trouble, but still managed to score six points.

Another unsung hero for the Knicks was their bench. In an uncharacteristic move, Thibs elected to go with a nine-man rotation. That meant that both Delon Wright and Landry Shamet played meaningful minutes and did not disappoint. For the game, the entire Knick bench was a plus, with Shamet (+12) leading the way. 

But it took four free throws - two by Brunson and two by Hart - in the closing seconds to seal the win for New York. After going 28-40 (70 percent) in game one, the Knicks have now shot a collective 45-51 (88 percent) from the foul line over the last two games.

So, after failing to even the series at one game a piece in game two, the Knicks now face another "must-win" situation in game four. A loss would mean they'd have to go 3-0 the rest of the way, and only 13 NBA teams have successfully come from 3-1 down in a best of seven series to win. Ironically, the Knicks (1997 against the Miami Heat) were one of them.

So, how do they do it? That's the question. First off, the starters have to play better at the start of the game. That means KAT can't go MIA for three quarters, and Brunson has to stay out of foul trouble. As these two players go, so go the Knicks. There is no path to a series win, much less an NBA championship, that doesn't include both players leading the way. They are an integral part of this team's success.

Secondly, it is incumbent that New York play defense for an entire 48 minutes. For most of this series, the Knicks have treated the Pacers like they were China dolls; delicate and not to be touched. That meant clean looks for Indiana from the three-point line. Last night, the Pacers went 1-8 from beyond the arc (12.5 percent) and didn't get a single offensive rebound in the fourth quarter. Now that's how you defend. 

And lastly, Thibodeau needs to continue with a nine-man rotation. It worked in game three and it can work in games four, five and beyond. Against a Pacers team that is deep and athletic, the Knicks have to get as many of their bench players involved as possible, even if it's only for a few minutes per game. Even an old dog like Thibs can learn a new trick once in a while.

Game four is Tuesday night. We will see if Sunday night was indeed the beginning of a comeback or if it was just an anomaly.

The Boston Steal Party

"Against a very inexperienced Pistons team, the Knicks were able to mount multiple comebacks to win. I guarantee you that won't happen against the Celtics."

The genius who said those words was none other than yours truly. So much for my prognostication skills. It's a good thing I don't work for the Weather Channel.

All kidding aside, though, the Knicks were trailing 75-55 with 5:47 to go in the third quarter. That wasn't the Detroit Pistons out there on that court; it was the defending NBA champion Boston Celtics. One could be forgiven for thinking the game was, for all intents and purposes, over.

But then something unexpected happened. The Celtics suddenly went cold. The three-pointers they were hitting earlier in the game became bricks, and the Knicks, who couldn't punch their way out of a paper bag, began chipping away at the Boston lead. They went on a 20-9 run to close out the quarter down only 84-75.

And they didn't let up in the fourth quarter. New York outscored Boston 22-5 to take a 97-91 lead with 3:28 to go in regulation. The fans at TD Garden were stunned. To tell you the truth, so was I. Jalen Brunson continued his fourth-quarter dominance, scoring 11 points in just 8 minutes. In seven games this postseason, he has 77 fourth-quarter points in only 63 minutes of court time.

But the Celtics were hardly done; they went on a mini run of their own, outscoring the Knicks 9-3, to tie the score at 100 with 53 seconds to go. Both teams had opportunities to re-take the lead in the closing seconds, including Brunson, who missed a last-second layup that would've won it in regulation. 

In overtime, the Knicks took over. They outscored the Celtics 8-5, led by, of all people, Mikal Bridges, who played 51 out of a possible 53 minutes in the game. The man Leon Rose surrendered five first-round picks for last summer had arguably his best five minutes as a Knick. He had a three pointer, a blocked shot and two steals; the last one coming against Jaylen Brown with less than three seconds remaining to seal the deal for New York.

Brunson and Bridges weren't the only heroes last night. OG Anunoby and Josh Hart were equally impressive on both ends of the court. OG had 29 points in 46 minutes, while Hart contributed 14 points and 11 rebounds. And even though Towns had a rather pedestrian night offensively, he did have 13 boards.

It was an incredible comeback for the Knicks, their fourth in these playoffs. But as incredible as it was, there was an element of luck involved. For instance, for some reason that only he knows, Tom Thibodeau decided to put Mitchell Robinson in for Karl-Anthony Towns when the latter got into early foul trouble. It's well known that Robinson is not a very good free-throw shooter; during the regular season he shot only 68 percent from the free-throw line. The Celtics knew this and fouled him every chance they could to send him to free-throw line, where Robinson missed seven of 10 shots. Had the Knicks lost this game by a couple of points, Thibs would've had some serious 'splainin' to do at his post-game presser.

The other thing that helped the Knicks out was the poor shooting of the Celtics. In the game, Boston went 15-60 from three-point range (25 percent), while New York went 17-37 (45.9 percent). As good as the Knicks defense was in the second half - particularly in the fourth quarter - the fact is the Celtics missed several wide open shots, any one of which could've won the game for them. It's hard to imagine Boston being this inept going forward.

That being said, the Knicks earned this win, and with it the right to crow a bit. Nobody gave them a shot at beating Boston. And just to be clear, this series is far from over. All the Knicks did by winning game one was capture home court. The Celtics are more than capable of returning the favor by getting a split at Madison Square Garden. They did, after all, win 33 games on the road this season, six more than the Knicks won at home.

But for now, Knicks fans can sit back and enjoy the moment. Their team, which went a collective 0-8 against the Celtics and Cavaliers, now has a 1-0 lead against the former in the second round of the playoffs.

Thibs' Terrible "Coach's Decision."

With 2:57 left in the fourth quarter, it was obvious both Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart were hurt and needed to come out of the game. Tom Thibodeau called a timeout to put in Deuce McBride and Cam Payne. At the time the score was 97-95 Pistons. 

One minute later, the score was 101-95. Both Brunson and Hart were now at the scorers table waiting to check back in. Thibodeau had one timeout left but elected not to use it. Over the next minute and a half, the Knicks had three possessions and made exactly one basket: a fadeaway by Mikal Bridges with 50.1 seconds left to bring the Knicks within four.

Finally with 27.1 seconds left, Thibs called his last timeout and put Brunson and Bridges back in the game. By that point, the sore was 103-97. Bridges made a three to make it 103-100, but Dennis Schroder made one of two free throws for the Pistons to make it 104-100. OG Aununoby, then hit a three-pointer to make it 104-103, but Cade Cunningham made two free throws to ice the victory for his team and send the series back to Detroit for a game six. 

When asked at the post-game presser why he waited so long to burn his last timeout, Thibodeau simply replied it was a "coach's decision." If that's true, it was one of the worst in his tenure as head coach of the Knicks.

To be fair, Thibs wasn't the only culprit last night. The Knicks as a team shot 59.3 percent from the free throw line, and Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns collectively went 9-30 from the field. If Brunson and KAT had each gotten just one extra bucket, or if the Knicks had made just four more free throws, this series is probably over. But that didn't happen, and while coaches aren't responsible for how well their players execute, they are responsible for putting them in the best position to win.

This is not the first time Thibodeau's decision-making has been questioned. Earlier this season, his refusal to foul Jayson Tatum with less than 10 seconds to go in the fourth quarter and the Knicks up by three resulted in Tatum sinking a three-pointer to force overtime, where the Celtics eventually won. In last season's playoffs, the Knicks were 10 seconds away from wrapping up their series against the Sixers in five. Once again, Thibs refused to foul and Tyrese Maxey tied the score, allowing Philly to win it in OT.

Now it's entirely possible that had Thibs called his timeout earlier it wouldn't have made any difference. The way Brunson was hobbling on the court, who knows how effective he would've been? But that's beside the point. Rule number one in sports is you always go down with your best players on the court, field, rink, or whatever. 

Bottom line, Thibs needs to own this decision; a decision that gave a Pistons team that was trailing 3-1 in the series life. We know from history what can happen when you let your opponent off the mat. If Brunson continues to be hobbled by that ankle, the Knicks could very well find themselves out of the playoffs sooner than they expected. And if that happens, I can assure you James Dolan will not be a happy camper. 

Just ask Peter Laviolette. 

Introducing the Nova Knicks

Well, Leon Rose finally made his big move. On the eve of the NBA Draft, he sent five first round picks - four of them unprotected - a second round pick and Bojan Bogdanovic to the Brooklyn Nets for Mikal Bridges. The trade many people - myself included - speculated might happen, has finally become a reality. Turns out dogs and cats do sleep together.

Bridges joins fellow Villanova Wildcat alums Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo in what promises to be a very dynamic and diversified offense. Head coach Tom Thibodeau loves players that can play multiple positions and that can rotate in and out of the starting lineup. With Bridges and Hart, he has two players that can play the 2 or the 3. That means both players can be on the court along with Brunson. It also gives the Knicks four exceptionally strong wing men that can score and defend.

Forget the draft picks. The Knicks had eleven first rounders before the trade; now they have six. What was Rose supposed to do with them, hang them on his office wall and stare at them? The idea that there was some mythical trade out there that he was supposed to wait for is nice, but ultimately unsubstantiated. For all we know, this was the best deal he was going to get, and even that wouldn't have gotten done had Bridges not made it clear to the Nets that he wanted out of Brooklyn and his preference was the Knicks. The Monday-morning quarterback contingent needs to cool their jets.

The real problem for Rose isn't draft capital, it's cap space. Because of the way this trade went down, the Knicks had only $50 million left in hard cap space with which to compete their roster. With the addition of Bridges, they had just 10 players under contract for the 2024-25 season. The NBA minimum is 14. OG Anunoby, Isaiah Hartenstein and Precious Achiuwa were among those who still were unsigned, and all three had played pivotal roles in this team's success last season.

Well, strike one free agent off the list. Earlier today, the Knicks re-signed Anunoby to a 5-year, $212.5 million deal. While the average annual value is $42.5 million, the way the contract is structured, the cap hit for year one is only $36.7 million.

The significance of this signing cannot be overstated. Anunoby, who opted out of the last year of his contract, could easily have signed a max deal with another team. There was talk that the Philadelphia 76ers were very much interested in acquiring his services. Daryl Morey would've liked nothing better than to snatch him away from New York. You could just see the headlines in the Philly press.

Losing OG to the Sixers would've been devastating for this organization. It would've meant that the Knicks basically gave up RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley for what amounted to a rental. Now that won't happen. A crucial piece of this team has been locked up for the next five years. And if Rose can get creative over the next few days, he might be able to pull another rabbit or two out of his hat. 

Because New York owns the early-bird rights to Hartenstein, the most they can offer him is a four-year contract at $72.5 million. That comes out to an average of $18 million per year. A team like the Oklahoma City Thunder, who desperately need a physical center, could easily offer him five years at $25 million per. But like Anunoby, maybe I-Hart takes less to remain with the Knicks. Who knows? Perhaps the luster of chasing a championship is worth more to him than a few extra million bucks. Moving Mitchell Robinson would give the Knicks the cap space they need to get this done.

Yes, Leon Rose had himself a good day yesterday, and an even better one today. He not only landed his number one offseason target, he held on to one of his best players. But his work isn't done. In fact, you could say it's just beginning.

The Future Looks Bright for the Knicks

In the end, time was never on the New York Knicks side. Once they blew that nine point, fourth-quarter lead in game three and lost to the Indiana Pacers, this series became a war of attrition. And wars of attrition never end well for the team that is shorthanded. Apart from game five, the Pacers were in total control the rest of the way. They won every matchup on both ends of the court. Not even the raucous Garden crowd could save their beloved team.

The list of the Knicks walking wounded could fill an NBA roster. Julius Randle (shoulder), Mitchell Robinson (ankle), OG Anunoby (hamstring), Bojan Bogdanovic (foot), Josh Hart (abdomen), and, yes, even their MVP, Jalen Brunson (hand). You can't keep saying "next man up" once you've run out of men. Brunson was the last straw. Once he went down, Tom Thibodeau was basically left with a five-man rotation. In other words, no bench.

It sucks, I know, that the season had to end this way, because let's be honest: if the above players had been healthy and available in this series, the Knicks would've won in five. You know; I know it; even Indiana knows it. But that doesn't change the facts on the ground. Injuries are a part of the game and always will be. Thibodeau, for his part, didn't blame his team's loss on injuries. Instead, he congratulated the Pacers and looked forward to what lies ahead for this team. And what lies ahead is very promising.

Think about it: the Knicks went 12-2 in the month of January with a roster that included Isaiah Hartenstein, Randle, Anunoby, Donte DiVincenzo, Hart, Precious Achiuwa and Deuce McBride. They beat teams like the Denver Nuggets, the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Philadelphia 76ers (with a healthy Joel Embiid) and the Miami Heat with that roster. Fully healthy, this is a team that can compete for the number one seed in the Eastern Conference. And that's before Leon Rose uses one or more of his first round draft picks to land another scorer, which you gotta believe he will spend the bulk of the summer doing.

But who to get? There's Dejounte Murray. The shooting guard would make the ideal two. A backcourt of Brunson and Murray would be formidable. Atlanta will ask for the proverbial king's ransom for him. Mikal Bridges is another intriguing possibility. Though technically more a small forward than a guard, he did play with Brunson and Hart at Villanova, so there's a history between the three. Like Murray, he will not come cheap. Assuming the Brooklyn Nets are willing to part with their number one star, you'd have to think they'd be reluctant to trade him to a cross-town rival.

Then there are the usual suspects: Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Paul George. I'd pass on all three, especially Durant, who when he had the chance to sign with New York five years ago, chose Brooklyn instead because he thought the former was "not cool" to play for. Fuck him. As for Booker and George, neither has done much for their respective teams. The last thing Rose needs is to replicate his predecessors mistakes by bringing in high-priced mercenaries who have historically underperformed in the playoffs. The reason Knicks fans have fallen in love with this team is because they work their butts off. Whether they're up by ten or down by ten, they never stop hustling. Can you imagine KD running up and down the court the way Josh Hart does? Neither can I.

Which brings me to an issue that was brought up by Mike Greenberg on ESPN. Greenberg suggested that perhaps the reason the Knicks sustained so many injuries was because of the system Thibodeau employs. Let me put this to bed right now. Yes, Thibs demands a lot of his players; yes, it can take its toll. But, no, it had absolutely nothing to do with the injuries. Robinson broke his ankle against the Boston Celtics in December and then re-injured it because of a dirty play by Embiid in the Sixers series; Randle dislocated his right shoulder driving to the basket against the Miami Heat; Anunoby had bone spurs that required surgery and then pulled his hamstring reaching for an errant pass in the Pacers series; Bogdanovic stepped on an opposing players foot in the Sixers series; and Hart pulled an abdominal muscle reaching for a rebound in game six of the Pacers series. Every one of these injuries could just as well have occurred with a different coach employing a different coaching style.

And here's another bogus claim that needs to be put out of its misery. Thibs does not bury players on the bench; they bury themselves. Alec Burks was given multiple opportunities to earn playing time; he didn't capitalize on them. Yes, it was nice to see him contribute some in the playoffs, but for anybody who was watching this team during the regular season, the last player they wanted to see on the court was Burks. He was, for all intents and purposes, useless. Worse than that, he was a negative, meaning he cost his team valuable points.

But all that aside, I'm very bullish on the Knicks. It's been a very long time since I've been able to say that about this franchise; the 1990s, in fact. With Rose and Thibs at the helm, they are in good hands. 

The future looks bright for the men in orange and white.

Hey, that rhymes.

Knicks Running on Fumes in Indiana

The final outcome in game four of Eastern Conference semifinals was never in doubt. The Indiana Pacers routed the New York Knicks 121-89. They led by 20 after one, 28 at the half, 38 after three, and 42 early in the 4th quarter. The Knicks led once in this game: 2-0 in the opening minute. Here's all you needed to know about how bad things went for the Knicks: Alec Burks was their leading scorer at halftime with 11 points. The Nova triplets? They finished a combined 1-13 from downtown.

The series is now tied at two, with game five at the Garden Tuesday night. Just based on what we saw on Sunday, it could well be the last home game for the Knicks. Seriously, you'd have to be the world's most incurable optimist to believe this team will be able to summon the energy needed to extend this series to seven games, much less advance to the conference finals. Let's face it: they looked gassed out there against a healthier and much deeper Indiana team.

You could see this series starting to slip away in the 4th quarter of game three. The Knicks led 90-85 after the 3rd quarter, and 98-89 with 9:46 to go in the 4th. They would make only two more jumps shots the rest of the way, getting outscored 26-16 in the quarter and losing 111-106. For only the second time in these playoffs, the Knicks failed to close out a game in which they led in the 4th quarter. Think about that. A team that, sans game five of the Sixers series, has owned the 4th quarter, got owned.

And now this incredibly resilient team, which has lost half its roster and more closely resembles a walking MASH unit, has to pull a proverbial rabbit out of the hat in order to keep their postseason dreams alive. And just to be clear, if the Knicks lose game five, there will be no game seven. The Pacers will close it out in six.

This wasn't the way it was drawn up. After the trade with Toronto, the Knicks had a front court of Isaiah Hartenstein, Julius Randle and OG Anunoby, a back court of Jalen Brunson and Donte DiVencenzo, and a bench that included Josh Hart, Precious Achiuwa and Deuce McBride. Then Randle went down, followed by Anunoby. Leon Rose added two more pieces to the puzzle in Burks and Bojan Bogdanovic with the hope that Randle, Anunoby and maybe even Mitchell Robinson would return in time for the playoffs. On paper, this had the makings of a genuine championship contender; at the very least a conference finalist.

But Randle never did come back; and while Anunoby did, his injury in game two of the Pacers series, coupled with the injuries to Robinson and Bogdanovic in the Sixers series, has all but crippled this team. Coach Tom Thibodeau, facing a depleted bench, has been forced to play his starters 45 plus minutes per game. The wear and tear is finally taking its toll. All the perspiration in the world can't overcome exhaustion; and right now the Knicks look exhausted. To quote a passage out of the Bible, the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.

The good news? Regardless of what happens in this series, the future of this franchise looks very promising. Randle will be back, as will Anunoby and Robinson. Rose still has all his first round draft picks that he can use to land a proven scorer who can be the third option - perhaps even the second option - to Brunson and Randle. That this team managed to win 50 games this season mostly on spit and polish is a testament to its work ethic. Fully healthy, they could easily win 55 to 60 games next season.

But for now they still have to contend with the Pacers for at least two more games. The Garden faithful will be in their corner Tuesday night, as they have pretty much all season. 

Will it be enough? We shall see.

Knicks Playoff Preview (Round Two)

Having disposed of the hobbled Philadelphia 76ers in six games, the New York Knicks face the fully healthy and quite deep Indiana Pacers. The Pacers beat a Milwaukee Bucks team that had to deal with injuries to Giannis Antetokoumpo and Damian Lillard in six games. Clearly, both teams benefited from their opponents inability to be at full strength.

In this series, the only injured player of consequence is Julius Randle, who went down with a dislocated right shoulder at the end of January and is out for the playoffs. Mitchell Robinson is still hampered by his surgically repaired ankle, but will be able to play. The Pacers appear fully healthy.

To say these teams have a history would be putting it mildly. Prior to this series, they've met a total of seven times in the playoffs with Indiana holding a 4-3 edge. The two most notable meetings were in 1995, where Reggie Miller's 8 points in 8.9 seconds in game one of the Eastern Conference semifinals helped propel the Pacers to a series win; and in 1999, where Larry Johnson's last-second four-point play won game three of the ECF and helped get the Knicks to what would be their last trip to the finals.

The three keys to the Knicks winning this series are as follows:

1. Play good defense. During the regular season, the Pacers went 2-1 against the Knicks. In their two losses, New York allowed Indiana to score 125 and 140 points; in their one win, New York held Indiana to just 105 points. For the Knicks to prevail, they cannot get into a track meet with the Pacers. They must play a half-court offense and slow down the tempo.

2. Control the boards. The Knicks are one of the best rebounding teams in the NBA; the Pacers are one of the worst. Isaiah Hartenstein, Robinson, OG Anunoby and Josh Hart, who Tom Thibodeau uses at the 4 in place of the injured Randle, averaged 6.5, 7.8, 6.8 and 12.3 rebounds respectively against the Sixers. They must continue their domination on the glass against Indiana.

3. Thibs must use his bench more. There's no way to sugar coat this. Indiana has a deep bench and they utilized it quite effectively against Milwaukee. Without Bojan Bogdanovic, Thibodeau basically went with a seven-man rotation. The exception was game four when Hartenstein got into foul trouble and Thibs was forced to use Precious Achiuwa in the 4th quarter. What that means is that Jalen Brunson, Donte DiVencenzo and Hart are all playing more than 40 minutes per game. That is unsustainable, especially against a team as athletic as the Pacers. Like it not, Thibs must use Achuwa and Deuce McBride more; and maybe even Alec Burks, even if it's only for a couple of minutes.

If the Knicks can contain the Pacers high-powered offense, if they can control the boards, and if Thibs plays his bench more, the Knicks should move on to the Eastern Conference Finals. However, if the Pacers are able to set the tempo and Thibs remains stubborn, the Pacers will be victorious. I'm going with the former here. Knicks in seven.

Here are my predictions for the rest of the second round:

Eastern Conference:

Boston over Cleveland in six. Cavs fans were chanting "We want Boston" in their series clincher against the Orlando Magic. The basketball gods heard them.

Western Conference:

Denver over Minnesota in seven. This presupposes Jamal Murray is relatively healthy. If he's not, the Timberwolves will take the series in six.

Oklahoma City over Dallas in seven. It is criminal the way a majority of the media in this sport ignored what the Thunder have quietly accomplished this season. They're about to get an education.

Like I wrote in my last preview, if the Knicks move on, I'll preview the next round. If not, here are the two teams I think will meet in the NBA Finals.

Boston over Denver in seven. Kristaps Porziņģis returns and gets his ring.

Knicks Avoid the Unthinkable

This time around, the New York Knicks didn't snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. This time around, they took care of business. They made their last four free throws; they fouled when they were supposed to; and they didn't when they weren't. In a game that saw them jump out to a 33-11 first quarter lead and trail 71-61 midway through the 3rd, the Knicks played about as perfect a fourth quarter as they've played all season long and, as a result, they beat the Philadelphia 76ers 118-115 Thursday night to take the series four games to two.

Make no mistake about it, this was a must win for New York. Yes, they still had a game seven at the Garden to fall back on. But let's be honest: after suffering a crushing last minute loss in game five, a loss in game six would've shifted all the momentum of this series to the Sixers. And there's no way in hell the Knicks were going to take that chance.

On a night when their bench was outscored by the Sixers bench 42-5, the starters led the way. Jalen Brunson had 41 points and 12 assists; Donte DiVencenzo, who'd been missing in action since game two, had his best game of the series with 23 points and seven assists; Josh Hart led all players with 14 rebounds and drilled a critical three pointer with 25 seconds left to put the Knicks ahead for good; and OG Anunoby contributed with 19 points to go along with nine boards.

But Brunson was the star of the show; indeed the entire series. The Knicks MVP became the first player since Oscar Robertson in 1973 to record 35 or more points and 10 or more assists three times in a best of seven series. When you think about how many great players the NBA has had over the years - Julius Irving, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, Tim Duncan, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Steph Curry - that Brunson is the only one to tie Robertson's record is quite a feat. He continues to confound his skeptics while dazzling his fans.

To truly appreciate what Brunson has meant to this Knicks team just consider that before Julius Randle went down at the end of January, Brunson was averaging 26.8 points and 6.5 assists per game. Since then, he's averaged 31.6 points and 7.1 assists per game. If you prorate that over an entire year, that would make Brunson second in the NBA scoring, ahead of Giannis Antetokounmpo, and 10th in assists, ahead of Damian Lillard, you know, the guy Stephen A. Smith wanted the Knicks to get instead of Brunson. And to think there were those who ripped Leon Rose for overpaying for this guy. That $104 million contract now looks like the steal of the decade.

So now this incredibly resilient team, with its MVP and depleted bench, gets a few days off to prepare for the Indiana Pacers on Monday. The last time these two teams met was 2013 in the second round. The Pacers won that series 4-2. The Knicks would like nothing more than to avenge that loss. 

It won't be easy. The Pacers had the number one offense in the NBA during the regular season, averaging 123.3 points per game. And unlike the Sixers, they have a bench that can score, led by former Knick Obi Toppin. The good news for New York is that while Indiana can score, they also had the fourth worst defense in the league, surrendering an average of 120.2 points per game. Compare to the Pacers, the Sixers are practically the 1963-64 Boston Celtics!

My second round preview will be forthcoming. Suffice to say this will be tough test for the Knicks; even tougher than the Sixers. Tom Thibodeau has his work cut out for him.

Nova Prime

On the same night the New York Knicks found out that Julius Randle's season was officially over, they could've rolled over and phoned it in. And for a while there against the Sacramento Kings, it looked as if they were about to do just that. They trailed the Kings 39-20 early in the second quarter at the Garden. Losers of three straight, they were well on their way to their fourth.

But then this incredibly resilient, but undermanned, group of athletes found an inner resolve and refused to lose. They outscored the Kings 100-70 the rest of the way to improve their record to 45-31. The victory allowed them to keep pace with the Orlando Magic, who had beaten the New Orleans Pelicans the night before.

Leading the way for the Blue and Orange was the awesome threesome from Villanova: Jalen Brunson, Donte DiVincenzo and Josh Hart. The three combined for 87 of New York's 120 points. But though Brunson led all scorers with 35 points, it was Hart's 31 that proved the most consequential. Hart has been coach Tom Thibodeau's Swiss army knife all season long. His versatility has allowed Thibs to play him at either the 2, 3 or 4. Not noted for his scoring prowess, last night's production was sorely needed and much appreciated by his teammates.

Indeed, while Brunson continues to prove his detractors wrong, amid the chants of "MVP," it's the production of DiVincenzo and Hart that have allowed this Knicks team to flirt with second place in the Eastern Conference, even after Randle and OG Anunoby went down at the end of January. And any hope they have of winning a round or two in the postseason will hinge on how well these three incredibly talented players perform. 

Thibodeau's decision to ostensibly go with four guards in his starting lineup the last few games is a tacit admission by him that he realizes the Knicks don't have an ice cube's chance in hell with a more conventional starting lineup. Let's face it: Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks have both been busts since their arrival from Detroit. The only bright spot is that at least Leon Rose didn't part with any of his first round picks to land them. But their failure to produce offense has forced Thibs to run his guards ragged. The other night in Miami, they looked gassed. How much longer he can afford to do this remains to be seen.

The good news for the Knicks is that of their remaining six games, three are against the Chicago Bulls and one is against the Brooklyn Nets. A record of 49-33 is certainly doable and just might be enough to secure the 4th seed in the East, which would give them the home court against the Magic. Who knows, if Anunoby makes it back in time for the playoffs, a deep run could still be in the offing.

It's nice to dream, isn't it?

A Bridges Too Far?

While we still don't know the full extent of Julius Randle's right shoulder injury, it does appear as if the New York Knicks may have dodged a bullet. Preliminary test results do not show a tear, which would require season-ending surgery for the all-star forward. That means Randle will likely miss several weeks instead of months.

And while Knicks fans were breathing a collective sigh of relief over the encouraging news, Randle's teammates were taking care of business in Charlotte, beating the Hornets 113-92. The Knicks are now 13-2 in the month of January. The trade that sent RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley and a second round pick to the Toronto Raptors for OG Anunoby, Precious Achiuwa and Malachi Flynn has transformed the Knicks into a force to be reckoned with. Not only have they feasted on teams with losing records - 20-0 after last night's win - they have beaten the likes of the Minnesota Timberwolves, Philadelphia 76ers, last season's NBA champion Denver Nuggets and the Miami Heat. It should be noted that the Denver win was a blowout.

In my last piece, I wrote that the Knicks, as good as they are, still need a third option; that one player that could catapult them from competitor status to contender status. Initially, I thought Dejounte Murray might be that player. The Atlanta Hawk would give New York its most talented backcourt since 1972-73, the last year they won a championship. However, it appears as though Leon Rose doesn't want to give up the assets needed to land the shooting guard.

Names like Malcolm Brogdon and Bruce Brown have been tossed around as possible trade targets. Both players would bolster a bench that had been depleted in the Toronto deal, but neither would move the needle much. With the trade deadline only a few days away, and Rose sitting on eleven first round draft picks, seven of which belong to him, it's beginning to look more and more like if a trade does happen it will take place in the offseason.

Then, as if on cue, a proposed trade popped up on social media that was so wild I had to do a double take when I saw it. The Brooklyn Nets send Mikal Bridges to the Knicks for Quentin Grimes, Evan Fournier and five first round draft picks.

Let's put aside for the moment the total number of draft picks going to the Nets, which is considerable, given that Rose was reluctant to give up two number ones to Atlanta for Murray. And let's also put aside the fact that Bridges was part of that Villanova Wildcats team that won the NCAA championship in 2018 along with Jalen Brunson and Donte DiVincenzo, both of whom are Knicks. The fact is Bridges has been a small forward most of his NBA career, except for a small stint last season after the Nets acquired him in the Kevin Durant trade. There's no telling how he would handle the move back to guard. 

Then there's DiVencenzo. He was just starting to come into his own as a starter. The arrival of Bridges would relegate him to the bench. How would that affect him? Further, how would that affect the team as a whole? A team that is about as tight and cohesive as any Knicks team I've seen since the Pat Riley days. We've already seen how adding a star onto a roster can have unintended consequences. The Heat are 0-4 since they traded for Terry Rozier.

Look, there's no denying the talent Bridges would bring to the Knicks. And with Randle returning sometime in March, they could be the prohibitive favorites to win the Eastern Conference, perhaps the whole enchilada. One thing is certain: with Tom Thibodeau coaching them, regardless of what happens at the deadline, this will be one tough team to play against in the postseason.

But we're getting ahead of ourselves here. Like most proposed trades, they tend to fizzle out within a day or two. I seriously doubt Rose will part with that many first round picks, even for someone as gifted as Bridges. But it's always nice to dream, especially for a fanbase that's gotten used to having nightmares the better part of the last two decades.

2023-24 Knicks Preview

The 47 wins the New York Knicks amassed last season represented the most the franchise has had in a decade. And like that 2012-13 team which lost to the Indiana Pacers in the second round, last year's Knicks also saw their playoff aspirations come crashing down in the second round, courtesy of the Miami Heat.

Since their last championship 50 years ago, the blue and orange have made two trips to the NBA Finals: 1994 and 1999. Both bids came up short. Loyal fans are understandably hoping and praying that this is the season the drought comes to an end.

The good news: The 2023-24 Knicks should be better than the 2022-23 Knicks. Jalen Brunson - arguably last season's best free agent signing - begins his second season with the club, and Josh Hart - acquired at last year's trade deadline - begins his first full season. When they are on the floor together, they are one of the better backcourt tandems in the NBA.

The Knicks also boast one of the deepest benches in the league, led by perennial sixth man of the year award candidate Immanuel Quickley, newcomer Donte DiVincenzo and Isaiah Hartenstein. They give head coach Tom Thibodeau something few coaches have: an ability to rotate players in and out of the rotation without losing any quality on the court.

Assuming he isn't part of a package to land either Joel Embiid or Karl-Anthony Towns, RJ Barrett should continue to improve. The 6-6 guard / forward is entering his 5th season in the NBA and the Knicks are looking for him to drive to the basket more. Julius Randle is the face of the franchise and unquestionably the hardest-working player on this team, but there are limits to his game that were made abundantly clear in the Miami series last season.

And that leads us to...

The bad news: Despite being one of the toughest teams in the league to play against, the Knicks are NOT in the same class as the Milwaukee Bucks or the Boston Celtics: two teams that dramatically improved themselves during the off-season. If anything, the gap between the Knicks and the top two teams in the Eastern conference has widened. The opinion shared by most basketball writers and executives is that unless Leon Rose is willing to pull the trigger on a major trade that brings that elusive and coveted elite player to New York, the Knicks will never be anything more than just a very good team that occasionally teases its fanbase with a win now and then in the postseason, but never seriously competes for a title.

Immediately after the Bucks acquired Damian Lillard in a three-team trade that sent Jrue Holiday to the Portland Trail Blazers, the speculation was that Rose might at least kick the tires to see what it would take to bring Holiday to the east coast. Apparently, that discussion never took place. Whatever it is that the Knicks plan on doing with their eleven number one draft picks - seven of which are their own - it's clear they aren't going to be parting with any of them soon. Perhaps if the right player becomes available at the trade deadline - another Josh Hart, for example - they might give up one or two. In the meantime, Rose and James Dolan appear content with the makeup of this team.

Prediction: The Knicks will win 48 to 50 games this season and compete with the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Miami Heat for the third best record in the East, but will fall short. It won't be from lack of effort or sweat. The fact is that despite all their depth and grit, it's still front-line talent that determines how far teams go in the NBA. And the Knicks just don't have enough of it to play in the big boys sand box.

Translation? The drought will continue for at least another year.

Below are my predictions for both conferences.

Eastern Conference:

Bucks

Celtics

Cavaliers

Heat

Knicks

Sixers

Hawks

Nets

Raptors

Bulls

Wizards

Pacers

Pistons

Hornets

Magic

Western Conference:

Nuggets

Warriors

Suns

Jazz

Grizzlies

Timberwolves

Lakers

Clippers

Kings

Mavericks

Trail Blazers

Pelicans

Rockets

Spurs

Thunder

Eastern Conference finals:

Bucks over the Celtics 4-3

Western Conference finals:

Nuggets over the Suns 4-2

NBA Finals:

Bucks over the Nuggets 4-3

The Knicks Are Building Something Special

On December 3, the Knicks record stood at 10-13. They had just lost to the Dallas Mavericks at Madison Square Garden, and it was becoming all too apparent that this season was starting to look eerily similar to last season when they finished 11th in the Eastern Conference with a woeful 37-45 record.

Over the last last twenty-two years that's been pretty much the story. One woeful season after another. With a couple of notable exceptions, there hasn't been much for Knicks fans to celebrate. There was the 2012-13 season in which they beat the Boston Celtics in the first round before losing to the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference semifinals; and there was the 2020-21 season in which they lost to the Atlanta Hawks in the first round. That's pretty much it for the highlight reel.

Then something incredible began to happen. Since that loss to the Mavericks, the Knicks have gone 29-14. With Sunday night's win over the Celtics in Boston, they are now 39-27, a game out of fourth place in the Eastern Conference. They have won nine in a row: the second time this season they have put together win streaks of eight or more games. The last time a Knicks team accomplished that feat was during the 1972-73 season. They have the second-best road record and the 7th best point differential in the NBA. Since January, both the Knicks and Celtics have identical 19-9 records.

Something special is happening at the Garden, and for the first time in a very long time it doesn't involve the hockey team. These Knicks aren't just for real, they're starting to turn some heads, which given how many stomachs they've tuned over the last two decades I guess is only fair.

They're 3-1 against the Celtics; 2-2 against the Sixers; 2-0 against the Heat; and 2-1 against their likely first-round opponent, the Cavaliers. They've proven they can beat anyone in the league, and while it may be a bit premature to start referring to them as a contender, one thing is certain: whoever ends up playing them in the postseason will have one helluva battle on their hands.

The credit goes to Team President Leon Rose and G.M. Scott Perry. Their decision to sign Jalen Brunson over the summer has turned out to be the most consequential signing this franchise has made since Amare Stoudemire in 2010. Brunson has finally given this team what it has lacked since the days of Latrell Sprewell: someone capable of ball distribution. For the last couple of seasons that duty has fallen to Julius Randle. While a gifted - if somewhat inconsistent - scorer, bringing the ball up court was never Randle's forte. With Brunson as a legitimate point guard, the Knicks offense finally looks cohesive.

The addition of Josh Hart at the trade deadline has given coach Tom Thibodeau much needed depth. Indeed, with Hart, Immanuel Quickley, Obi Toppin and Isaiah Hartenstein, the Knicks have one of the deepest benches in the league. Quickley scored a season high 38 points against the Celts on Sunday standing in for the injured Brunson.

It's been fifty years since the Knicks last won a championship. That team was coached by the great Red Holzman, and it had Walt "Clyde" Frazier and Earl "the Pearl" Monroe in the backcourt, Willis Reed at center, Bill Bradley at small forward and Dave DeBusschere at power forward. By all accounts, it was the hardest working team of its day. Every time I see this Thibodeau-coached team take the court, it reminds me of that great Knicks team. Don't get me wrong: I'm not saying Jalen Brunson is Clyde Frazier, and Mitchell Robinson sure as shit ain't no Willis Reed. But the way these players bust their asses night in and night out is a throw back to a time when perspiration meant something besides BO.

Can they win it all? Probably not. They're still an elite player away. But like I wrote above, I'd hate to be the team that has to show them the door.