Knicks Send A Message

Normally, I don't get all that excited about exhibition games. My rule has always been if it doesn't count in the standings, it doesn't count. Period.

However, last night's win by the Knicks over the San Antonio Spurs in Las Vegas was much more than an exhibition game. In case you haven't noticed, New York sports fans haven't had a whole lot to celebrate lately. Both area football teams are an embarrassment; the Rangers window has apparently been nailed shut; the Mets front office seems determined to transform the franchise into the Milwaukee Brewers; and the Yankees front office isn't much better. The Knicks are about the only serious sports team in town right now; and with the exception of the Jets, no fanbase has suffered more. It was nice to celebrate a win, even an exhibition one.

But aside from the celebratory mood, the Knicks, in winning, sent a message to their front office; a very strong message. They're for real, and they don't need any help. Trailing 94-89 going into the fourth quarter, New York outscored San Antonio 35-19 to capture the NBA Cup Championship 124-113. While the win may have been symbolic, it was far from meaningless. Mitchell Robinson, who has been the subject of trade talks, out rebounded the entire Spurs team 8 to 6 in the fourth quarter; Tyler Kolek - another possible trade chip - scored 6 of his 14 points in the quarter and also picked up an assist on a beautiful pass to O.G. Anunoby, who drilled a three pointer with 1:56 left in the game to put the Knicks up 118-110; and Jordan Clarkson hit back-to-back threes early in the fourth to put the Orange and Blue ahead for good.

Sending a message is one thing; whether it got through to the folks who work at 4 Penn Plaza, specifically James Dolan, is another. For those who may have been living under a rock the last few weeks, Giannis Antetokounmpo's name keeps popping up in trade talks. And the number one destination appears to be the Knicks. To listen to the supposed "experts," it's not a question of if Giannis becomes a Knick, but when.

What last night's victory proved was that this team doesn't need a superstar, even one as great as Giannis, to rescue it. The Knicks are 18-7; 9-1 in their last ten. Over that stretch, they are second in the NBA in defensive rating, first in points allowed per game, and first in opponent three-point percentage. They are on pace to have their best regular season since 1996-97, when they went 57-25. If Leon Rose wants to tweak the roster, that's fine, but under no circumstance should he make any serious alterations to it, and that includes moving Robinson, or anyone in the starting five, in a package for Giannis.

I confess, I was one of those "experts" who was ready to ship him off to the Milwaukee Bucks for Bobby Portis, but after watching him last night, I am convinced that his presence will prove invaluable to this team come the playoffs. The Knicks had 32 second-chance points on 23 offensive rebounds against the Spurs; ten of those offensive rebounds came from Robinson. The man was an absolute beast on the glass. And to think, he only played 18 minutes. Imagine what he could do if he played 25 minutes per game. Yes I know he can't hit a free throw to save his life, but there are few players in the league who can do what he does on the boards. The Knicks are stronger with him than without him.

Fourteen years ago, Dolan by-passed his GM and overpaid to get Carmelo Anthony. That trade screwed up the Knicks for the next eight years. It has taken Rose five years to assemble this roster; five years of methodical trades and signings. When healthy, only the Oklahoma City Thunder are deeper. 

This franchise is knocking on the door of what could well be its first title since 1973. The last thing it needs is for its owner to fuck things up again. 

Get the message, Jim? 

Knicks Get Off to a Good Start

To quote Monty Python, "And now for something completely different." 

The New York Knicks got the 2025-26 season off to a good start by beating the Cleveland Cavaliers 119-111 at the Garden. But it was how they beat them that was the story. Eschewing the half-court offense of their former coach Tom Thibodeau, the Knicks employed an uptempo game, distributing the ball equally around the court leading to many open shots. It was a refreshing sight to behold.

True to his word, new head coach Mike Brown went with a deep rotation, By the end of the first half, eleven players had entered the game. The only time that many players saw action under Thibs was when the Knicks were ahead by 20 with a minute to go. The bench, which had been much maligned last season, had 20 points by halftime to help New York build a 65-50 lead. In all, they finished with 35 for the game. Apart from OG Anunoby, not one starter logged more than 34 minutes.

Of course, the men in orange and blue just couldn't resist a trip down memory lane. They reverted back to their old ways in the third quarter and the result was predictable. The Cavs outscored them 37-22 to tie the game at 87. Donavan Mitchell had 21 of his game-high 31 points in the quarter. But then New York snapped out of it and went on a 14-2 run to start the fourth quarter. 

The Knicks got balanced scoring from their players. Anunoby led the way with 24 points, 14 rebounds and three steals; Jalen Brunson was next with 23 points and five assists; Karl-Anthony Towns contributed 19 points and 11 rebounds; Mikal Bridges chipped in with 16, 12 in the first half; and Deuce McBride had 15 points off the bench and was a game-best plus 17. Indeed, every Knick was a plus for the game, except Landry Shamet and Ariel Hukporti.

The Knicks out-rebounded the Cavs 48-32 overall, including 39-28 on the defensive boards, and scored 42 points in the paint. They also shot 86.1 percent front the free throw line, compared to 66.7 percent for Cleveland. For a team that went a combined 0-10 against the Cavs, Boston Celtics and Oklahoma City Thunder last season, last night's win was a statement game. This year's Knicks team is not last year's.

Of course, Brown was quick to put the win in perspective. "Pretty good effort from our team. The great part of it is we got a lot of room to grow, and that's what's exciting." Translation: let's hold off on the parade down the Canyon of Heroes.

That being said, it's clear that this team - even without Mitchell Robinson and Josh Hart in the lineup - is pretty deep and talented. If they're this good in their first regular season game, imagine how good they're going to be in game 10 or 20?

What impresses me most about Brown is that he isn't afraid to utilize his bench in crucial situations during the game. At one point he had Tyler Kolek, Jordan Clarkson, Guerschon Yabusele and Hukporti on the court at the same time. Can you imagine Thibs doing that? Again, this is not about hating on the former Knicks coach; it's about having enough faith in your players. 

Game one is in the books; game two is Friday in Boston. 

2025-26 Knicks Preview

The last time the New York Knicks entered an NBA season with this much anticipation, Pat Riley was the head coach and Patrick Ewing was the center.  Over the last thirty years, there have been a lot of ups and downs with this organization - mostly downs - but one thing has remained constant: the love and devotion of a fanbase that, since 1973, has waited patiently for a chance to celebrate another title. 

Well their wait could finally be coming to an end. I say "could" because, as New York sports fan will tell you, getting your hopes up is a sure-fire recipe for disappointment. Lest we forget, the Giants, Jets, Mets and Rangers play in this town. The Giants have made the playoffs twice in 14 years; the Jets haven't won a Super Bowl since 1969; the Mets haven't won a World Series since 1986; and the Rangers have won one Stanley Cup since World War II. If you looked up the word Disappointment in the dictionary, there'd be an arial view of the five boroughs next to it.

But at the risk of sounding pollyanna, I'm bullish on the 2025-26 Knicks, and not just because they may be the only team worth watching in about a month. It's because I believe Leon Rose has assembled a roster that is not only talented but deep. Indeed, this may be the deepest bench the Knicks have had in decades. And despite the Debbie Downers, Mike Brown is the perfect coach for this team. I was never a Tom Thibodeau hater, it's just that driving your starters into the ground, as Thibs often did, didn't seem to make much sense for a team with championship aspirations.

So what should we expect?

Well for starters, if Brown is able to implement his system successfully, the Knicks will be a lot more exciting to watch. The half-court offense that Thibs employed is out. Look for this team to move the ball quickly up court. I'm not saying they're going to be the OKC Thunder, but the days of waiting until there are seven seconds left on the shot clock to set up a play are gone.

The biggest beneficiary of Brown's system will be Jalen Brunson. If I had a dollar for every time the captain would dribble the ball across the time line only to be met by a double team, I could buy a court-side seat at the Garden for a month. It was excruciating watching Brunson set up the offense in that system. In Brown's system that won't be the case. In fact, Brown doesn't believe in calling out plays; he wants his team to read the defense and react accordingly.

While that might be easier said than done, it's worth noting that a system which relies more on reaction than established plays is less predictable, hence harder to defend. If Brunson is going to lead this team to a championship he can't constantly bear the brunt of one double team after another. This isn't the '70s anymore. In today's NBA if you don't have an effective transition game, you're not going to go far in the playoffs. The Indiana Pacers exposed a fatal flaw in the Knicks game, and Rose rectified it by changing coaches.

Another beneficiary of Brown's system should be Mikal Bridges. The player Rose sent five first-round draft picks to the Brooklyn Nets for is considered one of the best defensive wings in the league, and yet there were times last season when he seemed lost in the shuffle. I fully expect Brown to utilize him more. If you want to know how effective Bridges can be, take a good look at what he did in his first year as a Net. In 27 games, he averaged 26.1 points as the two, where he is expected to play this season alongside Brunson. And with Bridges at the two, and Karl-Anthony Towns at the four, O.G. Anunoby can move back to the three where he is a much better fit. If Mitchell Robinson can stay healthy, this should be the best starting five the Knicks have had since the mid '90s.

The bench will play a critical role for the Knicks this season. Unlike Thibs, who rarely utilized more than six or seven players, Brown will employ a full ten-man rotation. Jordan Clarkson and Guerschon Yabusele are versatile additions to this roster. Clarkson will play the one or the two, while Yabusele will replace Precious Achiuwa at the four or the five. Both should get plenty of minutes, along with Josh Hart and Deuce McBride. I wouldn't be at all surprised if McBride has his best season as a Knick under Brown. Tyler Kolek, Landry Shamet and Ariel Hukporti will round out the reserves.

Chemistry should not be an issue. Unlike last season, when Bridges and KAT were the new kids on the block, this core is pretty much set. If there is any acclimation period, it'll be to Brown's system. I would give it 10 to 15 games for everyone to get up to speed.

With Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton both lost for the season, neither the Boston Celtics nor the Indiana Pacers will be much of a threat. That leaves the Cleveland Cavaliers as the only other legitimate contender in the Eastern Conference. Providence has apparently intervened in New York's favor. The only thing standing in the way of the Knicks making it to the finals for the first time since 1999 will be the Knicks themselves.

So, bottom line, where will they finish? Last season, the Knicks finished third in the East with a record of 51-31. Assuming Rose isn't pressured into doing something stupid like trading for Giannis, I expect this team to finish first in the conference with a record of 58-24. Can they go all the way? That depends on who they face in the finals, but yes.

As I've done the last two years, below are my predictions for the top teams in each conference, as well as who will make it to the conference finals and who will win it all. I'm sure I don't have to remind anyone not to take them seriously.

Eastern Conference:

Knicks

Cavs

Magic

Pistons

Celtics

Pacers

Hawks

Bucks

Heat

Bulls

Western Conference:

Thunder

Nuggets

Mavericks

Rockets

Timberwolves

Warriors

Lakers

Kings

Grizzlies

Spurs

Eastern Conference finals:

Knicks over Cavs 4-3

Western Conference finals:

Nuggets over Thunder 4-2

NBA Finals:

Knicks over Nuggets 4-3

Bittersweet

In the end, it wasn't as close as the final score suggested. The New York Knicks, a team that captured the hearts and minds of an entire city, was rudely shown the door by an admittedly superior Atlanta Hawks team.

It is axiomatic that regardless of which sport you play, your success is determined by how well you covert on your scoring opportunities. In baseball, if you're a batter at home plate and there's a runner on third base, your job is to drive him in. In football, if you're a quarterback and you have a receiver open in the end zone, your job is to get the ball to him. In hockey, if you have the puck on your stick and you have a clear shot at the goaltender, your job is to put the puck in the net. And in basketball, when you have an open shot, your job is to put the ball through the hoop.

In this best of seven series, one team understood that and that team wasn't the orange and blue. Indeed, the Knicks shooting over the five games was brutal, especially their star player, Julius Randle, who shot 51 percent against the Hawks during the regular season but an abysmal 30 percent against them in the playoffs. 

You can make this about Trae Young all you want - and let's be honest, he's a very easy player to hate - but Young wasn't responsible for the bricks the Knicks were throwing up. I don't care how good your defense is, you still gotta make your shots if you expect to win and the Knicks simply didn't make enough of them when it counted.

So now that a 41-31 season, which was good enough for 4th best in the Eastern Conference, has come to a premature end, the question begs what do the Knicks do in the offseason? Let's face it: whether they beat the Hawks or not, this team was never a serious threat to go past the second round. That's because the Milwaukee Bucks, Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers are all considerably better and are legitimate contenders for the title. The Knicks are at best two players away from that being the case. Clearly Leon Rose and Scott Perry have their work cut out for them.

The first thing they have to do is decide who to keep and who to send packing. Regarding the latter, it's clear the experiment with Elfrid Payton has run its course. Payton was a virtual non-entity down the stretch and forced coach Tom Thibodeau to start 32 year old Derrick Rose at point guard in game three against the Hawks. The extra minutes took their toll on Rose who looked exhausted by game five, and a Knicks' bench that wasn't exactly overstocked to begin with was left badly depleted. This team has to sign a legitimate point guard that can run the floor and distribute the ball.

Because the Knicks opted to go with one-year deals going into this season, several of their players including Reggie Bullock and Rose are now free agents. That means if management wants to retain them, they will have to pony up some serious bucks.

Rose is a no-brainer. Had it not been for him coming off the bench, this team most likely would not have made the postseason. The other star on the team, Randle, thankfully is signed through next season, but his flaws were exposed during the Hawks series. He may have been the most improved player in the NBA this season, but a first option offensive threat he is not. The Knicks not only need someone who can score from the perimeter but someone who can score from the paint. In short, they need their own Trae Young.

Players like that don't grow on trees, so it will be up to Rose and Perry to find one and convince him to move to Manhattan, the same way the Nets' Sean Marks convinced Kevin Durant to move to Brooklyn. Lest we forget, two years ago, the Nets were only 42-40. Anyone who tells you they saw this team coming together in 2019 is a fool or a lier. In today's NBA, contenders aren't grown, they're assembled. If Marks could do it, there's no excuse for Rose and Perry at least not trying.

As with all things pertaining to the Knicks, the wild card here is Dolan. If past is prologue, you can expect him to try and fuck up this rebuild the same way he did the last one in 2013. But for the moment, let's assume his new-found discovery of a frozen substance known as ice keeps him preoccupied long enough for this rebuild to be completed. The Knicks will have sufficient cap space this summer to make a splash or two in free agency. In other words, fans have every reason to expect that next year's Knicks will be better and more durable than this year's Knicks were.

The bottom line is that the future at the Garden looks bright. It sucks losing, I know, but this management team appears well equipped to address the team's needs. They have their coach and they have a strong nucleus of good role players. If they find the missing pieces, a championship may not be all that far away.

Stand up, New York!