Knicks Playoff Preview (Round Three)

With the Boston Celtics being dethroned, there will be a new NBA champion for the seventh year in a row. And if their fans have anything to say about it, that champion will be the New York Knicks.

For the first time in 25 years, New York finds itself in the Eastern Conference Finals. And their opponent is a familiar one. The Indiana Pacers have faced the Knicks three times in the conference finals, with the Knicks winning in 1994 and 1999, and the Pacers winning in 2000.

But it was their last meeting in the second round of last year's playoffs that is front and center now. The Knicks had beaten the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round and were seconds away from potentially taking a 3-0 lead on the Pacers when Andrew Nembhard hit a three pointer with 16 seconds left in the fourth quarter to give Indiana the win.

The loss was significant for New York. OG Anunoby suffered a groin injury in the closing minutes of game two and was unavailable the rest of the series; Mitchell Robinson sustained an ankle injury against the Sixers and appeared in only one game against the Pacers; Josh Hart would later pull an abdominal muscle in game six and was ineffective in game seven; Jalen Brunson broke his left hand in game seven and played only 29 minutes; and Julius Randle - their second-best player - had gone down with a dislocated right shoulder in January and was lost for the remainder of the season. The Pacers would eventually go on to win the series in seven against a Knicks team that looked more like a MASH unit than an NBA roster.

This time around, the Knicks are not only healthy, they're better. Just compare the starting five from last year's series to this year's:

2024: Jalen Brunson, Donte DiVincenzo, Josh Hart, OG Anunoby and Isaiah Hartenstein.

2025: Brunson, Mikal Bridges, Hart, Anunoby and Karl-Anthony Towns.

Bridges and KAT are vast improvements over DiVo and I-Hart respectively; and while this year's roster isn't as deep as last year's, we all know that, barring injuries, Tom Thibodeau typically goes with a seven-man rotation. That means that Deuce McBride and Mitchell Robison will get the bulk of the minutes coming off the bench. Squawk if you want, but this is how Thibs rolls. 

In each of their first two playoff rounds, the Knicks had to overcome challenges in order to win. In round one, they had to contend with a Detroit Pistons team that was nasty and physical. In round two, they had to contend with a Boston Celtics team that could shoot the ball like no one else's business. In this round, they will have to contend with an Indiana Pacers team that from January 1 had the third best record in the NBA and plays in fifth gear pretty much from the opening tip-off to the final buzzer.

There's no getting around it: Indiana will try to dictate the pace, no pun intended. It will be incumbent upon the Knicks to not let that happen. If this series becomes a track meet, the Knicks will lose; if it becomes more of a half-court series, the Knicks will win. Here are the keys:

KAT needs to dominate in the paint. With all due respect to Myles Turner, KAT is the better center; he must play like it. That means no disappearing acts and staying out of early foul trouble. He needs to replicate what he did against the Celtics in game six. The fact is the more involved he becomes in the Knick offense, the harder it will be for the Pacers to double team Brunson. When Towns plays up to his potential, there aren't many players in the league who can stop him.

Knicks must defend against the fast break. Few teams in the league can transition from defense to offense like the Pacers. Their speed will test the Knicks resolve. To thwart Indiana's fast-break game, New York will have to get back on defense quickly. That means no standing around to see if a shot goes in. This will take discipline on their part, but they'll have to do it in order to advance.

Brunson must continue to excel. Tyrese Haliburton is on a mission to prove to his critics that he's not overrated. But Jalen Brunson is on a mission of his own to prove to his critics that he's worthy of being called an elite player. Both statements are true. Haliburton is not overrated, but in this series, he will be the second-best point guard on the court. The fact is that what Brunson is doing in these playoffs is truly something to behold, and the only people who haven't acknowledged it are the ones who refuse to admit they were wrong about him in the first place. If Mr. Clutch continues to play as he has, the Pacers are in trouble.

Knicks have to distribute the ball. While Brunson will be the Knicks best player in this series, he can't be their only option offensively. New York is at its best when it distributes the ball; conversely, it struggles when it doesn't. It won't do any good if Brunson scores 35 points while Towns, Bridges and Anunoby collectively score 25. To win, all the kids have to play in the sandbox.

Bottom line, the Knicks are the better team; they're healthy and they have the home court. But the Pacers are hardly Swiss cheese. They knocked off the number one seed Cleveland Cavaliers in the second round and they've had the Knicks number the last three times they've met. This will be another close series, but the men in orange and blue should advance to the finals for the first time since 1999.  Knicks in six.

Western Conference Finals: 

Minnesota over Oklahoma City in seven. I know I picked the Thunder to win it all in my last preview, but frankly I like the Timberwolves in this series, and not just because KAT vs. Julius Randle would be a finals for the ages, but because OKC struggled at times against a Denver Nuggets team that was as thin as a piece of loose leaf paper. What will they do against a Timberwolves team that is bigger and just as athletic as they are? I'm guessing they won't do as well.

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. 

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.

Knicks At the Break

Going into the All-Star break, the New York Knicks record stands at 36-18. They are solidly in third place in the Eastern Conference, five and a half games ahead of the Indiana Pacers and two and a half games behind the Boston Celtics. Since November 15, they've gone 31-12, for a .721 winning percentage. Only the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Cleveland Cavaliers have a higher winning percentage over that span. Overall, this is the best start this franchise has had since the 1996-97 season when they went 39-15 over their first 54 games. They finished that season 57-25 and went to the ECF. This season, they are on pace to finish 55-27.

Objectively speaking, the Knicks are an outstanding team on the cusp of being elite. Their starting five is arguably the best in the NBA. I say arguably because, let's face it, when Kristaps Porziņģis is healthy, the Celtics starting five is better. Still, that's pretty damn impressive. Give Leon Rose props for putting this roster together over the last three years.

But for all the accolades the starters get - and deservedly so - it's the bench that remains this team's Achilles heal. Right now, Tom Thibodeau has maybe three players he can trust coming off the bench: Precious Achiuwa, Deuce McBride and Cam Payne. And with OG Anunoby missing the last five games due to an injured foot, Thibs was forced to start Achiuwa at the four. As a result, the Knicks starting five leads the league in minutes played per game, with Mikal Bridges (38.2) and Josh Hart (37.8) leading the way.

That might help explain why they ran out of gas against the Thunder in Oklahoma City in early January after leading for most of the game, or why they are 11-12 against teams that are .500 or better. And keep in mind, they still have three games against the Cavs, who are 20-6 against those very same teams. 

With the Knicks up against the second apron, Rose didn't have the cap space he needed to bring in reinforcements at the trade deadline. The return of Mitchell Robinson - now slated for late February - is pretty much it. The 7-0, 240 pound center should provide badly needed help for a team that is ranked near the bottom of the league in both rim and perimeter defense. But how much will Robinson be able to contribute to this team? Realistically, if Thibs can get 12-15 minutes per game out of him, that's still better than nothing.

Another question is whether the return of Robinson means Karl-Anthony Towns moves over to the four? When he was with the Minnesota Timberwolves last season, KAT played the four while Rudy Gobert played the five. That combo proved to be one of the most effective in the NBA, with the T-Wolves advancing to the Western Conference finals before eventually losing to the Dallas Mavericks. If Thibs elects to go that route, it means Anunoby switches back to the three where, frankly, he is more effective and Bridges becomes the two, with Hart coming off the bench. All of this, however, hinges on how durable Robinson is once he returns.

If I had to guess, I'd say Thibs will experiment with KAT at the four, but ultimately decide to keep him at the five. Doing that allows him to bring Robinson in off the bench where he will be the most useful. Besides, even when fully healthy, Robinson isn't much of a scorer, and against a team like the Celtics - their most likely opponent in the second round - the Knicks will need offensive production from their center position, and Towns is, without a doubt, the most prolific scoring center New York has had since Patrick Ewing.

To reiterate what I wrote above, and what I've been saying pretty much all season long, this is an outstanding team on the cusp of being elite. That Rose hasn't gotten consideration for Executive of the Year is nothing short of a crime, given the state this franchise was in prior to his arrival. There are still some holes left to fill, but I am confident they will be filled during the offseason.

Be patient, Knicks fans, the light you see at the end of the tunnel ISN'T a freight train. 

Knicks Hit a Road Block

When the New York Knicks beat the Utah Jazz at the Garden on New Year's Day, it was their 9th win in a row. They were 24-10 overall - 19-4 in their last 23 - and only a half game behind the Boston Celtics for 2nd place in the Eastern Conference. After a rough start, they were finally "rounding into shape," as I wrote at the end of December.

Well two days later they played the Thunder in Oklahoma City. For most of the game the Knicks were the better team. They led 66-54 at the half, 88-80 after three, and 97-92 with 6 minutes to go in the 4th. They were on the verge of a signature win that would catapult them into legit contender status. Even their most ardent skeptics would have to take them seriously now, right?

And then all of a sudden the wheels came off; the Knicks, who had their best quarter of the season in that first half, missed shot after shot, with their captain Jalen Brunson the prime culprit. OKC outscored New York 25-10 the rest of the way to win the game 117-107.

Though disappointed, the Knicks remained confident. It was just a bad ending to what was an otherwise strong game. They decided to put it behind them. Then came the game against the Bulls in Chicago. Like the game against the Thunder, the Knicks were ahead at the half. Only this time, the collapse didn't occur in the final six minutes; it happened much earlier. The Bulls ran roughshod over the men in orange and blue 41-17 in the 3rd quarter and won the game 139-126.

Words like "low energy" and "fatigue" were used to describe what the problem was. Not to worry, the Knicks reassured us, now that they were home, they would be fully rested and ready to go. Then the Orlando Magic - a team that more closely resembled a MASH unit than a basketball roster - came to town and beat them 103-94. The losing streak was now three. Alarm bells were starting to sound at the Garden.

What was happening? I mean losing to the best team in the Western Conference was understandable; even losing to the Bulls could be chalked up to a team simply running out of gas after a long road trip. But how do you explain losing to a team that was missing four starters from its lineup on your home court? You can't. 

When then Knicks defeated the lowly Toronto Raptors 112-98 two days later, the fears were temporarily allayed. Everyone was eagerly looking forward to the rematch with the Thunder at the Garden. New York had some unfinished business with OKC. This time, they would close the deal. 

But it was the Thunder that closed the deal, and decisively. They raced out to a 31-17 lead after one, and 70-43 lead after the first half, on their way to a 126-101 rout. It was the most humiliating loss of the season for the Knicks, and it was as baffling as it was thorough. 

All of a sudden this team that Kendrick Perkins thinks is the second best in the East looks very pedestrian. While they are still in third place in the conference, there are some major concerns that aren't going away.

Ian Begley shared some of them on Twitter after the game:

With tonight's blowout loss, Knicks fall to 0-5 vs. teams that entered play tonight w/a better overall record than their 25-14 mark. They are 9-11 vs teams that entered play tonight w/record of .500 or better (including 3-1 vs ORL). NYK is 1-6 vs top 8 teams in NBA standings.

While contenders don't always beat other contenders, they typically don't go 1-6 against them. For example, the game before they beat the Knicks, the Thunder lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers 129-122. The Cavs had a one-point lead going into the 4th quarter and actually increased it.

So what's wrong? In a nutshell, the Knicks are struggling on both ends of the court.

On defense, while they still have the league's 8th best points against average at 110.5, there have been huge lapses in their coverage on the court. Way too often, opponents are left wide open to hit three pointers, or convert back-door plays under the basket. Last season's team was relentless on defense. Opponents generally feared playing the Knicks because of the way they made them work for their baskets. This season, opponents rarely break a sweat looking for an open shot.

On offense, while there's no doubt that this starting five is better than last season's, there have been inconsistencies. Over the last 10 games, the Knicks are shooting only 29 percent from downtown. They normally shoot 38 percent from three. When the Knicks are winning, they excel at ball movement. They are 7th in the NBA in assists with 1060. However, when they lose, it's usually because they hold onto the ball too long, making it easy for opponents to double team them. 

The lack of depth on this roster is another cause for concern. Without Deuce McBride the last few games, and with Mitchell Robinson still several weeks away from returning, Tom Thibodeau only had two players he could count on coming off the bench: Cam Payne and Precious Achiuwa. At this point Jericho Sims is practically an afterthought. What this means is that not only are the starters playing more minutes than they should, when they are on the court they have to produce. There's no way the Knicks can win with Mikal Bridges scoring zero points and OG Anunoby scoring only four.

Look, the Knicks are not the only winning team that's struggling right now. The Boston Celtics are just 6-6 in their last 12 games. I'm sure there are concerns in Beantown, but I doubt they're panicking. And neither should the Knicks. There's plenty of time to correct what's wrong. If Leon Rose has proven anything it's that he won't hesitate to make changes if it will improve the roster. With the Knicks up against the second apron he will have to get creative though.

Bottom line, the Knicks aren't quite where they want to be, but they're getting there. Trust the process.

Knicks Finally Rounding Into Shape

Wednesday, November 13, represented a low point for the New York Knicks. They had just dropped a 124-123 decision to the lowly Chicago Bulls. Their record stood at 5-6, hardly the start they were hoping for. The doubters and the "I told you so" contingent were having a field day.

With last night's 108-85 win over the Orlando Magic, the Knicks are now 16-4 over their last twenty games. At 21-10, they are 3rd in the Eastern Conference, only two games behind the reigning NBA champ Boston Celtics.

The turnaround has been nothing short of astonishing. The starting five that looked so good on paper but struggled early, has come into its own over the last few weeks. Mikal Bridges, the player Leon Rose gave up five first round draft picks for, went from averaging 14.7 points per game in November to 22.3 points per game in December. His 41 points on Christmas Day, helped the Knicks beat the San Antonio Spurs 117-114. Karl-Anthony Towns leads the NBA in rebounding with 13.7 boards per game and is second on the team in scoring with 24.3 points per game. O.G. Anunoby, in his first full season in New York, is 5th in the league in plus / minus with a plus 256 and is contributing 16.5 points per game. The balanced attack means that Jalen Brunson no longer has to carry this team on his back like he did last season.

Defensively, the Knicks have gone from being one of the worst teams in the league to one of the best. They currently rank 7th in the NBA, allowing an average of 109.3 points per game. But in the month of December, they have allowed an average of 103.6 points per game, while scoring an average of 115.8 points per game. That's a 12.2 point differential. To put that in perspective, the Celtics had a 11.4 point differential last season on their way to a league-best 64-18 record.

Not everything has been a bed of roses for the men in orange and blue. The Knicks have had issues with slow starts all season long. In a game at Charlotte on November 29, they trailed the Hornets 23-15 after the first quarter before finally eking out a 99-98 win. Against the Detroit Pistons at the Garden on December 7, they trailed 39-23 after the first quarter; this time, however, they would not be able to overcome their deficit. 

Despite his dominance on the boards, Towns has had a propensity for getting into foul trouble of late. Over his last four games, he has picked up five personal fouls three times and fouled out once. Until Mitchell Robinson returns from the injured list - hopefully sometime in January - KAT must show more discipline. 

And the free throw shooting has been a recent cause for concern. Last night against the Magic, they shot only 70.6 percent from the line; the other night against the Toronto Raptors, they shot only 69 percent from the line. Fortunately for the Knicks, neither game was close. Against a tougher opponent, though, it could've cost them a win.

But that aside, the Knicks are finally becoming the team everyone thought they'd be before the season began. Offensively, they are spreading the ball around, making it difficult for opponents to double team any one particular player. One night it might be Brunson who's the hero; the next it might be Towns, or Bridges, or OG, or Hart. Without question, this is the most talented roster the Knicks have had since the glory days of Red Holzman in the 1970s. And once everyone is healthy, defensively, it'll be the toughest to play against since the days of Pat Riley in the 1990s. In his wildest dreams Tom Thibodeau could never have imagined coaching a group of players like this.

Go ahead, scoff if you want, but I'm more optimistic now than I was in October when I picked them to win 55 games. As of now, there are only three teams in the NBA that could beat the Knicks in a best of seven series, and one of them - the Oklahoma City Thunder - is in the Western Conference. The other two are the Cleveland Cavaliers - who nobody saw coming - and the Celtics. If Rose can somehow manage to tweak this roster a bit further, who knows, they might be the team to beat come April.

It took 54 years for the Rangers to finally end their championship drought; so far, the Knicks drought is closing in on 52 years. Whether it comes to an end this June remains to be seen.

2024-25 Knicks Preview

Teacher: "What did you do over the summer, Leon?"

Leon Rose: "I transformed the New York Knicks from playoff contender to championship contender."

Teacher: "Class dismissed."

In what will go down as one of the most active offseasons in Knicks history, Rose didn't just tweak the roster, he remade it. 

To be clear, the consensus last season was that had Julius Randle been healthy, and had OG Anunoby and Mitchell Robinson not gotten injured in the second round, New York would've beaten the Indiana Pacers and advanced to the Eastern Conference finals to face the Boston Celtics. So, basically, Rose took a long, hard look at that roster and concluded that, even healthy, the Knicks weren't good enough to contend with the Celtics.

Whether you agree with that assessment or not, it's clear Rose wasn't about to take any chances. So he got out his chisel and went to work. The acquisitions of Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Townes over the summer have given Tom Thibodeau the most talented starting five he's ever had as Knicks head coach. And Rose managed to do all this while staying under the second apron.

Just compare this season's starting lineup with the one that could've started had it been healthy:

Brunson
Hart
Bridges
Anunoby
Townes

vs.

Brunson
DiVincenzo
Anunoby
Randle
Robinson

Of course those acquisitions came at a steep price. Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo were integral to the Knicks success last season, especially DiVo, whose last minute three pointer saved the Knicks from what surely would've been a game-two loss to the Philadelphia 76ers. Who knows what would've happened in that series without him in the lineup. But once Isaiah Hartenstein signed with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Rose had no choice but to pull the trigger on Townes, especially with Mitchell Robinson not expected to return until January.

So, now for the sixty-four thousand dollar question. Is this Knicks team better than last year's Knicks team? In a word, yes. Not only are they better, but once this group of players gets fully acclimated to each other, Knicks fans are going to love what they see on the court. The reason I say this is because when you introduce two new players like Bridges and KAT, it'll take some time for them to mesh with Thib's system. I would not be surprised at all if they got off to a 5-5 start. But once they get rolling, this team will be near the top in the Eastern Conference standings.

Indeed, the real issue I see will be the bench where Deuce McBride will handle most of the load as the 6th man. With Precious Achiuwa out for the first 2-4 weeks with a hamstring injury, it'll be up to Thibs to find a suitable replacement. Once Robinson returns, the Knicks will be set at center.

Last year, I picked the Knicks to finish 5th in the East. They wound up finishing 2nd. This year, I'm going to be a bit more bullish. Assuming no major injuries to KAT or OG - always a risk given both players history - 55 wins is not an unreasonable expectation. 

Below are my predictions for each conference, as well as my predictions for which teams will make it to the conference finals and who will win it all.

Eastern Conference:

Celtics

Knicks

Bucks
Sixers
Pacers
Cavaliers
Magic
Heat

Western Conference:

Thunder
Timberwolves
Nuggets
Mavericks
Grizzlies
Suns
Kings
Lakers

Eastern Conference finals:
Knicks over the Celtics 4-3

Western Conference finals:
Thunder over the Timberwolves -4-3

NBA Finals:
Knicks over the Thunder 4-3

The Knicks Bold and Risky Move

Let's be honest: the moment Isaiah Hartenstein departed for Oklahoma City, Leon Rose knew he had to fill that vacancy. Even healthy, Mitchell Robinson is, at best, an adequate center. His excellent defense notwithstanding, nothing about his game would put the fear of God into an opponent. And in a conference that boasts the likes of Joel Embiid, Kristaps Porziņģis and Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Knicks needed to improve their front court if they were going to go from playoff team to title contender.

With Danny Ainge unwilling to trade Lauri Markkanen without getting a king's ransom in return, Rose turned his gaze elsewhere. It's no secret that Karl-Anthony Towns had been on the Knicks radar for some time. Last summer, there were rumors of a straight up swap involving Julius Randle. But then the rumors died down and Rose elected to address other needs on the roster. The additions of OG Anunoby and Precious Achiuwa definitely improved the team, but the result was still the same: another disappointing second round exit. The acquisition of Mikal Bridges over the summer addressed the backcourt, but there was still a hole at center. Rose's next move had to be bold, and he didn't disappoint.

The final details are still being worked out, but the principal players involved are Randle and Donte DiVincenzo to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Towns. Minnesota also receives a first round pick via Detroit. Losing DiVencenzo hurts, especially after the way he played against the Philadelphia 76ers in last year's playoffs. But let's face it: once the Knicks got Bridges, DiVo became a bench player. And while Randle has been the heart and soul of this team since his arrival, Towns is the more complete player. With Robinson not expected to return until late December, who would you rather see at the 5: Randle or Towns?

The significance of this move cannot be overstated. Too many times last season, the Knicks were reliant on Brunson to carry the load. He was double and sometimes triple-teamed. Having Bridges at the 2 will distribute some of that load. But having a bonafide scoring center will make this team very hard to defend. Think about it: the Knicks now have three players capable of putting up 25 plus points per game. Over the last two years, Rose has transformed this franchise into a legitimate contender.

Look, are there risks involved in making this trade? Of course there are. As in any team sport, chemistry is essential. Both Randle and DiVincenzo were well respected in the locker room; they will be missed. Towns will have to earn the respect of his teammates, as well as the trust of his coach. The fact that he once played for Tom Thibodeau should help with his transition into the lineup.

Then there's Towns' history of injuries. He missed 20 games last season and only played in 29 the season before. The Knicks are hoping he can return to the form he showed in 2021-22, where he appeared in 74 games, averaged 53 percent from the field, scored 24.6 points per game and was named All NBA 3rd Team.

And, finally, there's the money. With this trade, the Knicks payroll goes up to $188.5 million, just $400k shy of the second apron, which is the absolute max a team can be at under the CBA without incurring penalties. So if anybody gets hurt, Rose will have to get creative to find a replacement.

But all that aside, this a great day for Knicks fans. This is a roster that can go toe to toe with the elite teams in the NBA. They not only can give the reigning champ Boston Celtics a run for their money, as of now, you'd have to consider them the favorites in a best of seven series.

Until Robinson returns, the Knicks starting lineup will probably look like this: Brunson, Bridges, OG, Hart and KAT. If you're wondering why Hart would play the 4, it's because he did so on numerous occasions last season when Randle was out. As is typical with Thibs, it'll be a short bench.

Opening night is October 22 at Boston. Circle it on your calendar.

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.

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.

Knicks Playoff Preview (Round One)

Face it: when Julius Randle went down with an injury against the Miami Heat at the Garden on January 27 - followed a couple of games later by OG Anunoby - things didn't look too good for the New York Knicks. After an incredible January in which they went 14-2, the Knicks came crashing back down to Earth in February, going 4-8. On February 29, their record stood at 35-25. They were in danger of falling out of the top six in the Eastern Conference. A once promising season was slipping away.

But this Knicks team refused to die. They went 9-5 in March without Randle and without OG for all but two games. Then with a healthy OG back in the lineup in April, they won the last five games of the regular season to finish with their first 50 win season since 2013. They not only avoided the Play-In round, they clinched the number two seed in the Eastern Conference. 

Tell me you saw that coming. I sure as shit didn't.

And now these very same Knicks, the ones nobody gave an ice cube's chance in hell of being in this position, get to make believers out of none other than the Philadelphia 76ers, who beat the Heat in the Play-In to clinch the 7th seed. The two teams begin a best of seven series at the Garden Saturday night.

The are three things the Knicks have to do in order to move on to the next round:

1. Contain Joel Embiid. Against the Heat, Embiid looked slow. It was clear he was still favoring his surgically repaired knee. The Knicks need to make him work for every shot and rebound he gets. Mitchell Robinson and Isaiah Hartenstein need to stay on him like white on rice. If they don't; if Embiid is allowed to roam at will, this will be a very short series the other way. Even at 80 percent, he's still one of the best players in the league.

2. Jalen Brunson must score. The Sixers will double team Brunson every time he touches the ball just like the Lakers did in the 4th quarter of that February game at the Garden. It will be up to his teammates to make sure they set enough screens to free him up. Like Embiid, Brunson is capable of dominating a series. He needs to score at least 30 points per game for the Knicks to have a shot.

3. The bench needs to contribute. And by contribute, I mean more than a measly 10 points per game. Between Bojan Bogdanovic, Precious Achiuwa, Robinson and Deuce McBride, the bench has to score at least 20 points per game. They also have to play more than a few minutes. Tom Thibodeau can't continue to ride Brunson and Josh Hart to the tune of 40 plus minutes per game. Philly will wipe the court with them if that happens.

I like the Knicks chances here. They allowed the second fewest points per game during the regular season at 108.2. And they are 20-3 in games in which Anunoby has played. It won't be easy. Losing Randle for the season will eventually catch up with them, but not in this series. Knicks in six.

Here's how I expect the rest of the first round matchups to go.

Eastern Conference:

Boston over Miami in five: Without Jimmy Butler, the Heat don't have a chance. What a shame.

Indiana over Milwaukee in six: Even with Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Bucks would've had a tough time time dealing with the Pacers transition game. If he misses more than two games, this could be a sweep.

Orlando over Cleveland in six: Sorry, but I just don't get all the hoopla over the Cavs. The Knicks took them out in five last year with a hobbled Randle. If anything, I'm being generous by giving them two wins.

Western Conference:

Oklahoma City over New Orleans in six: Losing Zion Williamson in the Play-In pretty much killed any chance the Pelicans had of winning this series.

Denver over L.A. Lakers in seven: Maybe it's the sentimentalist in me but I think LeBron will do his best to drag the Lakers across the finish line. He'll come up short.

Minnesota over Phoenix in five: The only team that allowed fewer points per game than the Knicks were the Timberwolves. This was not the matchup the Suns were hoping for.

Dallas over L.A. Clippers in six: Never trust a team that has James Harden on it.

If the Knicks move on, I'll preview the second round.

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?

The Sad Reality About the Knicks

This season, the New York Knicks are second in the NBA with a 123.1 offensive rating when Jalen Brunson is on the court. Conversely, they are 30th in the league with a 103.4 offensive rating when he is on the bench.

The numbers are as undeniable as they are alarming. When Brunson is on the court, the Knicks are one of the best teams in the NBA; when he isn't, they're one of the worst. Last night's game against the Oklahoma City Thunder at the Garden illustrated that point. The Knicks were leading the Thunder by 10  after three. Coach Tom Thibodeau, for some reason, elected to keep Brunson on the bench to start the 4th quarter and OKC rolled off seven straight points.

By the time Brunson re-entered the game with 7:42 left, all the momentum the Knicks had built up was gone. And while it's true that there should've been a foul on the Brunson layup that gave New York a 112-111 lead with 4.1 seconds left, the real culprit was a Knicks bench that has been putrid ever since the trade deadline. 

Last night, the Thunder bench outscored the Knicks bench 36-18. The other night in San Antonio, the Spurs bench outscored the Knicks bench 38-19. The Spurs, it should be noted, are one of the worst teams in the NBA. Yet, had it not been for Brunson's 61 point performance, they would've blown out the Knicks. Think about that: a 17 win team beating a 44 win team.

There's no getting around it: without Julius Randle, OG Anunoby and Mitchell Robinson, the Knicks don't have the depth necessary to compete with the top teams in the league, unless Brunson plays all 48 minutes. Yes, they can handle most of the basement dwellers, but that's about it. For the better part of the last eight weeks, ever since Randle and Anunoby went down, Thibodeau has been primarily relying on six players to save the season. It was refreshing to see the return of Anunoby and Robinson, if only for a couple of games, but both players suffered setbacks and are now listed as day to day.

Things were going so well only a couple of months ago. The Knicks were the hottest team in the league. They went 14-2 in January. The trade that brought Aununoby and Precious Achiuwa from Toronto for RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley looked like the steal of the decade. There was talk of a possible deep run in the playoffs.

But then Randle went down with a shoulder separation against the Heat on January 27, followed a game later by Anunuoby with what was described initially as soreness of the right elbow. Not to worry, we were told. Randle likely wouldn't need surgery, and even though Aununoby eventually did require surgery to remove bone chips, the procedure was not considered season ending. Both players were expected back in time for the playoffs, along with Robinson.

But now that's all up in the air. Randle still has not been cleared for contact in practice, and since Anunoby suffered a setback with his elbow, he too hasn't had contact in practice. There is no timetable for either to return. And while Robinson's ankle soreness continues to be monitored, no one knows when or if he'll return.

Josh Hart may have summed up the Knicks situation best when he said during a post-game interview, "I'm looking at it like this is the team we're going to have. I think that's how we have to approach it, like those guys aren't coming back. And obviously we'll be pleasantly surprised if they come back."

So, pending a miracle, the starting rotation for the remainder of the season will be as follows: Isaiah Hartenstein, Hart, Deuce McBride, Brunson and Donte DiVincenzo; the bench will be Achiuwa, Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks, with an odd appearance or two of Jericho Sims. You can kiss the Eastern Conference finals goodbye. With this lineup, the Knicks would be lucky to get out of the first round.

The good news is that Leon Rose still has all his first round draft picks that he can use as trade bait over the summer. With Brunson and a healthy Randle and Anunoby - assuming they sign him - the Knicks will be a legit contender next season.

But it still sucks knowing what could've been.

Leon Rose Crushes It

Two years ago, New York Rangers President and GM Chris Drury added four players at the trade deadline that played an integral role in helping them advance to the Eastern Conference finals. It was, by far, the most aggressive trade deadline the organization had had since 1994, when then GM Neil Smith went for it all and imported Stephane Matteau, Brian Noonan, Glenn Anderson and Craig MacTavish to propel the team to its first Stanley Cup championship since 1940.

Since he was named President of the New York Knicks in March of 2020, Leon Rose has methodically transformed one of the most dysfunctional franchises in the NBA into a bonafide contender. Below is list of some of the moves he's made since taking over the reigns.

2020: Hires Tom Thibodeau as head coach. Knicks go 41-31, qualifying for the postseason for the first time since 2013.

2022: Makes three trades at the NBA Draft, dealing the rights to his own draft picks, moving out a bad contract, accumulating over $16 million in cap space and acquiring 11 first-round picks. Signs Jalen Brunson to a four-year, $104 million contract later that summer.

2023: Acquires Josh Hart from the Portland Trail Blazers at the trade deadline for Cam Reddish and a first-round pick. Both Brunson and Hart proved to be catalysts for a Knicks team that beat the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round of the playoffs. Signs Donte DiVincenzo to a four-year, $50 million contract over the summer. Trades R.J. Barrett, Immanuel Quickley and a second-round pick to the Toronto Raptors for OG Anunoby, Precious Achiuwa and Malachi Flynn December 30.

2024: Acquires Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks from the Detroit Pistons at the trade deadline for Flynn, Quintin Grimes, Evan Fournier, Ryan Arcidiacono and two second-round picks. The remarkable thing about this trade, and the one with Toronto, is that Rose didn't have give up a single first-round pick, meaning he still has all eleven of his first-rounders in case he wants to pull off a blockbuster trade in the summer. No other team in the league has this kind of draft capital at its disposal.

Just think about it: when healthy - Mitchell Robinson (ankle), Julius Randle (shoulder) and Anunoby (elbow) are currently injured and are not expected back until sometime in March - the Knicks roster will look like this:

Starters:

PG: Jalen Brunson

SG: Donte Divincenzo

SF: OG Anunoby

PF: Julius Randle

C:   Mitchell Robinson

Bench:

PG: Alec Burks

SG: Josh Hart

SF: Bojan Bogdanovic

PF: Precious Achiuwa

C:   Isaiah Hartenstein

F:   Jericho Sims

G:  Deuce McBride

On paper, this is arguably the deepest team in the NBA, and that includes the Boston Celtics. How many teams do you suppose can boast they have a 20 point scorer coming off their bench? They are a legitimate threat to go to the Eastern Conference finals, perhaps even the NBA finals. And it's all due to the diligence of a man who, thankfully, stuck to his guns and now stands to be rewarded for his patience.

It's been a very long time since the words competence and contender were associated with the New York Knicks. Usually, laughingstock and disappointment are the words most associated with them. Even now, I'm cautiously optimistic. What can I say? It's the cynic in me.

1973 was the last time this fanbase had something to celebrate. That was 51 years ago.

51 years is long enough!

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.

Knicks Still Need a Third Option

After nine games, the verdict is in: The trade with the Toronto Raptors that brought OG Anunoby to the New York Knicks is an unqualified success. Not only have they've gone 7-2 over that stretch, they've gone from being one of the worst defensive teams in the NBA to one of the best. If there's such a thing as a secret sauce, Anunoby would be it.

And yet as good as this Knicks team has played, you can tell there's still something missing. Yes, their work ethic is beyond reproach. And, yes, to paraphrase Mr. T., "I pity the team that has to play them in the postseason." As things stand now, they would give the Philadelphia 76ers a run for their money. Hell, they might even beat them. But against the Milwaukee Bucks or the Boston Celtics, it would be game, set and match. Anybody that doubts that hasn't seen enough basketball games.

That's because for all their grit, they don't have quite enough polish. Every team that plays against them knows who's going to get the ball: it's either going to be Julius Randle or Jalen Brunson. That's about it. Oh, OG will get his points, as will Donte DiVencenzo and Josh Hart. But come crunch time, the game is in the hands of the dynamic duo.

The fact is that without a genuine third scoring option, the Knicks will continue to be outmanned and outgunned against the elite teams in this league. This isn't the NHL, where you can effectively "neutralize" the other team's best players. In Adam Silver's NBA, the cream always rises to the top. This is one professional sports league that knows how to showcase its talent.

And that's why Leon Rose needs to pull the trigger on the one deal that would catapult this team into a bonfire contender. He has enough first round draft picks to populate an entire roster. Sitting on them is not a viable option. In an earlier piece last month, I wrote that maybe Lauri Markkanen of the Utah Jazz might be available. But the more I think about it, the more it seems unlikely that Danny Ainge would part with the centerpiece of the Donavan Mitchell trade, especially for just draft picks.

I then posited that Rose would do well to turn his sights south to Atlanta where the Hawks are clearly in rebuild mode. Dejounte Murray is on the trading block. Everyone on this side of the Milly Way Galaxy knows it. For the right package, he could be a had. Can you imagine a backcourt of Brunson and Murray? As I wrote last month, "it would harken back to the days of Walt Frazier and Earl Monroe."

Think about it. With three players capable of scoring 25 plus points per game, the Knicks would be almost impossible to defend. And with their defense, they could capture their first title since 1973.

So what needs to happen to make this trade a reality? For starters, Rose has to do something he's been reluctant to do: roll the dice. You're not going to land Murray for just a couple of picks. Atlanta GM Landry Fields needs to know he's getting a package that he can sell to his fanbase. And that package must include players who can actually play as well as first rounders he can rebuild around.

Here's a proposed trade that would be a win / win for both teams.

New York receives Dejounte Murray and Clint Capela.

Atlanta receives Quentin Grimes, Deuce McBride, Evan Fournier and three first round picks.

In addition to Murray, the Knicks get Capela to backup Isaiah Hartenstein. Nobody knows when or if Mitchell Robinson will return this season, and at 6' 8" Precious Achiuwa is simply not the answer.

In Grimes and McBride, the Hawks get a starting backcourt that is both young and has potential. And even though he fell out of favor with Tom Thibodeau, Fournier has played both guard and small forward and is a proven scorer. Regarding the three number ones, need I say more?

Some Knicks fans may squawk that including McBride in the package is too high a price to pay, even for an elite guard like Murray. I would counter that in a rotation that includes Murray, Brunson and Hart, it's unlikely that McBride would see the court anyway. Let's face it: unless the Knicks are up 20 with less than two minutes to go, Thibs is not one to empty his bench. That's not his style. In fact, in such a three-man rotation, DiVencenso could well see his minutes reduced.

With the Indiana Pacers improving themselves by acquiring Pascal Siakam, the Knicks don't have the luxury of standing pat. Yes, they are a better team now than they were three weeks ago, but ultimately their success will hinge on what they do come April, May and June.

The NBA trade deadline is February 8. The clock is ticking, Leon.

Leon Rose Isn't Done

"You are what your record says you are." - Bill Parcells 

Through 31 games, the New York Knicks were 17-14. By no means were they a bad team; but in a top-heavy league like the NBA, they were hardly contenders. After an exhilarating win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Christmas Day, they had dropped their last two and had fallen out of the top six in the Eastern Conference.

Give Leon Rose credit. He knew it wasn't going to get any better, and with Mitchell Robinson lost for the season, it had every chance of getting worse; a lot worse. Since the starting center went down, the Knicks have gone from the 4th best defense in the league to 15th. C plus may cut it in high school algebra, but for an organization that hasn't been to the finals since 1999 - and is now staring at 51 years without a title - it might as well have been an F.

So he did what he any competent man in his position would've done: he went for it - BIG! In what some are calling a blockbuster trade, he shipped RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley and a second-round draft pick to the Toronto Raptors for OG Anunoby, Precious Achiuwa and Malachi Flynn.

The key piece in this transaction is Anunoby. The 6-7 small forward is the prototypical Tom Thibodeau player. Named to 2023 NBA All Defensive second team, he rebounds, blocks shots, gets the occasional steal, and is far-more consistent from both inside and outside the three point arc than Barrett, who in his five seasons in New York never quite realized his potential. He now gets a second chance in his native Toronto. 

Losing Quickley will deplete one of the few strengths of this team: its bench. But with IQ a pending free agent after the season, it was unlikely Rose was going to sign him anyway. Better to get what you can for a disappearing asset. The fact that the Knicks still have all their number one picks means they have plenty of draft capital with which to make other trades.

And you gotta believe Rose isn't done remaking this roster. With Jalen Brunson the only star, the Knicks desperately need an elite player to compete with the big boys. Julius Randle has the heart of a lion, but he's not that guy. And even when Robinson was healthy, he couldn't hold a candle to Joel Embiid, Kristaps Portzingis or Giannis Antetokounmpo. Face it: pick any contending team in the NBA the Knicks could go up against and they never had the best player on the court. 

Never.

The question isn't whether Rose will make another move, but with whom? The Utah Jazz could be a potential trade partner. They're clearly rebuilding. Last season, they dealt Donavan Mitchell to the Cleveland Cavaliers after rejecting a combination of players and draft picks from the Knicks. This time around, Rose could offer Danny Ainge four number one and three number two picks over the next two years that are fully conveyed for Lauri Markkanen. No matter how you slice it, that's a ton of draft picks. Even Ainge would have a hard time saying no to that.

Markkanen would give New York something they haven't had since Patrick Ewing: a center who can score and rebound. Just imagine this Knicks roster:

Starters:

C:   Markkanen

PF: Randle

SF: Anunoby

PG: Brunson

SG: Hart

Bench:

C:   Hartenstein

PF: Achiuwa

SF: Gibson

PG: Grimes

SG: DiVencenzo

If Rose can't pry Markkanen away from Utah, he can turn his sights south to Atlanta, where the Hawks might be willing to deal shooting guard Dejounte Murray for the right package. Can you imagine a back court of Brunson and Murray? It would harken back to the days of Walt Frazier and Earl Monroe. Rumor has it that the Los Angeles Lakers have the inside track on landing Murray, but you never know.

Bottom line, Knicks fans shouldn't get too attached to this lineup. I seriously doubt Rose acquired all these draft picks just to sit on them. And you can bet the ranch James Dolan is expecting something big. With the Rangers currently leading the NHL in points, he's not going to sit still while the other franchise that plays in his building is a second-tier team.

The next few weeks should be interesting.

Happy New Year.