Arguably, the league feels a little different when the New York Knicks are playing well. Like last season, their semi-final series against the Indiana Pacers woke up the entire fanbase and was filled with drama, glitz, and glamour.
But it looks like they have an even bigger opportunity on their hands, one that does not come around easily. NBA Insider Brian Windhorst sees the Knicks standing at the precipice of one of the most crucial and possibly fortunate seasons.
“They’ve gotta look around and see their opportunity. Jason Tatum will likely miss most, if not all, of the season. Tyriece Haliburton, the same. The Cavs are dealing with several players coming off injury.” Windhorst pointed out how injuries in the Eastern Conference contenders have opened it up for a new team to take over.
“There have been a lot of years, Malika, where the Knicks had disadvantages that they couldn’t control. Now they’ve got the brakes breaking their way, their team has been put together, they’re built out, they’re in the best position we’ve seen the Knicks in to win the East in a generation. They have got to take advantage of this season.” Windhorst added.
The Eastern Conference is going through an extremely unique situation where even someone like Giannis Antetokounmpo is left without any supporting partners to go on a deep run for the Milwaukee Bucks.
The Philadelphia 76ers have been riddled with superstar injuries, and continue to suffer and remain questionable despite holding the 2023 regular season MVP on their roster.
The New York Knicks, led by Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns’ silent star power, are well-positioned to make the right footnote moves and etch their names in basketball history. They came extremely close last season, and the fans felt the resurgence.
The Knicks finished with a 50-32 win-loss record, finishing second in the Eastern Conference. Easily moved past the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round, but fell short in the seventh game against the Indiana Pacers.
But now the Pacers are without their superstar for at least a season, and the Knicks see a clear path to taking up the top spot. And they are making the changes required to get that done. They have invested over $700 million in their starting lineup. This week itself, the Knicks signed three players simultaneously: Malcolm Brogdon, Landry Shamet, and Garrison Mathews.
According to reports, it is likely going to be a training camp competition between these three players to see who can make the team. If done the right way, it could push these players to showcase and train to the best of their abilities, playing for a guaranteed contract on a contender.
Insiders pointed out that these efforts have been taken up because last year their starters led the team in minutes played, which is not an ideal recipe for winning championships. There is a much higher chance that the starters get worn out.
Steps like these strengthen their chances, but there’s still a long road ahead for the fan-favorite, fortunate-hated franchise.
