The Knicks have reached 50 wins only twice in the past 24 seasons. In the 2012-13 season, the Mike Woodson Knicks won 54 games and lost to the Pacers in the conference semifinals. Then you have to go back to the 1999-2000 Knicks, where Jeff Van Gundy's Knicks won 50 games before losing to the Pacers in the Conference Finals.
The only other Knicks coaches to be in the 50-win club are Red Holtzman (five), Pat Riley (four) and Rick Pitino (one). Van Gundy also won 57 games in the 1996-97 season.
It's a high-class club, and there's no reason Tom Thibodeau won't join it this season.
“I think the 50-game number has always been a marker in the league for a really good regular season team. Unfortunately, people underestimate the challenge of the regular season and the consistency it takes to play at a high level. “I think the NBA is playing basketball every night, and I think the Knicks are doing that, too,” NBA on TNT analyst Stan Van Gundy told the Post.
“If I were a New York fan, I'd be excited about this team, but look, I don't think they're as good as the other three teams.” [Boston, Milwaukee and Philadelphia], but I'll be honest with you that last year's Miami wasn't as good as the current Knicks and ended up making it to the NBA Finals. In boxing, there are opportunities for punchers.
“I think New York has a better chance than ever to take another step or two in the playoffs. But I still think they need a few breaks to do more than win in the first round.” I think they need to, otherwise they will probably do well and continue to improve.”
The second half of the season began on Thursday night as the 24-17 Knicks hosted the disastrous Wizards. With 23 home games left, it's not an unreasonable expectation to finish with 25 wins and 15 losses, or 50 wins and 32 losses, regardless of whether action is taken beforehand. February 8th trading deadline.
“But I think there’s a story to it.” [Thibodeau]”Everyone thinks he's a good coach, they think he's old-school, they think he's all about defense,” SVG said. He's been in the top 10 offensively two years in a row, but when you look at the roster, I don't think he has a great offense last year or now.They're a top 10 offense. [Thibodeau] Bring out the best in those around you. ”
Trading OG Anunoby would change the complexion of the Knicks' defense, especially if Mitchell Robinson returns before the end of the regular season. SVG said of Anunoby, “He could match up with the best players on any other team in the league.” “This makes them a much more formidable playoff team than they were before.”
More than anything, the presence of Jalen Brunson alongside Julius Randle is better than a 50-50 proposition.
“I think what New York did in the trade with OG was a step forward,” SVG said. “I think they gave themselves a puncher's chance. If they could somehow add a bench scorer to that group, they'd get a little bit more of a chance. But if I look at it and say, 'Oh, their roster… I don't see a path for them to come up with a roster where they can say, “I think we have as much talent as Milwaukee or Boston, but I don't think that's going to happen.'' Or maybe Philadelphia.
“Right now, I think I'd put the Knicks in the same group as Miami and Cleveland, 4th to 7th. However, it's important to note that Miami has fallen even further than they were a year ago, making it to the Finals. So if you get to those places, put things together at the right time, get the right combinations, have the right health, you can run away from the horses coming at you from outside. But it's still something. It's a long shot.
“Brunson and Randle are good players, but are you going to take over Brunson and Randle?” [Joel] with embiid [Tyrese] Maxie? Are you taking over? [Jayson] with tatum [Jaylen] brown? Are you taking over? [Damian] Lillard and Giannis [Antetokounmpo]? You're not, you're just not.? So I think they're still on the outside. They certainly have a chance if things go well, but a lot of things will need to align right for them to flourish. ”
The Knicks remain in the market for bench playmakers/facilitators, including Dejounte Murray, Malcolm Brogdon, Jordan Clarkson, DeMar DeRozan, and most recently the recently traded Bruce Brown (12.1 ppg, 4.7 rpg). ) and others are rumored. From the Pacers to the Raptors in the signing of Pascal Siakam. “I think a player like Clarkson, a player who can add some offensive punch off the bench, is the player they need most. That's just me looking at it from the outside,” SVG said. “They're all great names. I don't think the Knicks have much trade value left. That's the problem.”
The Knicks are reportedly interested in signing Quentin Grimes. They also have a big backup to take some stress off of Isaiah Hartenstein, who is a godsend.
“I love Quentin Grimes myself…but I don't know if that draws you to those guys,” Van Gundy said. “I think their center has some value, but I don't think they want to let either player go.”
It would not be fair in any world for Brunson to be excluded from consideration for the All-Star Game for the second year in a row.
“When I did the media poll for All-Star starters, it came down to just five, and the three I considered were: [Tyrese Haliburton], Branson and Maxey,” Van Gundy said. And the results for me were as good as Tyrese and obviously didn't have to carry as much weight with Embiid as Brunson. ”
The Garden knows that without Jalen Brunson, the Knicks wouldn't have been able to hope to win 50 games.
