To be clear, most NBA teams other than the Cavaliers, Thunder, and Celtics, especially those within a few subway stops across the Manhattan Bridge, would immediately trade lineups, coaches, and standings with the Knicks. Probably. As of mid-season, they are 26-15. They are third in the Eastern Conference. They have two superstars in Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns and two other starters who are among the best defenders in the league.
But the Knicks, who lost to Oklahoma City on Friday and are 0-5 against the top two teams in each conference, question whether they feel like their name belongs among the top NBA prospects. faced. They responded with an emphatic win against the Bucks two days later. They suffered a disappointing loss to the Pistons on Monday. If ever there was a swing that exemplified their roller coaster season, that stretch came as a perfect sample.
So when Tom Thibodeau asked a question about whether the Knicks were still searching for their defensive identity after a 124-119 loss to Detroit, it could be extrapolated into an overarching question about the state of the team. there were. They have had a good showing midway through the season, but not enough to comfortably sit atop the play-in tournament segment of the standings. They have the individual pieces to solidify their defense, but it's still a middle-of-the-pack unit and a spotty unit at best in clutch situations like Monday. Their elite lineup of starters could face major depth issues with just one injury.
Who are the Knicks anyway? The regular season is still on the table for Game 42 against the 76ers on Wednesday. Sometimes they resemble competitors. Other times, it's an imposter. And with the toughest remaining schedule in the NBA on the horizon, with opponents having a combined winning percentage of .522 according to Tankason, the Knicks' path to the postseason may include some elusive wins against contenders. There are many opportunities to gain and many more to disappear further down the line. No one expected them to hold their noses early in the year for the standings, four-team play-in tournament portion.
