The Knicks Aim for Eastern Conference Finals
It looks like the Knicks are gearing up for a serious push toward the Eastern Conference Finals.
OG Anunoby, who has been dealing with a hamstring issue, participated fully in Monday’s practice and is expected to be available for Tuesday night’s season opener against the Cavaliers at Madison Square Garden.
There’s some uncertainty about whether the Knicks can keep their impressive seven-game winning streak alive after their extended break. Still, the downtime has been advantageous, particularly for Anunoby, arguably the team’s most crucial two-way player.
This season, Anunoby hasn’t played since getting injured during Game 2 of the second round against the 76ers. By the time he steps onto the court for Game 1 against Cleveland, it will have been 13 days since his last appearance.
Rewind two years ago to the same playoffs, where a hamstring injury in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals curtailed Anunoby’s season. The Knicks had a 2-0 series lead but subsequently lost seven straight games to the Pacers. He limped off the court but did make a brief return in the series finale loss. This weekend, the 28-year-old expressed that the situation isn’t as concerning as it once was.
“It was certainly different than what we had before,” Anunoby commented. “So it was better than before. I try to focus on the moment instead of dwelling on the past. At the time, I didn’t feel as bad as I did before, and I just aim to improve daily.”
During the postseason, Anunoby might have been the Knicks’ standout player, averaging 21.4 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks while leading the team with 1.9 steals and shooting 61.9 percent overall (including 53.8 percent from beyond the arc).
Mike Brown’s Familiar Territory
This isn’t new territory for Mike Brown.
Having won four championships as an assistant, he’s set to experience the Eastern Conference Finals for the third time in his career as a head coach.
His previous two trips in 2007 and 2009 were with the Cavaliers, where his son, Cameron, spent a good amount of time during his youth and later played and coached football at Case Western Reserve University.
“We had a great time there…but my youngest son really likes Cleveland,” Brown noted, adding that his son is now an assistant with the 49ers. “I remember him mentioning he might come back to Cleveland for a game, as he’s yet to visit any other places.”
In Brown’s latest stint, he guided his team to the conference finals, where LeBron James’ Cavaliers dominated the first two rounds.
After an eight-day break, Cleveland faced Orlando and suffered an upset despite entering with a seven-game winning streak against the defending champion Celtics.
“You always lean on past experiences,” Brown said about the team’s current situation, which mirrors previous ones. “But every team is different. We’ve got a new era now, relying on our past experiences, our players, and the coaching staff surrounding us.”
