The Knicks are rolling right now.
They’re hustling, making shots, and playing the type of defense fans have hoped for years to see from their team.
Their confidence is growing with every win and so is their trust in one another.
Yes, it’s true, the New York Knicks are indeed for real.
Tuesday night, the Knicks won their seventh straight with a 109-97 victory over the Charlotte Hornets. The 2,000 fans in attendance at Madison Square Garden, socially distance, saluted their home team with a standing ovation as the final buzzer sounded.
The Knicks now find themselves in sole possession of the fifth spot in the Eastern Conference. They’re a half-game behind the Atlanta Hawks for fourth place. Moreover, it just so happens the Hawks visit the Garden on Wednesday.
Meaningful basketball, in April, inside the Garden. The Knicks are in a potential battle for home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.
Where’s Jim Mora when you need him?
Playoffs?! Yes! Playoffs! We’re talking about the playoffs.
When the season started, the odds of the Knicks reaching the playoffs were slim. They’re were just too many unknowns with this team. Best-case scenario would’ve been competing for a lower seed or one of the slots in the league’s new play-in format.
In the revised format, only the top six seeds in each conference are guaranteed a trip to the postseason.
The teams that finish seventh and eighth will join the teams that finish ninth and 10th in a four-team play-in tournament to determine the final two playoff spots.
If those were the expectations for the Knicks this season, they’ve exceeded them. It’s because of their strong play, the conversation has changed.
What’s causing all this? What’s elevated the Knicks towards the top half of social media conversations? It’s not just one factor.
These Knicks are trending for all the right reasons
Julius Randle is having an All-Star season and deserves serious consideration for the MVP award. The maturation of RJ Barrett has been a treat to watch. After a struggling to find his shot in the first half, Barrett torched Charlotte for 18 points in the third quarter and finished with 24. We’re watching a star in the making and he’s still only 20 years old.
Derrick Rose has brought leadership, offense, and a calming influence for Barrett and rookies Immanuel Quickley and Obi Toppin.
No winning team is complete without consistent production from its role players. Alec Burks and Reggie Bullock have made substantial contributions to the success of the Knicks this season. With Burks currently sidelined due to the NBA’s health and safety protocols, Bullock has stepped up and knocked down big shots in crunch time of games. The offseason acquisition of Nerlens Noel has brought much-needed depth, with Mitchell Robinson injured, and provided the Knicks with a shot-blocking enforcer in the middle.
Yes, there’s a debate to be had for getting a full-time point guard this summer. But, for whatever we think they’re missing in talent, they’re compensating with defense, trust in each other, and all-around effort.
Head coach Tom Thibodeau has brought credibility to the team, there’s no overlooking his resume which demands respect.
This season, the Knicks are one of the best defensive teams in the league. Against Charlotte, the Knicks allowed 13 of 19 from the three-point line. After halftime, they clamped down on the Hornets and held them to a horrific 3 of 20 from downtown.
That’s what you want to see from a winning team, a playoff team.
And Thibodeau has succeeded here where his predecessors repeatedly failed. The players believe in him, they respect him, and have responded to his requirements of self-accountability and self-awareness.
This team is rolling right now. There’s still more work to be done and Thibodeau won’t hesitate to remind his players. Meanwhile, let’s enjoy the ride. Because it’s looking more and more like the good times in the Garden are back.
Julius Randle and Tom Thibodeau – Adam Hunger/Associated Press
RJ Barrett – NBAE via Getty Images
