Third opponent: The Knicks
The New York Knicks own a collection of assets that are worthy of orchestrating the NBA’s next blockbuster trade, but that was far from the case in the off-season. Running it back was the order of the day from Leon Rose and head coach Tom Thibodeau, perhaps a sensible decision given their clear improvements last season and their grasp of emerging, hungry talents within their roster.
Ten more wins were recorded by Thibodeau’s men compared to the previous campaign, and the only notable loss proved to be Obi Toppin whilst the energetic two-way force of Donte DiVincenzo arrived through the doors of Madison Square Garden.
Tuesday saw the televised rematch between Cleveland and New York after the latter’s rampant victory in the first round of the playoffs last season, and anyone would have thought that the proceedings in Ohio were part of the same series. The quick-tempo and fast energy that the Knicks possess is too hot to handle for most teams, and rising star Jalen Brunson has picked up exactly from where he left off in the post-season (31 points at Atlanta in New York’s second game being the highlight).
Jalen Brunson on ball movement vs Hawks: "We have a lot of guys who can attack & create for themselves. But a lot of people draw a lot of attention. So when we play off each other, it makes life a lot easier" pic.twitter.com/KIVylPDsYy
— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) October 28, 2023
Notoriously, New York is not short on turnovers. Sixteen were committed in their win in Atlanta, undermined by their strong shooting performance, and an astonishing 35 would be recorded by the Knicks the very next night in a disappointing defeat in New Orleans (eight were given away by Julius Randle).
Though they can blitz teams away on occasions when they have their nights, the Knicks shot just 7 from 37 from outside the arc in the Pelicans defeat, and have been severely inconsistent in this department in the opening four games of the season. Before his fine showing in Cleveland, all-star Julius Randle recorded just 13 of his first 47 field goal attempts to kick-start his season and condemn the Knicks to a 1-2 start.
The formation of a new tournament provides a more realistic chance of silverware to a heavily underperforming franchise in recent decades; the Knicks last lifted the Eastern Conference title in 1998-99 with a 4-2 victory over the Indiana Pacers. The trip to the Garden in the penultimate group game is likely to have serious qualification ramifications with both sides aiming for the East’s wildcard spot at a bare minimum.