The Knicks are patiently awaiting the NBA Finals after sweeping Cleveland. How did they finally turn into a Finals team? The Athletic’s Fred Katz takes an in-depth look at that topic.
Some of the key moments included trading Kristaps Porzingis, which gave them flexibility, the decision not to trade away assets for Jalen Brunson before they signed him as a free agent, and the subsequent trades for Karl-Anthony Towns, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby and Josh Hart.
The New York Daily News’ Peter Sblendorio details how the Knicks’ 2022 bet on Brunson has paid major dividends.
Here’s more on the Knicks:
- Brunson could join a very exclusive club if the Knicks go on to win the NBA championship, Vincent Goodwill of ESPN notes. Only two players 6’2” or under have been the undisputed headliners of their teams and led them to a championship. Isiah Thomas and Stephen Curry have done it and Brunson is now four wins away from becoming a member of that group.
- Mike Brown was far from the Knicks’ top choice to replace Tom Thibodeau but his strategies and adjustments have proven his skeptics wrong, Stefan Bondy of the New York Post writes, Brown has been fired four times since 2010 but now sits four wins away from joining Red Holzman as the only other Knicks head coach with an NBA championship. “Our business is funny. In my previous job [with the Sacramento Kings before getting fired], I supposedly took them to a point that was higher and it didn’t work out,” Brown said. “I truly felt these Knicks were an NBA Finals team. I felt we had a true opportunity. Some jobs you take, you say, ‘OK, we’ll get better and we have to make the playoffs right now.’ But this one, I felt we legitimately had a chance if we could help them figure it out and the players can stay together during the process. Especially when we hit adversity. Because we hit adversity at different parts in this season. Not just us as a whole group, but even guys individually and myself as well. I did have that belief from Day 1.”
- Hart was acquired from the Trail Blazers for Cam Reddish, Svi Mykhailiuk and guard Ryan Arcidiacono along with a first-round pick. That trade turned out to be a huge reason why the Knicks are now the Eastern Conference champions, Mike Vaccaro of the New York Post opines.
- They hosted six draft prospects on Tuesday — Arkansas’ Meleek Thomas, Baylor’s Tounde Yessoufou, USF’s Izaiyah Nelson, BYU’s Keba Keita, Missouri’s Mark Mitchell and Akron’s Amani Lyles, according to SNY’s Ian Begley (Twitter links). Thomas and Yessoufou are the most intriguing names in that group, as Thomas is ranked No. 25 overall by ESPN and Yessoufou is ranked No. 34. Ugonna Onyenso, a 7-foot center who played last season at Virginia, has a workout scheduled with the Knicks this weekend, Bondy tweets. He is ranked No. 43 overall by ESPN. The Knicks have the 24th, 31st and 55th picks in the upcoming draft.
Knicks playoff run has been impressive. I don’t care who you play(you can’t control that). They have just dominated the East Playoffs
With the effort displayed by the Cavs, anyone would look impressive
Brown finally made the necessary adjustments Thibs was never willing to make and he never ran the players into the ground during the regular season. Hardly earth-shattering in the grand scheme of things, but gotta give him credit because too many head coaches would rather die by their own sword than be flexible when the time calls for it.
The Knicks have also been a lot healthier these playoffs compared to their last couple of trips. I think people forget just how hurt/banged up they had been, particularly two years ago when they punched above their weight despite all the missing players.
I’m also a big proponent of continuity. The core having multiple years playing together pays off in ways that are hard to replicate with deadline acquisitions and significant roster turnover in general.
And then there’s the fact that the East was hardly imposing this year, with many of the contenders having clear faults.
So kind of a perfect storm of factors working in their favor right now, not to minimize their strong play. You don’t play this well in the playoffs just because you would have some favorable circumstances.