Whoa! Who are these New York Knicks?
By Bryce Olin
Halfway through the season, the New York Knicks actually look like an NBA team, and Russell Westbrook agrees
Although it feels like a could have been a million years ago, it was only two weeks ago that the New York Knicks were 5-36 and fresh off a beat down on another continent by the Milwaukee Bucks.
Since then, the New York Knicks have won four out of their last five games, including a possible season-changing win over the Kevin Durant-less Oklahoma City Thunder.
So, what’s the deal? Who are these Knicks?
Well, it all started with the J.R. Smith trade, which gifted the Knicks a diamond in the rough, Lance Thomas, from the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Knicks replaced Smith with two players who actually seem to care about playing in the league, two former NBA D-Leaguers, Thomas and Langston Galloway. Their energy has changed the dynamic of the team and finally has the Knicks playing with some passion and fire this season.
You can see it on their faces and in their movements. There’s some confidence in that Knicks locker room that wasn’t there two weeks ago. The teams seems like they care, again, which is refreshing for New York basketball fans who have now had to endure all the Knicks struggles of the last 15 years AND the god-awful Brooklyn Nets this season.
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Against Oklahoma City, Thomas’ former team, Thomas and Galloway combined for 35 points and Carmelo Anthony pitched in 31 points.
While the new additions are providing energy and giving the Knicks a boost in areas they desperately needed it (at guard and on the wing), the reason for the Knicks recent success is simple: defense.
In their last five games, the Knicks have held opponents under 92 points in four of the five contests. Obviously, the athleticism of Thomas and Galloway on defense is very helpful. They’re no Jose Calderon, Pablo Prigioni, or Travis Wear, if you catch my drift. But, the Knicks are also playing much better team defense and have figured out a way to keep guards from getting into the paint at will.
Russell Westbrook still scored 40 points against the Knicks, but no one else on the Thunder had much success, and that’s what the NBA is all about!
If the Knicks can let the opponent’s star player get his and then shut everyone else down like they did against the Thunder, they can win games because Anthony is likely going to come close to matching that other star’s production. In this game, Westbrook scored 40 points, and Anthony scored 31 points.
At 9-37, the Knicks are only ten games back in the loss column from making the playoffs in the East. Is it possible the Knicks could make a run at the playoffs?
The short answer is “NO WAY!!!”
But, after watching the Knicks over the last week and considering Carmelo Anthony plays the rest of the season, there’s a “Lloyd Christmas Chance” that the Knicks could make the playoffs, and it has nothing to do with the Knicks!
The rest of the East flat-out stinks. Here’s a look at the standings:
8th: Charlotte Hornets (19-27)
9th: Brooklyn Nets (18-26)
10th: Boston Celtics (16-28)
11th: Detroit Pistons (19-30)
12th: Indiana Pacers (16-31)
13th: Orlando Magic (15-33)
14th: Knicks/ Philadelphia 76ers (9-37)
I understand it’s ridiculously unlikely, but so much has already gone wrong for the teams ahead of the Knicks! It’s setting up perfectly for one of the craziest runs in professional sports with the way the Knicks are playing lately.
Charlotte lost their second-best player, Kemba Walker is out at least six weeks with a torn meniscus.
Brandon Jennings is out for the season with a torn Achilles.
No team in the in the race for the East’s last playoff spot is going to win more than half of their games. That much is for sure.
Unfortunately for the Knicks, they’d have to go roughly 27-9 over their last 36 games to steal the playoff spot, and that’s just not likely.
The Knicks, however, are in jeopardy of playing their way out of the a top pick in the NBA draft with the way they’re playing lately. That’s just not good for anyone!
Hey, Knicks, we see you can play! Now, shut it down before it’s too late!
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