New York Knicks: 3 reasons for optimism after loss to the Thunder
By Eric Snyder
It’s not common for a New York Knicks blowout loss to invoke feelings of optimism, but that’s exactly the case after their loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The New York Knicks rebuild is in the beginning stages and their loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder made that clear. Clearly, the Knicks were overmatched at almost every position and the game was never in question.
In professional sports, there are no moral victories or participation trophies, nor should there be. At the same time, even in a loss, teams can grow and progress toward a better version of themselves. This New York team is far from good but they may not be as putrid as first expected.
When the NBA finals come into focus next year, the OKC Thunder will be one of the favorites. Their overwhelming talent, defensive activity and depth will make teams look bad all year. No, the Knicks can’t beat them but neither can the most of the NBA.
These first few games for the Knicks are more about evaluating their rotation and roster in preparation for Joakim Noah’s return. Scott Perry made it clear in the offseason; this year is more about growing and less about winning. Yet, against OKC, the Knicks revealed some reasons for optimism the rest of the season.
Optimism is a very deceiving thing. However, being optimistic about the Knicks isn’t blind fandom or desperate hope. There are some real reasons to be optimistic in New York but the first reason is from Latvia.