Hoops Habit
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Hoops Habit’s favorite moments and stories from the 2022-23 NBA season

By Leocciano Callao

Feb 7, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (6) hugs agent Rich Paul after breaking the all-time scoring record in the third quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 7, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (6) hugs agent Rich Paul after breaking the all-time scoring record in the third quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports /
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NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MAY 10: Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks prepares to play prior to game five of the Eastern Conference Semifinals in the 2023 NBA Playoffs against the Miami Heat at Madison Square Garden on May 10, 2023 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MAY 10: Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks prepares to play prior to game five of the Eastern Conference Semifinals in the 2023 NBA Playoffs against the Miami Heat at Madison Square Garden on May 10, 2023 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /

Colin Loughran: the Garden will eventually be Eden again.

In many ways, the 2022/2023 New York Knicks season was a direct continuation of a path that began during the 2020/2021 campaign and is still in progress.

Their year saw them finally find their franchise point guard,  post a 47-35 record,  and make a trip to the Eastern Conference Semifinals. While the Knicks did not capture their first NBA title since 1973, this past season was a successful one by just about any measure.

When Jalen Brunson inked a 4-year, $104 million deal in July, few could have predicted the kind of impact he would have. He averaged the most assists on the team and was second on the club in terms of points and minutes per game.

Along with Brunson, Julius Randle, Immanuel Quickley, Josh Hart and others provided key play that will not soon be forgotten.

Randle received All-NBA Third Team honors while Quickley received Sixth Man of the Year buzz and posted career highs in terms of minutes and points per game.

The Knicks’ February trade for Josh Hart afforded them an efficient’ talent off the bench. He meshed well with role players such as Quentin Grimes and Isaiah Hartenstein. He also complemented the duo of Brunson and Randle.

No telling of the Knicks regular season story would be complete without mentioning the decision that head coach Tom Thibodeau made in early December. The grizzled coach chose to deploy a nine man rotation that effectively benched Derrick Rose and Cam Reddish.

The Knicks had not won a playoff series since 2013. Their first round gentleman’s sweep of the Cleveland Cavaliers granted the franchise a breath of fresh air.

The series was defined by the Knicks’ gritty approach. Mitchell Robinson and RJ Barrett silenced critics who were unimpressed by their regular season performances. Barrett averaged 17.4 points and Robinson played key defense throughout the set.

The Knicks fell to the Miami Heat in the second round, but did not go down without a fight. They won a season-saving Game 5 at MSG in a fashion that encapsulated much of what made their season prosperous, something they could not do in 2021 when facing a similar playoff situation against the Atlanta Hawks.

The 2023 New York Knicks proved that there is reason to believe the Garden will eventually be Eden again.