Knicks advance in the East, aiming for first NBA title since 1973
The Knicks defeated the Cavaliers to cap off their dominant run in the playoffs and are four wins away from their first NBA title since 1973.
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You could argue that no team in NBA history has played better basketball for 11 consecutive games than the New York Knicks are currently playing.
They are the fifth team to win 11 games in a row in a single postseason, and their goal differential of +262 is the best in any 11-game period in the regular season or playoffs.
And now, the Knicks are back in the NBA Finals for the first time in 27 years, defeating the Cavaliers 130-93 on Monday, May 25th to win the Eastern Conference Finals. Awaiting them is the winner of the Western Conference Finals between the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder.
That being said, can they actually win the NBA Finals?
It’s true that the Spurs and Thunder are each formidable teams, and the winner of the West Division usually ends up being the champion. But don’t overlook this Knicks team. He can definitely win the title.
New York has scoring, defense and depth, all of which are needed in the NBA Finals.
New York bulldozes through opponents and can ignite the offense. From asking captain Jalen Brunson to be the anchor scorer to playing Karl-Anthony Towns as the point center and sprinting in transition, the adaptable Knicks are built to compete with San Antonio and Oklahoma City, and can adapt to either on the fly.
“Our group is playing good basketball and we all do it in different ways,” Knicks coach Mike Brown told reporters after Game 4. “Depending on who the opponent is, they do things differently. When you show that kind of versatility on both ends of the floor, it just adds to the confidence.”
Throughout the Eastern Conference Finals, the Knicks shot 38.1% from 3-point range and sank 53 triples.
Jalen Brunson, the Eastern Conference Finals MVP, gave up 38 points in Game 1 and led an improbable comeback with 22 points in the fourth quarter. Brunson averaged 25.5 points and shot 47.8 percent against the Cavs.
That offensive versatility will be critical against the Spurs and Thunder defenses, both of which will undoubtedly be the toughest tests New York will face this postseason.
On the other side of the floor, New York dominates opponents with a defense centered around the trio of OG Anunoby, Josh Hart, and Mikal Bridges. This group allows for flexibility, as New York can switch between all three and the pick-and-roll.
Similarly, the versatile trio can be reassigned depending on the matchup. Hurts is comfortable guarding Hawks’ All-NBA third-team forward Jalen Johnson, as well as Cavs center Jarrett Allen. Bridges is able to hold off Sixers All-NBA Third Team guard Tyrese Maxey, and Anunoby, who was named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team, is the best of them all.
The Knicks forced 66 turnovers against the Cavaliers in the East Finals, giving them a turnover differential of +16 over the four games of the series.
During the regular season, the Thunder ranked second in the NBA in turnovers per game (12.6) and the Spurs ranked fourth (13.5), so aggressive hands and deflections will be essential to gaining an advantage.
And off the bench Mitchell Robinson, Miles McBride, Landry Shamet and Jose Alvarado each accepted their roles.
Robinson is a spark on defense. McBride is a 3-point sniper. Shamet does a little bit of everything, but aside from Thunder guard Luguentz Dort, Alvarado might be the most troublesome defender.
With 7:47 left in Game 4 on Monday night, the lead was so lopsided that Knicks coach Mike Brown emptied his bench, giving New York a 39-7 advantage in bench points.
The Thunder are the deepest team in the NBA. Spurs aren’t far behind either.
But one area that could give the Knicks a leg up heading into the Finals is rest and refreshment. The Spurs and Thunder are tied with two games each, and the series is scheduled to last at least two more games and end on Thursday, May 28th at the earliest. Frankly, this series looks like it’s heading towards a 7.
“This team has a hungry spirit, and that’s the most important thing,” Towns told reporters after the game. “Even though we had a historic and amazing win tonight, the celebrations were minimal. We really want to get back to work. We asked our coach if we could get back to work early. We were already talking about preparations after the game because we knew what happened during the last sabbatical.”
It’s been 53 years since the New York Knicks won the NBA Championship. This is the mentality needed to win one game.
