Even though the Boston Celtics still seem to be considered the favorites to win this season’s NBA championship, which would be their second in a row, there is plenty of parity league-wide, and it is conceivable that as many as seven or more teams have a real shot of winning it all.
One of those teams is the New York Knicks, who are third in the Eastern Conference with a 36-18 record but haven’t managed to put it all together yet.
On Wednesday, it took an overtime session for them to squeak past an inferior Atlanta Hawks squad by one point, and they gave up 148 points while allowing Trae Young to produce 38 points and 19 assists.
It wasn’t the type of defensive performance people have come to expect recently from the Knicks, and it left ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, a well-known Knicks die-hard, feeling “disgusted” about their lack of defense.
“The New York Knicks, where is their identity?”
“The New York Knicks, where is their identity?” 😳 @stephenasmith is “disgusted” and “pissed off” with the Knicks’ recent play after their 149-148 OT win against the Hawks. pic.twitter.com/SosFzcSAv1
— First Take (@FirstTake) February 13, 2025
Over the last two years or so, as they have risen from the ashes following two decades of ineptitude, the Knicks established themselves as a team that wins with defense and by pounding the boards.
This season, their offense has been excellent thanks to the offseason additions of two-way wing Mikal Bridges and All-Star starting center Karl-Anthony Towns, but their defense has fallen back.
They currently rank just 18th in defensive rating, which is a far cry from where they were last season when they were ninth in that category.
On the other hand, New York has won nine of their last 11 games, and that spurt has included wins over the Denver Nuggets and Memphis Grizzlies, two of the best teams in the Western Conference.
They have a lot to figure out between now and late April, but if they figure out how to rectify their issues, they will have the talent to go on a magical run throughout May and possibly even June.
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