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There were a lot of moments to cheer for in the first half of the season, but where do the Knicks stand heading into the home stretch, in a position to capture a top-3 seed in the east?
The record says it all
The New York Knicks are 33-22 and are pretty much in control of their playoff destiny at this point. Jalen Brunson is a budding superstar and Julius Randle, although injured at the moment, is one of their best assets on the offensive side of the ball. The depth they now have post-trade deadline makes them even scarier as the the home stretch of the '23-'24 season begins.
As of writing, the Knicks rank 8th in offensive rating and 9th in defensive rating, per NBA.com. For those unfamiliar, offensive rating is how many points a team has scored per 100 offensive possessions, and defensive rating is how many points a team has surrendered to their opponents per 100 defensive possessions. The Knicks are one of only three teams in the league (with Boston and OKC) that rank in the top 10 of both offensive and defensive rating. That is an impressive top-3 to be part of, as the Celtics currently hold the #1 seed in the East and OKC holds #2 in the West. Once the Knicks are fully healthy, they will be one of the scarier teams throughout the rest of the regular season and playoffs. Just look at the depth they have when at full strength:
They entered the All-Star break having lost their last four after a nine-game winning streak, but the break couldn't have come at a better time. Injuries can catch up to a team quickly. The much-needed eight days of rest during the break will allow them to rest and recharge for what will be a daunting final stretch.
This Knicks team feels different, like there's no stopping how high their ceiling could go. Moving forward, they need to continue to focus on their style of play, bullying teams and wearing them down with their defensive prowess to continue to push toward a high seed and, hopefully, a long playoff run.
The team is set after a few trades prior to the trade deadline
OG Anunoby came over to the Knicks on December 30th in a trade that saw fan favorites RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley shipped off to Toronto. Anunoby has been a breath of fresh air since arriving in New York and is the 3-and-D type of wing that Tom Thibodeau has been looking for on this Knicks team. Anunoby's play has been compared to former Chicago Bulls stalwart Luol Deng, who played under Thibodeau. So far, Anunoby has fit seamlessly into a team makeup that emphasizes strong defensive play.
Anunoby has missed the last nine games and recently had surgery to remove loose bone fragments from his elbow. Announced on February 8th, Anunoby's recovery time was set for at least three weeks before resuming any basketball activities. However, to counteract Anunoby's absence, the Knicks made another masterclass move in the early afternoon of that same day just before the trade deadline.
Leon Rose once again made a winning move in pulling off a trade that brought Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks to New York at the deadline. As many Knicks fans remember, Burks was an integral part of the '20-'21 and '21-'22 Knicks squads.
Currently, Bogdanovic is averaging 19.7 PPG, shooting 41% from three. Burks is averaging 12.6 PPG, shooting 40% from three. The shooting prowess they add to the bench is massive for a team that was looking for depth pieces after trading away Immanuel Quickley in the Anunoby trade. They now have two guys that can come in and light up opposing defenses and take the pressure off the starters.
This is a classic case of management and coaching being on the same page; Leon Rose and co. have made two moves that align with Tom Thibodeau's coaching philosophy and are actively finding ways to set the Knicks up for success down the stretch. The icing on the cake? Neither trade warranted the Knicks giving up any of their first round picks this year or in the future, which sets them up to make a run at a superstar this offseason. They have the assets and Leon Rose is being patient. They are making the right moves for the long term.
Mitchell Robinson to ramp up on court activities post All-Star
The original reports back in early December were that Robinson would be reevaluated in two months for the ankle injury he sustained on December 8th during a game in Boston. Shortly after that, reports became murkier and all signs pointed toward Robinson missing the rest of the season, including the playoffs. However, come January, Adrian Wojnarowski reported on ESPN that there is optimism that Robinson will be back by the end of the regular season and in time for the playoffs. The Knicks were denied the $7.8 million Disabled Player Exception, or DPE for short, that would have allowed them to add some additional spending flexibility. The NBA obviously views the situation as trending toward Robinson returning this season, and that is great news for the team.
Just a few days ago, Robinson's trainer posted the below. All signs are pointing up for his return, and it's exciting to see him putting in the work to get back in time for the playoffs.
Isaiah Hartenstein has stepped in admirably during Robinson's absence, taking on the starting center role. He is a fan favorite and is lauded for his rebounding and shot-blocking capabilities. He is also a fantastic passer who has made some excellent reads this season. His numbers have been incredible since Robinson went down in December. In those 28 games since, he is posting a 211 +/-, snagging 11.3 RPG, and playing an average of about 31 minutes per night. The before and after numbers are staggering and his play has been a big reason why the Knicks are in such a great position at the halfway mark.
If Robinson is indeed able to make it back by the time the playoffs roll around, then oh my, this team will be hard to stop with that two headed monster at center. Not to mention Precious Achiuwa is thrown in there as the number 3 guy and has been on a hot streak of his own of late, stepping in and playing the 5 while averaging 11.9 PPG, 10 RPG, and 1.4 BPG over the last 13 games.
Defense wins ball games and the Robinson-Hartenstein-Achiuwa trio, although Achiuwa will shift back to the 4 when the former two are healthy, is one in which opposing teams will have a tough time corralling down the stretch.
Final Thoughts,
The Knicks are set up to compete for a top seed in the East. There is a lot to look forward to from this team, and they haven't had the opportunity to play at full strength. When that eventually happens this season and they start to hit their groove, then the league really needs to put them on notice.
This is the most excited I have been for a Knicks team in a very long time. There were those teams with Felton, Melo, Chandler, and crew that delighted in the early 2010s, but they didn't have the chip on their shoulder like this Knicks team has. This team plays hard nosed defense every single night and grinds opposing offenses to a halt. That's a big difference between this team and those teams of the early 2010s.
The future is bright in the city that never sleeps and the Knicks are on their way to being a contender for a very long time. Shades of the '90s Knicks are back, and all it took was a little Blood in the Garden (no pun intended). Keep it rolling, secure a top playoff spot, and put those dark days of Knicks basketball behind us for good.