For years I pitied the New York Knicks. They were horrendous. Actually, they were worse than horrendous. Rock-bottom wasn’t a temporary residence for the Knicks; it was a permanent abode.
Bad contract after bad contract. (Could I interest you in $60 million for Eddy Curry? Or perhaps $72 million for Joakim Noah?)
Bad draft pick after bad draft pick. (Does it get worse than taking Frank Ntilikina and Kevin Knox in back-to-back drafts?)
It all made me feel so sad. I was taught about the Knicks teams of yore. Walt Frazier, Willis Reed, and those 70s New York teams that were the epicenter of the NBA. I read about the 90s bruisers—Patrick Ewing and John Starks, and Pat Riley swapping Los Angeles for the Big Apple. I learned about Carmelo Anthony and Jeremy Lin. How their moments in the spotlight were beacons of hope for a basketball starved city.
I was told about Madison Square Garden and all its splendors. It’s not just a place to watch basketball, a fight, or a concert, it’s the place. Its glitzy stars and celebrities sitting courtside. Their white teeth sparkling just as brightly as the court.
I understood the pain of the fans who just wanted to see an ounce of success. Sure, they’re annoying and crass, but isn’t that part of the charm?
I made me happy to see the Knicks make it to the NBA Finals. It’s trite to say it, but basketball is better when New York is good.
Their undersized and oft-doubted leader, Jalen Brunson, is emblematic of the attitude of the city. There isn’t a more fitting player in the NBA to lead them. Karl-Anthony Towns occasionally has his detractors in New York, but his skill is undeniable. OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges give the crowd jolts of life.
They swept the Cleveland Cavaliers, swept the Philadelphia 76ers, and rattled off three in a row to beat the Atlanta Hawks. The Knicks haven’t lost a game in the month of May. They’re sailing in uncharted waters. How good it must feel to be a Knicks fan. Years of pain, and finally, triumph.
But once again, I find myself pitying the New York Knicks. You see, New York won’t win the Finals. They don’t have a chance. Sure, they may win a game or two, but the series? Hah! Start dreaming.
Standing in between these Knicks and basketball immortality are the Oklahoma City Thunder and the San Antonio Spurs. One is perhaps the greatest construction of a roster ever seen, and the other features one of the most unstoppable players ever seen.
I’ve seen plenty of jokes online referencing the fact that the Western Conference Finals—which the Thunder lead 3-2—are the “real” NBA Finals, which is disrespectful to the Knicks, but fair. The level of play in the Western Conference Finals is a step above what New York has seen so far.
Both teams are bad matchups for the Knicks. Brunson is New York’s most reliable offensive option, and the Spurs and Thunder have a bevy of defenders to throw on him.
San Antonio could use any number of young guards and wings to slow during the Knick’s superstar. Stephon Castle would likely be the primary defender, with De’Aaron Fox and Dylan Harper providing additional support.
If Stephon Castle isn’t quite your style, the Thunder similarly have a platoon of physical defenders. The human bowling ball Luguentz Dort and Tasmanian Devil clone Alex Caruso would harass Brunson to no end. A slew of slaps, taps, and pokes would wear on Brunson, who carries so much of the offensive load.
Towns would be similarly challenged. Chet Holgrem’s length and versatility pose problems for Towns. And Victor Wembanyama would all but eliminate Towns’ offensive impact.
Wembanyama would be a nightmare matchup for the Knicks. Towns lacks the defense needed to contend with Wembanyama. Mitchell Robinson may fare better defensively, but New York would be giving up valuable offense.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander also has the potential to give the Knicks troubles. San Antonio has been able to stymie Gilgeous-Alexander in part, because of Wembanyama’s interior presence. The Knicks have perimeter defenders to put on Gilgeous-Alexander, but don’t have anyone with the defensive chops of Wembanyama.
The pro-Knicks crowd could argue that they have the edge over San Antonio because of the Spur’s lack of playoff experience, which is a fair critique to make. But if that were the case, would they have made it to the Western Conference Finals? Would they have already taken two games off the defending champs? New York holds the experience advantage, but that alone isn’t enough to beat the Spurs.
The Thunder are also dealing with injuries to Ajay Mitchell and Jalen Williams, which could lead some Knicks fans to believe that they could beat a depleted Oklahoma City team. That assumption is wrong. The Thunder have enough depth to play without them and have done so for stretches in the playoffs.
Maybe the Knicks will surprise me. But I think I’ll pity them more than ever when the Finals are over.
