3 Reasons Why Knicks Can Win NBA Title
Watch out, NBA. The New York Knicks just got past the Philadelphia 76ers to advance to the second round of the playoffs, and they’re not done yet. The second seed in the East may not have the best NBA Finals odds in its conference, but that doesn’t mean the Knicks can’t make a run to the title.
New York was able to get past a 76ers squad that was probably better than their record since reigning NBA MVP Joel Embiid missed quite a few games in the regular season. But the Knicks picked up two road wins, including the Game 6 clincher, to move into the second round of the postseason for the second straight season.
Now, the Knicks face an old nemesis in the Indiana Pacers, and they’re thinking of the big picture of earning the franchise’s first NBA title since 1973. Let’s take a look at three reasons why the Knicks could be the last team standing at the end of this postseason.
1. A Star in Brunson That Comes Up Big
The biggest reason why the Knicks could win the title can be summed up in two words: Jalen Brunson. The All-Star guard is No. 1 in the NBA in playoff scoring this season at 35.5 points per game white also ranking third in assists per game with 9.0.
Brunson has not shied from the moment in this postseason at all, scoring at least 40 points for the third straight game in the series clincher against the 76ers on Thursday night. He tied Knicks great Bernard King for the longest streak of 40-plus-point scoring games in franchise history with the effort and was the first NBA player since Michael Jordan in 1989 to score at least 40 points to close out a series.
Impressed yet?
After Jalen Brunson’s 41 PTS in Game 6, he becomes just the 7th player in NBA history with 3 consecutive 40+ point playoff games, joining:
Jerry West
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Bernard King
Michael Jordan
Allen Iverson
Jamal Murray#NBAPlayoffs presented by Google Pixel pic.twitter.com/nbe2ZyKRh3— NBA History (@NBAHistory) May 3, 2024
Brunson is doing this while still being the team’s point guard. In other words, he’s scoring a ton, but he’s not hogging the ball and taking shots he shouldn’t. When the 76ers double-teamed him, he was able to move the ball and get it to an open teammate for a score.
An example of that was with the game tied with under 30 seconds to play on Thursday, Rather than forcing up a bad shot, Brunson found teammate Josh Hart wide open for a 3-pointer that gave the Knicks the lead for good.
2. That Villanova Connection
Current Knicks Brunson, Hart and Donte DiVincenzo have all teamed up on the same squad before, winning the 2016 NCAA championship with Villanova. That was part of why all three wanted to play in New York, and that long-established chemistry is evident in their play together.
Brunson looking up at his Villanova championship banners after his huge bucket with less than a minute left was cold blooded pic.twitter.com/vct3uj6mGC
— Tommy Beer (@TommyBeer) May 3, 2024
The three are all part of the starting lineup and work well together on both ends of the floor. They’re three of the team’s top four scorers in the postseason, with Hart averaging 16.8 points and DiVincenzo 12.0.
They’re also all very hard-nosed defensively and going after the ball, whether on the glass or a loose ball. The trio epitomizes the Knicks under head coach Tom Thibodeau, with defense and team play emphasized.
While Brunson may be one of the biggest stars in the league right now after his playoff performance, he’s just another player on this team, with everyone seen as equals. Playing as a team, the Knicks feel like they can beat the NBA odds in any matchup.
“No matter what the situation is, we’re going to attack it,” Brunson said. “I just think that no matter who’s in front of us, we’re going to grind.”
That kind of camaraderie is certainly going to help this team in tough situations, like when it blew a six-point lead in the final 30 seconds of Game 5 to lose in overtime to the 76ers. Or blew a 22-point first-quarter lead to Philadelphia in Game 6.
The Knicks play as a team – not individuals – and that’s a huge factor in any championship squad. And the Villanova connection certainly helps build that.
3. New York State Of Mind
The Knicks are one of the most storied franchises in the NBA, but as stated earlier, they haven’t won an NBA title since the early 1970s. That’s a long time to wait, so the fan base is hungry.
There’s a hunger on the court and in the stands, and the New York fans travel well. They took over the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia in Games 4 and 6 of the first-round series against the 76ers, negating any home-court advantage.
“Was it hostile?” Thibodeau cracked after Game 6, when asked about the atmosphere in Philadelphia.
The way you can hear the Knicks fans when Josh Hart makes the shot. Incredible. pic.twitter.com/9rQ4OdViPg
— Jeff Eisenband (@JeffEisenband) May 3, 2024
“The Philadelphia fanbase is, I said this before, they’re very relentless and very passionate. I mean, I’m an Eagles fan, I would know,” Brunson said of the crowd support in Philadelphia in Game 4 of the series. “But seeing the Knicks here and hearing the Knicks here, it was pretty cool and it’s awesome.”
They’ll certainly make the trip to Indianapolis for any games in the second-round series as well. Hollywood stars like Spike Lee and former Knicks like Carmelo Anthony and John Starks are big fans of this year’s squad and will provide support no matter where their favorite team plays.
New York was 23-18 on the road in the regular season, but it won’t face a completely hostile environment the rest of the postseason thanks to that undying fan support. This team is special, and everyone wants to be a part of its success going forward.
The Knicks definitely need to be considered when you’re making any NBA picks going forward. The team has shown a lot so far, and it doesn’t plan on being done playing any time soon.
Questions Of The Day
When was the last time the Knicks won the NBA title?
New York’s last NBA championship came in the 1972-73 season.
