Can the Knicks Actually Win it All
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The New York Knicks are back in the NBA Finals. Let’s discuss.
This has been a long time coming. I remember the last time they made the Finals. I was 17 years old, the season was cut short by a strike, the Knicks were the 8th seed and they went on a magical run. It was awesome. I've bounced around being a fan of a few NBA teams. As a kid I was all in on the Seattle Supersonics. And the moment Seattle gets a new team, hopefully soon, I will be right back on the fan train. I'm all in for Seattle basketball. When they moved to OKC, I became a Thunder fan. It was easy enough to follow them there, and having a young Kevin Durant made it an easy transition. Then KD left and I was, again, looking for a new team. I toyed with the Suns, but Phoenix fans are an odd bunch. This was when I landed on the Memphis Grizzlies. They're close to Saint Louis and I liked what they were doing at the time. During all of this I have always quietly rooted for the Knicks. They're the one team from New York that I've always kind of liked.
I first fell in love with the Knicks when they had Patrick Ewing and John Starks. I had the famous John Starks poster on my wall when I was a kid. Patrick Ewing was one of my favorite players growing up. I was all in when they had Allan Houston and Larry Johnson. When they shifted to Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudamire, I still found it fun to root for them. There were some very lean years post Carmelo, but still, watching them play at Madison Square Garden was something to behold. Then they got Jalen Brunson. I was stoked to see him leave Dallas, and to go play on one of the biggest stages there is in professional sports, I found it easy to root for him. He took a chance on himself and it is paying off. I liked Mitchell Robinson the moment he declared for the draft. He is an old school NBA big man. He's mean and gruff and gets boards. He can also dunk a ball very hard. Mikal Bridges was one of the reasons I was contemplating being a Suns fan. Now that he is playing for the Knicks, it is so much easier to root for him. Acquiring OG Anunoby has been such a great deal for them and he is one of the best two way players in the game. I have always liked Karl Anthony-Towns. I liked him in college and when he was on the Timberwolves. I don't get the hate he gets on the internet. He is a very good offensive player, and it looks like he has finally learned how to play solid defense. Hell, I even enjoy the bench guys. Miles McBride is a bucket off the bench. I don't know if Landry Shamet has missed a three in the playoffs yet. Jordan Clarkson is getting minutes again and even he has bought in on the defensive end. This is a fun team to root for. And even the whole James Dolan of it all hasn't turned me off. Maybe it's due to him being less active or maybe it's due to Leon Rose being a bit more in charge. Dolan's awfulness hasn't hindered this team as of late. I thought they pulled the plug too soon on Tom Thibodeau. I was wrong. Mike Brown has been a perfect hire to get the best out of this team while also giving players proper rest during the season and playoffs. Josh Hart still seems like he could play 48 minutes every night this late in the year. That's due to Brown knowing when and where to give his players rest and to let them play.
Personally I like all three teams left in the playoffs. The Thunder are an absolute machine. They are well coached, have the two time MVP, have depth and play hellacious defense. I don't care about all the "foul baiting" and complaints. The Thunder are a legit dynasty in the making. The Spurs are young and fun and have an alien on their team that may be the best player in the world already. They're so unlike the Spurs of old, who I also liked, but still have that winning DNA. Stephon Castle is awesome, Dylan Harper has star written all over him, Julian Champenie can't miss and Wemby is amazing.
The Knicks are my personal favorite of the teams left. They're classic. They have the most iconic uniforms in the NBA. They have the best celebrity row. Nothing in the NBA makes me happier than seeing Spike Lee and Tracy Morgan courtside at a Knicks game. They are tried and true fans of that team. I like the guys on the team. They're playing beautiful basketball right now. It would be amazing if they could actually win the whole thing. They might have a good chance if the Thunder and Spurs keep beating each other up. The NBA is better when the Knicks are relevant. I remember when they hosted a first round playoff game in 2021, after not making it for years, and the Garden was rocking. Imagine how nuts it is going to be hosting a Finals game. I cannot wait.
I'm all in on the knicks for the Finals no matter who they end up playing. I want them to win it all now.
Ty
Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.