NEW YORK, NY – The Knicks and Rangers are loading up for playoff runs. The Knicks have won six in a row and look more competent than they have in years. The Rangers got back on track after a losing streak and seem set to add a Hall of Famer to the lineup. It’s been a while since both the Rangers and Knicks won a playoff round in the same year. This might be the year.
Knicks Add Some Hart
Are we excited about the Knicks yet? I know the Celtics didn’t have Jaylen Brown, but the Knicks controlled the game last night from the jump. Boston has the best record in the league and the Knicks dominated them.
Remember when everyone thought the Knicks massively overpaid for Brunson? That talk has died down for some reason.
The Josh Hart trade has really settled the rotation and there are no weak links now. Instead of hoping the second unit can hold up with Deuce McBride running the point, they can extend leads. Hart, the self described “dog,” does a little bit of everything and his hustle stands out.
I’ve made an uncountable number of brutal predictions on this space over the last few years. Here’s one for my Top Ten: Early in the season I said the Knicks offense had to go through RJ Barrett for them to be successful. Uh, no. Barrett isn’t even on the floor in crunch time most nights these days. He can look good in spurts, but the consistency isn’t there. I’d rather see Quickley and Hart out there.
Speaking of Quickley, this guy is really making a jump/leap. The first rounder Toppin is a useful bench player, but it’s IQ the second rounder who is becoming the key cog. He is playing with obvious confidence with the ball in his hands.
The Knicks are now pulling away from the play-in bracket and into fifth place. It’s still hard to see them knocking off the big boys in the East come playoff time, but it doesn’t seem impossible anymore. That’s a start.
Rock You Like a Patrick Kane
Hopefully by the time you read this Patrick Kane is a Ranger. It’s sure been a strange week of salary cap penny pinching, with guys sitting on the bench in bubble wrap and not playing. It was bizarre seeing them stick with four D even after Miller was ejected and they had a perfectly healthy D-man sitting right there. Then again, in beer league we play with four D most nights. Sometimes only three. Suck it up Trouba.
Now with Miller’s potential spittin’ suspension and Lindgren’s injury, they might have to call up another guy and then finagle the cap for a few more days. Essh, wrap it up already.
Kane might just be a name at this point but he’s shown a little jump lately. Maybe he can rekindle some of his old magic with Panarin.
Anyway, it’s looking like we could have a fun spring at the Garden.
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