SPANISH HARLEM – The start of the season is just a week away for the New York Knicks and expectations for fans are ranging from title contenders to 2nd round of the NBA playoffs, at the very least. Let’s look now into what my realistic expectations are for this group.
As a die-hard Knicks fan, myself, I have been through the good times (the 1990s) and the bad times (everything after the 1990s), so its easy to see why most fans are excited about this upcoming season. Jalen Brunson has proven to be one of the top points guards in the Eastern Conference and continues to get better. Julius Randle has been an All-NBA player for two of the 4 seasons he has been on the team and the Knicks have finally found Playoffs success, winning a playoff series and giving the Miami Heat a run for their money. They return to the same group, other than Obi Toppin and should be more comfortable in their roles, as continuity will be their greatest assist.
Success breads excitement and fans are hoping to see great things this season, but should they? – That is the question.
I try to be realistic with my views and not get carried away with what I want to happen, but what is most likely to happen. So, let’s start there… We know the top two teams in the East are the Boston Celtics and the Milwaukee Bucks. Damian Lillard has made the Bucks the team to beat, and the Celtics added the guy that was traded for Lillard in Jrue Holiday. The rich only got richer but they were expected to bet the one of the teams in the conference regardless of those trades.
To expect the Knicks to be better than those two teams is a long shot, though injuries to those respective teams could change things. In short, the best the Knicks can be is the 3rd best team in the East and that is certainly better than what many fans can ever remember the Knicks being. My gut tells me that we find a way into the top 4 seeds with 3rd seed being the best-case scenario.
That’s it for now, come back tomorrow for more content. Leave a comment below about the Knicks or any other sport you want to discuss.
