Kevin Durant’s words hurt, but they were probably right and realistic. A few months after his arrival in the Big Apple, to defend the colors of the Nets, the double NBA champion gave his feelings about the Knicks and their possible attraction to the best players in the league. “They see themselves as a brand, but they need to understand that most young talent has never seen them at the top. They are not in fashion.“KD was saying out loud what everyone had been thinking quietly for years, but New York leaders refused to see and admit: despite their gigantic market and despite its historic past, the Knicks do not interest superstars Moreover, by making the affront to join Brooklyn, the rival, Durant brought back the franchise of Manhattan to its own reality: that of a mediocre team, without identity, without project, without clear guideline and without result since. almost a decade.
Two years later, the situation may finally be about to change. Because the Knicks are far from being ridiculous this season. On the contrary even. They are solid. Settled in fourth place in the Eastern Conference and launched on an eight-game winning streak. A performance more achieved by the New York team since… 2014! Seven years. Seven years that the supporters had not vibrated so much. And even eight, going back to the last qualification in the playoffs.
Tom Thibodeau
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Regardless of how they end the season, Tom Thibodeau’s men have already exceeded expectations. They have even already won more matches than in the previous four years. Even beyond the results, they really – finally – give the feeling of building something. To go in the right direction. This group is gradually forging a soul under the leadership of the coach appointed last July. This is exactly what the organization was lacking. A culture. Thibodeau’s message goes wonderfully for the moment and his flock are playing hard. They do not let go and do not let themselves down when they are led to the score, even quite widely. They give it their all. And above all, they defend. New York is the third team to collect the fewest points out of 100 possessions after being 23rd in 2020, 26th in 2019 and 22nd in 2018. The progress is undeniable.
Julius Randle as the driving force, RJ Barrett as the hope
The Knicks are finally competitive! And their return to the foreground arouses the enthusiasm of supporters, really not spoiled for years. How to blame them when they ignite after so many delicate seasons. Current performance is like breaths of fresh air. In addition, the future prospects are rather interesting for the franchise. They found themselves in the person of Julius Randle a player in which they can finally build a system. “This is our engine“, confesses even Tom Thibodeau. Now 26 years old, the interior became All-Star for the first time this year is in the process of crossing a milestone. It has matured and here it is finally able to ensure the leadership . He always made statistics. But he has never had so much impact. Just last night, Randle had 40 points, 11 rebounds and 6 assists to lead his team to the eighth victory in a row. points, 10 rebounds and 6 assists throughout the season. With even 41% success at three-pointers, the very symbol of his new dimension. He even deserves a mention (without appearing in the top-5) for the MVP.
Around Randle is RJ Barrett. His progress from his first to his second season in the league is also very encouraging. The Canadian is gradually asserting himself as a complete winger capable of creating, scoring or even evolving without the ball. His 38% three-point (against 32% last year) gives hope for a significant progression because it is precisely what should help him to develop all the rest of his game. opponents begin to respect his outside address, and therefore to squeeze him more closely, the third choice of the 2019 draft will be all the more able to make his talent speak. After all, he is only 20 years old and he has less than 150 appearances among the pros. He has time to become a great player in the NBA.
Finally the return of the great Knicks?
There may still be missing some promising super talent to really think the Knicks will be able to fight for the title in the years to come. Randle is brilliant but he’ll never be LeBron James (and there’s only one LeBron James anyway). Barrett may become a star, but to imagine him wearing a franchise in the near future seems daring all the same. Immanuel Quickley and Mitchell Robinson are the other two youngsters with potential of the group. But as they progress now, the Knicks won’t be able to pick the best picks in the draft. And so much the better! Especially since there are other methods of poaching an alpha male in this league.
RJ Barrett Zion Williamson
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By establishing a solid culture, by showing real signs of progress, the New York franchise may finally find its way back to the top players in the league. A few days ago, Zion Williamson, RJ Barrett’s best friend, confessed that “Madison Square Garden is my favorite venue outside of New Orleans.“Words that have obviously provoked the fantasies of some … so it’s rushed to dream of a title, of a glorious future. But that’s it, New York. It’s the excitement. To stay more realistic, it is obvious “The team seems to be on the right track. And the next decade is shaping up to be a lot better than the last two. Even if it would have been difficult to do worse. And still, with the Knicks, you never know.
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