The New York Knicks have been one of the hottest teams in the NBA so far as the season rolls on. There were a lot of expectations at the start of the season for the Knicks to perform better after finishing last season 11th in the eastern conference with a 37-45 record. Even though it was a slow start initially, the organization has made things happen to satisfy the home crowd.
Ups and downs
The Knicks were eager to turn things around for the upcoming season and wanted to make the right moves. The first major move happened on Jul. 12 when the team signed former Dallas Mavericks point guard Jalen Brunson to a four-year, $104 million deal, but it didn't come without controversy.
As it turns out, the Knicks had been engaged in conversations with Brunson before Jun. 30, which is the day when teams are allowed to start negotiating with free agents. The result was the Knicks losing a second-round draft pick in the 2025 NBA draft. Despite the setback, the addition of Brunson, pairing him alongside power forward Julius Randle and shooting guard RJ Barret, gave the Knicks a much-needed boost to their roster.
The Knicks started the 2022-23 NBA season on the road with a 115-112 overtime loss against the Memphis Grizzlies in a nail-biting game that was sealed after Grizzlies point guard Tyus Jones nailed a three-pointer with 47 seconds left remaining. The team struggled from October through November, but things started to pick up when December began.
After a 121-100 home loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Dec. 3, the Knicks won their next seven games to improve their record to 18-13 but would lose the next five games.
Heading into 2023, the organization continued to make moves to improve, starting with the acquisition of forward/guard Josh Hart against the Portland Trail Blazers on Feb.
9 as part of a four-team trade, including the Philadelphia 76ers and Charlotte Hornets. The move is especially a happy one for Brunson, as he and Hart are reunited for the first time since their days as teammates at Villanova.
Hot streak
The trade for Hart has paid off tremendously, as heading into the all-star break, the Knicks won three of their last four.
The play would resume after the break, and so far, the Knicks have shown no signs of slowing down anytime soon. The team matched their seven-game win streak on Mar. 1 with a 142-118 win against the Brooklyn Nets. With the next game coming a few days later against the Miami Heat at Miami, the Knicks were eager to continue their winning on the court.
The start of the game was a back-and-forth contest between the two, but by the end of the first quarter, the Knicks would take a six-point lead and lead the way for most of the game and finished at halftime leading 71-56. When the fourth quarter came, the pace of the game changed as the Heat started returning, taking a one-point lead with 23 seconds left on a layup from guard Tyler Herro as a result of a lost possession by Randle.
However, the Knicks' fortunes changed when with second remaining, Brunson, from the left corner, stepped back and nailed a three-pointer to seal the 122-120 win and break the teams original season win streak. The game stars were Randle, who finished the night with 43 points and nine rebounds, and Brunson, who scored 25 and had eight assists. Point guard Immanuel Quickley also had a great game, scoring 21 points off the bench.
Will it continue
The Knicks currently sit in fifth place in the eastern conference with a 38-27 record, and with their current eight-game win streak, which is second so far behind the Milwaukee Bucks, who own the current win streak with 16, they show no signs of slowing down.
Knicks fans are pleased about the line and team to play because it brings back memories of the 1990s Knicks teams that ruled the NBA.
While there is some speculation about how far the Knicks will go when the playoffs come, the team will be a definite contender. With the next game in Boston, the Knicks will have a chance to keep their win streak alive and move up in the standings. From the looks of things, the team has an excellent shot at going far.
