With just two weeks remaining in the regular season, the Knicks are running out of time to figure ‘it’ out.
What exactly is ‘it’ that New York needs to figure out before their most important postseason this century? That is a loaded question that could come with a variety of different answers.
First of all, the unknown of injuries is more prevalent than ever. OG Anunoby and Julius Randle are still listed as out and their timetable to return is still in the air. Randle is still doing non-contact drills at practice and at this pace, would be eyeing a return for the playoffs if he even returns at all this season. Given his pivotal role in the Knicks’ success, whether or not the team will reach its full potential this year is still largely in question.
While Anunoby on the other hand has returned to action, he has only played in three games since the end of January as he continues to deal with elbow issues. Anunoby’s impact on the defensive side of the ball cannot be overstated as we saw in the month of January. He can add an extra dimension to a Knicks’ defensive unit that has struggled with consistency while he has been absent.
A sign of New York turning the corner on the health side of things is Mitchell Robinson being listed as day-to-day now. It was initially thought that Robinson would be out for the season after he underwent ankle surgery but he returned to action last Wednesday and Friday before being sidelined again with an ankle sprain.
Robinson is yet another unknown piece of the equation when it comes to the health of this Knicks roster and whether or not they will be able to reach their ceiling as a team. With him being day-to-day with eight games left to play, he should have enough time to ramp up and be ready come the postseason.
While the Knicks have plenty to worry about with injuries off the court, the unknown of their seeding is yet another variant that plays a role in this season of never-ending twists and turns. With eight games left, New York is three games from being the No. 2 seed and three games from being in the play-in. As they come down the home stretch, they have games against the Boston Celtics, Miami Heat, and Milwaukee Bucks — all potential future playoff matchups.
In a strange schedule quirk, three out of the Knicks’ last six games are against the Chicago Bulls. Given how the Bulls are fighting with the Atlanta Hawks for the No. 9-10 seeds in the play-in, both the Knicks and Chicago will have something to play for in these contests.
Lastly, and most importantly, the Knicks have continued to struggle with consistency throughout the season. In fact, the only constant has been inconsistency. While injuries can be pointed to as the reason why there have been ups and downs, New York has gone through a variety of identity changes this season.
At some points, they have been a top offense in the league and relied on the firepower of Jalen Brunson to carry them every night. At other points, they have been a top defense in the league and have shut down some of the most explosive offenses in the NBA.
The identity in which the Knicks found the most success is what head coach Tom Thibodeau is best known for, defense. If New York is going to figure ‘it’ out, it all starts with getting their key players back in game shape and putting an emphasis on the defensive side of the ball.
