I’m not sure what last night’s 111-100 Knicks’ loss in Oklahoma City showed me that I didn’t already know. About either team.
We already know the Knicks can compete with the Thunder. Last year’s matchup in OKC went pretty similarly to last night: the game was absolutely there for New York’s taking, but any number of times they reached for it the refs blew the whistle. You can live with tiger mom officiating so long as it’s consistent. When Mike Breen is complaining it isn’t, you know it wasn’t.
We
already know the Knicks can play with the big boys — they’ve beaten San Antonio, Boston, Denver and Cleveland each twice, and count Minnesota, Houston and the Lakers among their conquests — but until they’re playing/beating them in June we can’t know the thing we wanna know the most: can/will the Knicks win it all this year? Which in many ways is the same as asking if they can/will ever beat the defending champs.
We know just everything there is to know about these Knicks as far as the regular season goes, other than Miles McBride’s status after suffering a groin injury in his first game back in two months. And it’s clear we need the playoffs to get here ASAP. ‘Cuz some of y’all working yourselves up into cold sweats over I don’t know what.
Remember how the Knicks defended the Celtics in last year’s playoffs, i.e. differently than the regular season? Almost like there’s little to no advantage in showing a likely postseason foe your cards any earlier than required. Karl-Anthony Towns took 17 shots in the two Thunder games combined and just one 3. Some of that is the Thunder defense. Some of that is these Knicks’ channeling the worst of the ‘90s Knicks, like when their 5 is screaming for the ball and none of his teammates can make an entry pass.
I’m guessing some is strategic. The Knicks don’t *need* these games, no matter how much the Chicken Littles do. Did they want to win? Yes. Did they try to win? Yes. Did they go 100% all-out for it, from scouting to coaching to playing, like the last head coach would have insisted? I don’t think so, and I don’t mind if they didn’t. I’m not saying the Knicks didn’t try to win or the Thunder didn’t deserve to. I’m saying I don’t think the Knicks prioritized winning at all costs, given the stakes should these teams meet again in June.
KAT a little too low-T for you because of the scoring numbers? My bad, wrong number; thought I was speaking with the world’s most knowledgeable basketball fans. The New York 7-footer who actually plays both ends of back-to-backs is averaging nearly 13 rebounds a game in March, three per on the offensive glass. For years people begged for a Knick big who showed up in the playoffs. Towns did. Last year.
I see fans getting down on KAT. Mike Brown. Jalen Brunson, even. That’s good! Not all that long ago, the Knicks went 22 of 23 years without reaching 50 wins. This season will likely be their third straight, something only accomplished twice in franchise history (the 1969-71 and 1992-95 teams). Regular-season success set a revolution of rising expectations. You’re ready for more. Lord knows you deserve it.
There’s some angst over the Thunder topping our heroes six straight times. I suspect the more often that coin gets flipped, the more it starts coming up Knicks. Enough to win four out of seven? I reckon maybe. Do the Knicks feel further from these Thunder than they did the Celtics twelve months ago? No way.
Quoth MelleMehl: “I’m not too down on this loss.” Word. Next game is tomorrow in Houston. Then just a half-dozen till the long-awaited game #83. In the meantime, enjoy frittering away the last of your meaningless regular-season stress. In a couple weeks it’s gonna be One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest around here. Can’t wait.
