New York Knicks: Positive Takeaways From Season Opener

Oct 25, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; New York Knicks guard Derrick Rose (25) looks to pass in the second half against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Quicken Loans Arena. Cleveland won 117-88. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 25, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; New York Knicks guard Derrick Rose (25) looks to pass in the second half against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Quicken Loans Arena. Cleveland won 117-88. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
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The New York Knicks have begun the quest for an end to the postseason drought with a 117-88 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers. What good transpired?


Oct 25, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; New York Knicks guard Derrick Rose (25) looks to pass in the second half against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Quicken Loans Arena. Cleveland won 117-88. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 25, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; New York Knicks guard Derrick Rose (25) looks to pass in the second half against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Quicken Loans Arena. Cleveland won 117-88. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

The 2016-17 NBA regular season is officially underway. The New York Knicks helped tip off the new basketball year by traveling to take on the Cleveland Cavaliers at Quicken Loans Arena on the night LeBron James and the defending champions collected their rings.

Facing overwhelming expectations of their own, Jeff Hornacek and the Knicks began the season by losing to Cleveland by a score of 117-88.

New York wasn’t expected to win against the defending NBA champions. James and the Cavaliers enter the 2016-17 season with the pressure of being the one team that appears to be standing between the Golden State Warriors and a second title in three years.

New York (write about if it made it more difficult or easier for the Cavs to do so) by (stealing/dropping) the season opener.

For the sake of optimism, the focus here is to highlight what the Knicks did well. New York certainly wasn’t perfect, but there are a number positive takeaways from the first game of the 2016-17 regular season.

Here are five reasons to be optimistic following the Knicks’ loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers.