New York Knicks: There’s more to learn from Boston than Cleveland
The Cleveland Cavaliers are headed to another NBA Finals, but the New York Knicks have more to learn from the Boston Celtics.
For the fourth time in as many years, the Cleveland Cavaliers are headed to the NBA Finals. Following a sloppy and defensive-minded Game 7, the Cavaliers ousted the Boston Celtics by a score of 87-79 to return to the championship round.
While it may have been Cleveland that won the Eastern Conference crown, the New York Knicks have far more to learn from the Boston Celtics.
LeBron James was excellent, posting 35 points, 15 rebounds, nine assists, and two blocks in the eight-point win. Jeff Green added 19 critical points, J.R. Smith caught fire in the second half, and Tristan Thompson helped eliminate Al Horford‘s passing lanes.
True as that may be, a one-man show is and never will be a sustainable model—no matter what the narratives may tell us.
Boston, meanwhile, overachieved in a way that too few are discussing. It came within one game of the 2018 NBA Finals despite playing the entire postseason without the two most established scorers on the roster: Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward.
Irving helped the Cavaliers win a championship and make three straight NBA Finals, while Hayward was the go-to scorer for a 51-win team in the West.
Boston managed to overcome the loss of two All-Stars by prioritizing the fundamentals of the sport. Ball movement was a consistent strength, defensive intensity was an unquestioned attribute, and toughness was a part of the identity.
As the Knicks search for a new identity as a team, it’s those three traits that should become the most important of all—no matter who’s on the floor.
Kristaps Porzingis is a dynamic scorer, but his isolation touches should be reserved for situational opportunities. Porzingis is also an excellent shot-blocker, but all five players on the floor should provide an unquestioned level of physicality and effort.
Porzingis may not be the type to back down from anyone, but the willingness to meet even the best of slashers at the rim shouldn’t be the only example of toughness.
Whether or not Porzingis is on the court, the Knicks should be moving the ball, committing on defense, and getting physical with their opponents. It’s the foundation for success on almost every level, especially when teams are competing for a championship.
LeBron James may be able to elevate a team out of the up-and-coming and unestablished East, but there’s only one of him.
Even if Porzingis develops into the type of player who can make that type of impact, forcing him to do so would be an example of failure by the front office and coaching staff. Instead, he should return to play the role of a Tim Duncan—or whomever you equate that to in Boston.
Rather than shouldering the workload, Porzingis should be contributing to an established system for a team that’s found its identity.
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If the New York Knicks learn from the model of the Boston Celtics, then a return to the postseason will be the beginning of a sustained period of success.