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New York Knicks: What to be thankful for on Thanksgiving

By Rob Wolkenbrod

NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 01: Fans participate during the Open Practice for the New York Knicks on October 1, 2017 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 01: Fans participate during the Open Practice for the New York Knicks on October 1, 2017 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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On Thanksgiving, despite the recent struggles of the New York Knicks, there are still things to be thankful for.

The New York Knicks likely will not make the playoffs in this team-proclaimed “developmental” season. That means enduring the highs and lows of a roster that won’t stay together past April 2019 and youthful pieces who need time to develop.

It’s not perfect, but Thursday is Thanksgiving — a day to be thankful for not just basketball, but everything.

For the Knicks, even in this downtime for the organization, there are still things for fans to be thankful for on this late-year holiday. Some stand out more than others or have differing values for fans.

So, what are just a few things Knicks fans should be thankful for on Thanksgiving Day?

Madison Square Garden

Few NBA venues have an allure, with an identity and presence in their respective city. Much of them are modern-day creations that sit near the top of the league in design, look, and feel, but don’t have that historic, iconic playing ground.

Madison Square Garden, however, fits the bill of the classic NBA arena.

Dubbed “The Mecca,” the Knicks play there 41 times per season. It’s a place of their own that always brings fans in, despite the few winning years of this millennium.

This is the “World’s Most Famous Arena” for a reason. It’s a landmark piece of the NBA, and a place for Knicks fans to appreciate with each game they attend.

Kristaps Porzingis

Seen as the face of the franchise, Kristaps Porzingis broke out upon arrival to the Association in 2015. He was booed by the New York fans at the NBA Draft, but quickly turned the jeers into cheers with an impressive rookie season and a takeoff in Year Two and Three.

In the midst of Porzingis’ third season, he tore his left ACL and remains out of action. Though, before that, he had a career-best mark in points per game in the first Carmelo Anthony-less season.

Eventually, Porzingis will return and retake the mantle as New York’s top basketball player. That may not happen overnight, but sooner than later, there will be a positive for this Knicks team that needs their superstar.

The future

Beyond Porzingis, there’s the future, which has been on display through the first month of the season, to be thankful for.

Few teams have the depth of young talent to match the Knicks. While far away in development, due to most of them in their first or second seasons, they still represent a bright road ahead, with Kevin Knox, Frank Ntilikina, Allonzo Trier and Mitchell Robinson all in town.

Even Tim Hardaway Jr. is part of this, as he’s still just 26-years-old and under contract through 2019-20.

This future will work around Porzingis, whoever the Knicks select in the 2019 NBA Draft and the superstar-laden free agent class. They could all mean a playoff-bound squad in 2019-20, and that’s plenty to be thankful for, Knicks fans, after no postseason appearance since 2012-13.

Next. 25 greatest players in franchise history. dark

What else should New York Knicks fans be thankful for on Thanksgiving? Consider this while enjoying the holiday with food and other festivities.

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