New York Knicks: Should the fans expect a playoff berth?

The Knicks have struggled to closeout a few close games

Being 11-15 is a massive step up from the last few seasons without a doubt. However, it can’t be left unnoticed that the Knicks have lost many winnable games due to poor late-stage play, and in order to be a playoff team, those follies need to be reduced. In their last game against the Heat, which they lost by just two points, New York was outscored by eight points in the 4th quarter and scored a total of six points in the last six minutes of the game. This has been a constant kryptonite for a young, energetic Knicks team who somehow seems to manage to be in every game they play regardless of the opponent.

In order to fix this, the Knicks need to find some players to be part of a reliable unit for them in the heat of the moment. While I can see Derrick Rose being part of that, I can’t confidently put my finger on anyone else as no single Knicks player has really had too many clutch moments yet this year. The crazy thing is, this problem isn’t specifically attached solely to 2021. For many seasons the Knicks have been defined as a team who doesn’t finish close games; and this year, it seemingly matters more than ever. As of February 11th, only 5 games separate the 13th seed and the 3rd seed in the East. As long as the teams are in a cluster, every game is going to matter more than ever and the Knicks really need to learn how to play their best basketball when it matters most.