Why the New York Knicks can make the playoffs and thrive

The Knicks are always ready to compete

Between the lockdown defense and the balance of different player roles on the team, the Knicks have a completely different swagged than years past. It’s more than just the results in the win column, it’s how this team responds to adversity.

The Knicks have been heartbreakingly close in some of their losses, and it hasn’t put down the team’s morale. The Knicks of years past have typically spiraled after tough losses. Not this team.

The world “Culture” probably gets tossed around way too frequently in the sports world, but it carries a lot of meaning. It’s the essence, the vibes, the “je ne sais quoi” of a sports organization. The Knicks’ “Culture” has been mocked and ridiculed for decades, and now it seems like we can finally turn the page on that ugly, 2-decade long chapter.

It doesn’t feel as though this team is barely hanging on like so many of the fringe playoff teams in the East. They have their identity. It very much feels like this team knows who they are, and how they can win any game with the roster they have.

This isn’t the dream franchise that fans had played out video games for years — Where the Knicks are thriving with a big-3 team of superstar Kristaps Porzingis, All-Star scorer Kevin Knox, and their lockdown 2-way point guard Frank Ntilikina. This is actually real.

This team was built through front office management, strong leadership, and terrific player-coach relationships. This is a dominant Knicks team that can make some noise in the playoffs. Look out, the Knicks are back.