This is supposed to be the “get right” stretch for the New York Knicks and maybe, just maybe, they are beginning to figure out their brand of basketball.
It’s been an ongoing identity crisis for the Knicks all season long. Cold streaks, slumps, a lack of team defense, playing up and down to their competition — the inconsistencies and absence of cohesion has been a complete 180 from the grind-it-out, underdog team of last season.
Yet here we are in the middle portion of the season and it feels as though this team is slowly but surely starting to gel.
Can the New York Knicks sustain success?
This team started the year 7-3. Since then, they’ve gone 13-17.
It’s been a struggle to maintain any sort of consistency for New York this season and the blame has been pointed at just about every single player and coach at some point throughout the year.
It feels like ever-evolving criticism and a lot of the time, it feels justified. The lows of the Knicks and certain players have been very, very low. Well below expectations.
But this is sports. Drama, hyperbole, emotion.
New York is still right there in the playoff picture. As Julius Randle said of the team learning to gel and play together earlier this season, “That s*** takes time”.
There have been some encouraging signs in recent weeks that this team can get closer to their success from last season. Let’s look at some of the player roles, evolution from opening night, trends, and statistics that may indicate this team is headed in the right direction.