New York Knicks fans got a good laugh on Monday night when the Celtics completed the series sweep over the Nets in Brooklyn. The Nets, who were the preseason favorites to win the title (lol), finished the playoffs this year with as many wins as the Knicks… zero.
And even with how disappointing New York’s season was, Brooklyn is the far more dysfunctional organization at the moment. The Nets treated the regular season as if it was a joke and that same energy carried over to the postseason with a first-round exit.
With RJ Barrett in the driver’s seat, the Knicks have the capability to bring excitement back to Madison Square Garden. In fact, one of the most exciting moments from MSG this past year fueled Boston’s recent dominance.
On Jan. 6, Barrett hit a game-winning 3-pointer over the Celtics to give New York the 108-105 win. His shot was shown on the TNT broadcast during Monday’s game and it was cited as the moment when Boston turned its season around.
RJ BARRETT BEATS THE CELTICS AT THE BUZZER ‼️ pic.twitter.com/PAlHvoratT
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 7, 2022
New York Knicks’ RJ Barrett’s game-winner fueled Boston’s playoff surge.
After that loss, the Celtics finished the season with a 33-10 record. For reference, the Knicks finished 18-25.
Barrett was playing chess, not checkers. His team didn’t end up making it to the play-in tournament, but he still somehow helped to knock Brooklyn out of the playoffs. For that reason alone, he should get a maximum rookie extension this summer.
As much as it hurts to admit it, something special is brewing in Boston. Because Barrett played a small role in that, it only makes sense for the energy to now shift in favor of New York.
For the first time, the 21-year-old will enter the season with the Knicks as “his team.” The expectation isn’t that he’ll lead the New York to a first-round sweep over its rival, although that’d be nice, but the Knicks should make the playoffs.
While the postseason isn’t as fun when your team isn’t winning (or even playing), fans can sleep a little better at night knowing that the Nets won’t be bringing a title back to Brooklyn this year. Thank you, Barrett.
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