What does massive win over Celtics say about red-hot Knicks?
After defeating the Celtics, 109-94, on Monday night, the Knicks have now won six games in a row, cementing themselves as the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference. This was yet another massive win for New York, as not only did the team take down arguably the best team in the entire league, but they did so in dominating fashion.
The Celtics may have been without Jaylen Brown, however, with how dominant the Knicks were in this win, I’m not too sure it would have mattered.
This kind of win is exactly what New York needed exiting the All-Star break. Conversations began recently about the Knicks potentially pushing for the seventh seed, but now it seems like New York could be pushing for a potential fourth seed if the team keeps producing wins like this.
What does massive 109-94 win over Celtics say about the Knicks?
Not only was this the Knicks’ sixth win in a row, but it was also the fourth time in their last five games in which they have defeated a team by a double-digit margin. The brand of basketball the Knicks are currently playing is something we have not seen in a very long time, and fans couldn’t be happier.
The Knicks dominated all aspects of this game, whether it be offensive, defensive, or mentally. New York may not be the better team on the year, but the team certainly was on Monday and both sides knew it.
A victory like this, however, is one the Knicks as a team cannot take for granted. In their next game, New York will match up against Brooklyn, a much worse opponent that has lost their previous two games. Despite this, the Knicks cannot fall into the trap and must take the Nets seriously, as they certainly have enough talent to get the job done.
With how far the Knicks have progressed up the conference standings over the last couple of weeks, there is a genuine chance that we see New York make a big push toward the four seed, the same spot they were at in the playoffs just two years ago when they lost to Atlanta.
The difference between this Knicks squad and the playoff team from a couple of years ago? Star power and depth. Players like Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, and the resurgence of Julius Randle, alongside the development of Immanuel Quickley and Quentin Grimes, the improved play of Isaiah Hartenstein, and the potential of RJ Barrett have made for a much better overall squad than that of 2020-21.
There’s no telling how well the playoffs will go for the Knicks, however, I am much more confident in this squad than I ever was for the 2020-21 team. Wins like this go a long way in telling what we could see out of this rowdy New York squad come playoff time.
Despite this, the present is now and New York must not become tied up in potential playoff fantasies. There are some key games coming up, including games against the Heat, Celtics again, and Kings. If New York can even win two out of the three games, confidence will likely be at an all-time high for fans.
