In some cases, at the beginning of the season after an NBA team wins a championship, they may become overconfident and comfortable. This is understandable, as they did what no one else in the league could. Particularly for the New York Knicks, it had been 53 years since they last entered the promised land. So, they would not be blamed for feeling good about themselves.
However, the Knicks need to start the 2026-27 season the same way they won the NBA Finals: with their foot on the gas, trying to win every game aggressively. There is no room for error.
Why is that? Well, the current state of the Eastern Conference is likely the strongest it has ever been. They will surely face challenges in their attempt to be the first repeat champions since the Golden State Warriors in 2017-2018, and to overcome them, the right mindset needs to be present.
The New York Knicks won’t have it easy despite their recent success
Although the New York Knicks have most of their championship core still together, on paper, coming out of the Eastern Conference will be ten times harder than it was last season. There are just too many teams that improved in many different ways.
We can discuss the Philadelphia 76ers, who acquired Jaylen Brown and LeBron James in the same summer, while managing to keep Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, and VJ Edgecombe. Or we can talk about the Toronto Raptors, as they landed Kawhi Leonard (assuming the trade goes through).
It doesn’t end there. The Miami Heat added Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Atlanta Hawks made a number of smart additions to their roster, and the Detroit Pistons brought in solid help to support Cade Cunningham after just winning 60 games.
And of course, the Indiana Pacers cannot be forgotten. They were a bit injured last season, but in the year before, they made the NBA Finals and took the Oklahoma City Thunder to seven games. Since then, they have added guys like Ivica Zubac and Kelly Oubre Jr.
With all of that said, the Knicks will have to be sure they start on the right foot. The locker room must be sure to refrain from letting the ring they recently won get to their heads, as there are too many threats standing in their way.
If they slip up, even the slightest, there is certainly a world where they fall behind and lose sight of going back-to-back.
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