It didn't take the start of the playoffs for New York Knicks fans to know things weren't like last year. The Knicks made two major offseason trades for Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns, creating a new identity.
New York went from having a defensive-minded squad to one of the best offenses in the league with Towns at the five, but that hasn't been the case in the playoffs. He's the biggest shooting big in the league, and it was exciting for fans to watch him transform the Knicks' offense, at least at first. Concern has risen (and not solely about KAT's defense) throughout the season, and especially entering the postseason.
Tobias Harris has the unique experience of playing New York in the first round of the playoffs in back-to-back seasons, but with different teams. He was with Philadelphia last year and signed a two-year deal with Detroit over the summer. He's faced two different Knicks teams.
Ahead of Game 3 on Thursday, Barbara Barker of Newsday asked Harris if New York has a "different personality" than it did last season. He said a lot without saying much at all.
I asked Tobias Harris if this Knicks team had a different personality than last year’s team that he met in the first round of playoffs. He smirked, paused and said “it’s a different dynamic for sure. That’s all I’m gonna say.” pic.twitter.com/PEUBd8hWLj
— Barbara Barker (@meanbarb) April 24, 2025
Tobias Harris takes subtle shot at Knicks (but New York fans know he's right)
One of the biggest differences from 2024 to 2025 is that the Knicks no longer have Isaiah Hartenstein. He assumed the starting center role in December 2023 after Mitchell Robinson got hurt. Hartenstein was an elite defender for New York. He did a little bit of everything -- from protecting the paint, pulling down rebounds, and chasing down loose balls.
Hartenstein embodied the tough-nosed personality that the Knicks had in the playoffs last season, which is no longer there. Donte DiVincenzo had it, too. He also knocked down big shots and was a pest on the defensive end. Losing both of them in the same summer hurt.
The Knicks don't have an enforcer who plays (no offense to P.J. Tucker), nor do they play with the same intensity they did last season. New York wasn't the team you wanted to play in the postseason, but that isn't the case anymore. Detroit more embodies the spirit that the Knicks played.
New York needed a wake-up call with the series back in Detroit tied 1-1. The Knicks shouldn't rely on external fuel, but Harris helped regardless. As much as fans want to call Harris out, they know he isn't lying. They can't deny what they've seen with their own eyes. It's up to New York to prove everyone wrong.