Knicks narratives prove critics will never let them be as great as they can be

The New York Knicks can't seem to catch a break with the mainstream media. They're constantly being dissected, with players such as Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns fielding criticism that far outweighs the praise the team has received overall.

One might understand that approach under normal circumstances, but for it to happen during a seven-game winning streak that pushes New York toward the No. 2 seed is downright absurd.

The Knicks extended their winning streak to seven with a 121-116 win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday, Mar. 24. Seven players scored in double figures, Bridges dished out seven assists and shot 40 percent from beyond the arc, and Towns tallied 21 points and 14 rebounds in just 24 minutes.

As a result of the victory, New York improved to 48-25 overall, as well as 27-9 at home, and further closed the distance on the Boston Celtics in the race for the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference.

New York is now just .004 winning percentage points behind Boston, which is 47-24. It also holds the current advantage over the Celtics in the tiebreak with a 2-1 record ahead of their Apr. 9 clash at Madison Square Garden that could very well decide who finishes the regular season at No. 2.

Unfortunately, the only conversations that mainstream media members seem to be entertaining about the Knicks are those with a negative connotation.

As media focuses on flaws, Knicks have won seven straight games

After the Knicks picked up their third win of the current seven-game streak, Stephen A. Smith of ESPN's First Take declared that he no longer has them reaching the NBA Finals. When they secured seven straight victories, Smith quickly pivoted to proclaiming that he isn't sure they can measure up against the Detroit Pistons.

First Things First, meanwhile, has gone from claiming the Knicks fell behind the Cleveland Cavaliers after the James Harden trade to radio silence amidst seven straight wins.

Yet, nothing about what's actually transpired in recent months supports the belief that New York should be mentioned in a predominantly negative light. It's 18-7 since Feb. 1, which is the third-best record in the NBA behind the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Knicks also rank No. 3 in defensive rating, No. 4 in net rating, and No. 6 in offensive rating during that time—genuinely elite rankings that should put them in championship discussions.

Instead, the conversations are either non-existent or revolving around what's gone wrong. Though it's important to highlight areas of improvement, the doom and gloom is in no way indicative of how the Knicks have actually played this season.

Unfortunately, that's the harsh reality of the world the Knicks live in—one where critics will never let them be as great as they can be.