Pulling the Philadelphia 76ers in the second round doesn’t only enhance the belief that the New York Knicks are favorites to win the Eastern Conference, and reach the NBA Finals. It also ratchets up the likelihood that a misstep from here results in major offseason turnover.
This reality has bubbled to the surface on a handful occasions. The Knicks firing Tom Thibodeau after an ECF appearance was airtight proof of their Finals-or-bust mentality. Then, with the team embroiled in a post-NBA cup slump, murmurings of wholesale midseason changes reiterated the thin margin for error.
If all that doesn’t convince you, there’s the whole “James Dolan came right out and said it” thing.
Through it all, however, it’s been easy to talk yourself out of the Knicks truly being Finals-or-bust, if not championship-or-nothing. Progress isn’t linear, other legitimate threats exist, yada, yada, yada. Surely there is a scenario in which New York performs admirably enough for the front office to futz and fiddle rather than hitching their wagon to a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade or another seismic move.
Well, insofar as that scenario existed, it doesn’t anymore.
The Knicks’ path to the Finals is a walk in the park
With all due respect to everyone remaining in the East playoff bracket, the Knicks haven’t had a chance like this in decades. With the Boston Celtics off the table, New York gets to face a brutally banged up, presumably exhausted Sixers squad.
From there, if they advance, the Knicks would square off with one of the Detroit Pistons, Cleveland Cavaliers, Orlando Magic, or Toronto Raptors. None of them incite any semblance of fear. The Pistons gave New York a run for its money last year, but their offense is just as rickety, if not even worse. The Cavaliers continue to look good on paper, and shaky in practice.
This is the clearest path the Knicks could have hoped for. Never mind what people said last year. The Indiana Pacers were an overlooked Goliath. No such team exists now.
Next season is a different story. Tyrese Haliburton and the Pacers will be back. Jayson Tatum should be healthier. The Pistons will have opportunities to improve. The Raptors, Atlanta Hawks, and Charlotte Hornets are on the rise. Philadelphia and Cleveland aren’t going anywhere.
Failing to capitalize on this opportunity will invite massive changes
Short of the mothership calling Jalen Brunson home, it’s difficult to imagine the Knicks exiting before the Finals, and multiple starters not getting the boot. Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges will receive most of the attention, but OG Anunoby and Josh Hart won’t be off-limits, either. How could they be?
Finals-or-bust bars are unfair at first glance. And such a close-ended goal may have been unreasonable to start the season. It isn’t anymore. Not with how the postseason bracket has unfolded
Uncomfortable still, losing in the Finals may not even be enough for them to run it back. If the Knicks make that far only to get Thunderstruck or Wembyama’d in unconvincing fashion, the same urgency will persist. San Antonio and Oklahoma City are the standard-bearing contenders. Failing to measure up with them is the kind of reality check that, despite winning your conference, sows desperation.
This all may have been true had New York ended up facing Boston, or anyone else. But we couldn’t know for sure. Now we do. This Knicks core won’t get another chance together if it doesn’t make the Finals—and even that may not be enough to stave off major change.
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