The New York Knicks significantly improved their roster by adding Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns. They believed it was enough to jump into title contention after two straight second-round playoff exits. Jalen Brunson is a superstar, but can the Knicks win it all? Bridges gives them an elite 3-and-D wing. Towns is a stretch five and an elite offensive weapon. New York has the top-end talent and continues to explore the trade market for upgrades.
They got off to a slow start as they integrated their new pieces, but the Knicks have climbed to third in the Eastern Conference. New York is just one game behind the Celtics and has won seven straight. Fans are getting excited about the team’s chances of winning it all, but there should be some concern.
Things were wide open for the Knicks last season. They faced the Pacers in the second round and everyone thought it would be New York versus Boston in the conference finals. Things quickly unraveled for the Knicks, which helped Indiana win in seven games. That same problem may catch the franchise again.
Knicks title odds hinge on keeping starters healthy after massive workloads
Head coach Tom Thibodeau has long been known for playing his starters massive minutes. Fans will point to Luol Deng with the Bulls as the clearest example of how Thibs can overwork his talent. He hasn’t coached Chicago since 2015, but the 66-year-old may not have learned his lesson.
Towns is playing the fewest minutes of any Knicks starter this season at 34.2 per game. Mikal Bridges leads the NBA and all five are in the top 38 in minutes each night. New York’s lack of depth is forcing the coach’s hand, but asking them to all stay healthy over the 82-game regular season grind is a tall order. Now add on the 16 playoff wins necessary to bring home a championship and the task gets virtually impossible.
The Knicks cannot expect Miles McBride or Precious Achiuwa to be able to handle 30-plus minutes every night in the playoffs. Getting Mitchell Robinson back will help, but Thibs needs more than six or seven trusted options to win four playoff series.
Julius Randle, OG Anunoby, and Robinson all missed time with injuries in the 2024 playoffs. Others were less than 100 percent as they played through ailments, which were a massive reason why the Knicks did not advance to the conference finals. Thibs is still playing his starters 35 minutes every night and more injuries could be on the way. It may be New York’s downfall for the second straight year.
The New York Knicks’ title odds hinge on their top players staying healthy. They do not have the depth to withstand a significant injury, but avoiding one may be impossible with Tom Thibodeau playing his starters massive minutes. Knicks fans will certainly be upset if someone goes down, but they may only have their coach to blame.