The 2024-25 NBA season ended in euphoria for the Oklahoma City Thunder, who secured their first championship in franchise history. For the Indiana Pacers, it ended in heartbreak. Not only did they lose the title, but they also lost Tyrese Haliburton to a lower leg injury that looked catastrophic. Haliburton was the third Eastern Conference star, joining Jayson Tatum and Damian Lilliard, to suffer major injuries in the playoffs. There are big question marks about when we will see any of those players again, and it presents an opportunity for the Knicks that they must cash in on.
Injuries are an unfortunate part of sports. No one ever wants to see a player go down, especially when they had been having the magical run that Haliburton was on. The reality, though, is that they are a part of the game. "Injury luck" is very real, and the Knicks now find themselves in a position where their championship window is opening and three of their biggest threats in the East will likely be without one of their two best players.
Both Tatum and Lillard will likely be out for the entirety of the 2024-25 season after suffering Achilles tears. The severity of Haliburton's injury has not been reported yet. He was battling through a calf strain that likely would have sidelined him for multiple weeks during the regular season. I won't pretend I have the qualifications to diagnose the injury, but it did not look good, and he left the stadium in a wheelchair.
Nothing is guaranteed, the Knicks must capitalize
There are two things to take away from the injuries that those players unfortunately experienced. The first is that nothing is certain in the NBA. The Celtics seemed poised to have a multi-year dynasty after winning the title in 2004. Now, their roster may be gutted with Tatum sidelined. Who knows what direction the Pacers and Bucks will now go in? The point is that things can change in an instant.
That point leads into the second point. The Knicks must now view 2025-26 as a championship-or-bust season. It appeared that they already were, as they fired Tom Thibodeau after reaching the Eastern Conference Finals. Now, with the East as open as it is, they must lean harder into that mentality.
The Knicks may never get a better opportunity than the one they have now. They have the roster, they are finding the right coach, the time is now.