The New York Knicks have embraced the underdog lifestyle the past couple of seasons. Jalen Brunson has been an underdog his whole life. The Knicks are fueled by everyone who underestimates them.
New York is entering a new territory. The front office traded for Mikal Bridges before the draft. He's not the superstar everyone thought the Knicks would get, but he's the player the team was missing. New York re-signed OG Anunoby to a five-year deal. The Knicks are contenders.
Last season, New York had the tools to end its Eastern Conference Finals drought. Unfortunately, too many of those tools were injured. If the Knicks can stay healthy this season, they have what it takes to make it to (and win) the NBA Finals. That's not an exaggeration.
A few hours after ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski announced his retirement, Adam Schefter, Jeff Passan, and Pete Thamel joined Malika Andrews on NBA Today. Schefter (NFL), Passan (MLB), and Thamel (NCAAF) made their 2024 NBA Finals predictions. Schefter and Passan selected New York to represent the East on the NBA's biggest stage. Thamel chose Boston.
The Wojs of other sports make their NBA Finals picks. pic.twitter.com/JXwITICB8A
— Josh Paredes (@Josh810) September 18, 2024
Are expectations too high for the Knicks in 2024-25?
Schefter, Passan, and Thamel aren't NBA experts like Wojnarowski, but it says a lot that two out of the three think the Knicks have what it takes to make an NBA Finals run.
Expectations for New York are higher than they've been in years. Two years ago, everyone questioned whether the Knicks could make the playoffs with Jalen Brunson as their No. 1 option. Things have drastically changed since then, and New York could end its championship drought.
There's a lot of pressure on the Knicks, but guess what? They already play in one of the largest media markets in the country. Pressure isn't anything new to them. Look at their accomplishments in the past couple of years as the pressure mounted.
There is something special about being an underdog. It's extra sweet when you exceed expectations. The Knicks aren't in that position anymore. They're the big dogs. Can they live up to the hype?
Say what you want about Tom Thibodeau, but he's the best coach for New York. Several players have raved about Thibodeau's preparedness. He requires every player to put the work in, and they've bought into his vision.
Thibodeau won't let egos take over. He won't let the Knicks play with their heads in the clouds. He'll keep them grounded. It helps to have a level-headed star like Brunson.
Being an underdog is fun, but you can't stay in that territory forever. Seeing how New York deals with an even brighter spotlight will be interesting. The added pressure might be scary for fans, but it's what professional athletes live for.