Over the summer, the New York Knicks traded away multiple first-round picks and key players to acquire Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns. This move significantly crippled their salary cap, leaving them in a position where they must win with their current roster. While the team is above average, they are led by star guard Jalen Brunson, who is having an impressive season, averaging 26 points, seven assists, and three rebounds per game while shooting nearly 50% from the field and 40% from three-point range. With 12 double-doubles on the year, he has been complemented by their new big man, Karl-Anthony Towns.
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Before suffering a knee injury, Towns was in All-Star form, making his fifth All-Star appearance while averaging 25 points, 13 rebounds, three assists, and a steal per game. He has already recorded 43 double-doubles this season, surpassing the total from his last two seasons combined in Minnesota.
Despite having talent, the Knicks have struggled against elite competition, going 0-7 against the NBA’s top teams, including the Oklahoma City Thunder, Boston Celtics, and Cleveland Cavaliers. This has led to questions about their legitimacy as title contenders.
On First Take, Stephen A. Smith, a well-known Knicks fan, voiced his skepticism about their championship chances.
“The Knicks, they’re pretenders,” Smith said. “When I say that, I think they’re the third-best team in the Eastern Conference. They are a precipitous drop-off from the top two teams… I give the Lakers a better chance of coming out of the West than I give the Knicks of coming out of the East.”
Smith’s criticism is hard to ignore. If the Knicks can’t beat the best teams in the regular season, how can they be expected to defeat them consistently in a playoff series?
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