From here to where: the Knicks 2024-25 season second half...

Where are the Knicks going and have they set themselves up for another second round exit?

The first half of the season ended with the Knicks narrowly escaping with a 149-148 overtime victory over Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks…without Deandre Hunter. The Hawks are eighth in the Eastern Conference with a less-than-.500 standing at 26-29. It was the second game of a back-to-back, so there’s that.

Reminiscent of 1973?

Let’s see. In 1973, the New York Knicks won their second and last (so far) NBA Championship. Their record was 57-25. They defeated the Baltimore Bullets 4-1 in the first round of the playoffs, but it was a hard-fought seven-game series against the Boston Celtics for the Eastern Conference championship and, finally, a gentlemen’s sweep of the Lakers for the title.

Walt “Clyde” Frazier was the number one point guard in the League. I happen to believe that Jalen Brunson is the best point guard in the League today. Clyde was the MVP of the 1973 All-Star game, but we won’t compare what is being passed off today as an All-Star game. Brunson is finally getting the recognition he deserves. This is his second All-Star appearance. And he’s a starter. Karl Anthony Towns, though not a guard like Earl “the Pearl” Monroe, will be going to the All-Star game with Brunson…also as a starter. Frazier and Monroe also went to the 1973 All-Star game as starters.

That might be where the comparison ends with 1973. That team, under the direction of the greatest ever Knicks coach, Red Holzman, never showed fear or lack of confidence. This Knicks team of 2025, under the direction of Tom Thibodeau, has had their asses handed to them by the Boston Celtics, and the smell of fear was palpable.

Fear, lack of confidence…what?

Why does it seem the Knicks’ players bitch up when it comes to Boston? That last game beatdown was worse (if possible) than the first game of the season. Why? You could say the hoopla of Boston getting their rings and having their banner raised on their 18th championship might have had their players more amped than usual. And you could say that the Nova boys being stripped of one of their players and the Knicks parting ways with Julius Randle and getting KAT in return days before training camp could have had the Knicks a little, off-kilter.

But the game on February 8, 2025, was game number 52. With only 30 games left and two more against Boston, it doesn’t bode well for the Knicks in a seven-game Boston second-round series.

Two wins, one loss, one win, one loss…

Confidence. The Knicks don’t believe they can beat the Celtics…case in point.

Fatigue couldn’t be blamed for the February 8 game; they had three full days of rest. They had defeated the Sacramento Kings 143-120; the Western Conference second seed Grizzlies were laid out 143-106; and the former World Champion Denver Nuggets defeated 122-112. Then came Lebron James with his kid Bronny, and the Knicks went and hid their true identity.

WTF?!! Are the Knicks afraid of the fifth-seeded Lakers or James? There is no rhyme or reason because the red-hot Houston Rockets came to town, and the Knicks broke their win streak like nothing. They went to Canada and handled the Raptors easily. Came home and broke out in a sweat, crumbled, folded, and lay in the fetal position as Boston had their way with them.

Confidence up! Went to visit the Indiana Pacers. Smacked them!!! Jalen Brunson had eight points, two rebounds, seven assists, and five fouls. No problem. Josh Hart to the rescue. Brunson’s roommate had 30 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, two steals, and shot 75% from the field. He was incredible! And KAT, the Bodega man, wouldn’t be outdone. He contributed 40 points, 12 rebounds, five assists, and three steals, and shot 60.9% from the field and 100% from free.

Three days before against Boston - Hart had 17 points, eight rebounds, three assists, two steals…KAT, nine points, nine rebounds, one assist, one steal, one block, shot 37.5% from the field. Brunson had 36 points, including a perfect 13 for 13 from the line and five assists. Again, WTF!

What’s next?

What’s next is that the Knicks have to find out what is going on when it comes to certain teams. They must be able to beat the Cavaliers (February 21) and then defeat the Celtics two days later (February 23). No excuses. So what the team was without OG Anunoby. The Celtics were without Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday.
Again, the Knicks allowed another bench player to enter the World’s Most Famous Arena and have a career game.

Mitchell Robinson. Robinson’s many fans are eagerly anticipating his upcoming debut. I say his fans because many Knicks fans would rather he had been traded.

Let’s see, what have the trades done for the Knicks so far? They have the best record that they’ve had since 1973. Period. They haven’t been able to defeat the top teams and a couple of the bottom ones, also.

And then there were two…

Robinson and Miles “Deuce” McBride are the only two Knicks who were there when Thibs became coach. None of the players who rode with the team when they won less than 20 games in a season (twice) had a slew of coaches who knew not what they were doing and a front office that was the laughingstock of the League. Not one player asked for a trade. They were all ride-or-die Knick players, and Knicks fans owe them a debt of gratitude.

It’s do-or-die time…

This is it. Either the Knicks want this, or they don’t. They have to want this more in spite of their stubborn coach or his unwillingness to change.

Every team has a goal. They’re either gearing up for the playoffs, play-in, or the draft. The Knicks must decide right now if they are contenders…or mere pretenders. Their fans deserve a team that’s confident they can not just defeat but destroy any team out there. They are built for it. They’ve sacrificed for it. Another second round exit will not be tolerated.

Y’all know James Dolan. He will clean house and start all over again…again.

Until next time…