Since the turn of the calendar year the New York Knicks have been playing some of the best basketball the city has seen in recent memory. The Knicks came into the season with high hopes following last year’s campaign which resulted in the team’s first playoff- series victory in ten years. New York is a city starving for a championship, the fanbase is ready to see their team win. However, last year’s success did not carry over to start the 2023-24 season to say the least.
The Knicks ended 2023 with a 17-15 record. Not a terrible by any stretch of the imagination, but most certainly nowhere near what the organization had expected following last season’s 47-35 finish. The team seemed to be in need of some sort of energy burst. Change would become imminent.
On Dec 30, 2023, New York agreed to trade Forward R.J Barrett and Guard Immanuel Quickley to the Toronto Raptors in exchange for Forward Og Anunoby and Forward Precious Achiwa. Despite the need for a shakeup, the trade was still met with mixed reviews. Both Quickley and Barrett were considered a huge part of the Knicks future. Two individual’s that were apart of a new regime of Knick players that embodied Heach coach Tom Thibodeau’s no nonsense attitude. Seeing these two go would not be easy. Quickley was the Knicks spark plug off the bench with averages of 15 points and 2.5 assist while shooting 53% from the field. Barrett was a staple in the Knicks starting lineup. In losing him the Knicks were giving away 18.2 points, 2.4 assist and 4.3 rebounds. Barrett was truly one of the Knicks best players. As the third overall selection of the 2019 NBA Draft, Barrett was expected to develop into the Knicks franchise player. At times he showed flashes but never seemed truly fit for that role.
Giving up two core pieces was no easy task for the Knicks but in Anunoby the team received a huge upgrade on the defensive end. Anunoby is considered one of the elite on ball defenders in the league, his addition has had an immediate impact on the team. Historically the Knicks are always at their best when an emphasis is focused on defense. Thibodeau is most certainly a defensive minded coach, but in today’s NBA defense is often an afterthought. This trade is reminiscent of some of those tough-minded Pat Riley coached Knick teams of the 1990’s. With the organization’s well publicized struggles in recent decades, any comparison to Riley’s Knicks is undoubtedly viewed as a step in the right direction. Achiwa has also provided some much-needed energy on the defensive end.
New York began January with a five-game winning streak which includes wins over the Minnesota Timberwolves’s and the Philadelphia 76ers, two teams on pace to make the playoffs this season. After a minor skid New York would end the month of January on an eight-game winning streak. The Knicks finished January with a 14-2 record. This is the most wins the organization has had in one month since the 1993-1994 season, a year that ended with a trip to the NBA Finals.
The recent winning has the Knicks in position to land one of the Eastern-Conferences top four playoff seeds which would guarantee at least one playoff series at home. A raucous Madison Square Garden crowd is something most players aren’t looking forward to come April. For a team looking to get over the hump, playing at home could prove to be a distinct advantage come playoff time.
The Knicks have accomplished all this while dealing with injuries across the board. All-Star Forward Julius Randle has been sidelined with a back injury which is expected to keep him out of the lineup until March. Anunoby, Guard Jalen Brunson and Forward Josh Hart have also caught the injury bug of late.
Brunson’s play this season cannot be understated. his 27.2 points, 6.5 assist and 3.9 rebounds per contest has earned him his first NBA All-Star selection. This could be the first of many to come for Brunson as the undersized guard has manned the Knick back-court all season. His toughness has truly been a game changer for the Knicks since his arrival.
Moving forward the pressure will likely intensify for the New York. When a team plays as well as the Knicks did in January opponents begin to circle their next meeting with you on their calendar.
The New York Knicks are a force to be reckoned with in the Eastern conference. The best may be yet to come.
