Are Knicks destined for Last Dance?

It’s been 53 years since New York won an NBA championship and that was in 1972-73 when coach Red Holzman piloted the Knicks to a 4-1 decision over the LA Lakers with Willis Reed bagging Finals MVP honors. It’s been 27 years since the Big Apple squad made it to the Last Dance, bowing to San Antonio, 4-2 for the crown in 1998-99.

Are the Knicks destined to make it all the way to the Finals this season? They’re on the right track. So far, New York has been dominant in the playoffs. In the first round, the Knicks disposed of Atlanta, 4-2. The two losses were by a point each, one at home and another on the road. The four wins were by an average margin of 26.8 with the Game 6 clincher a whopping 51-point blowout. In the second round, New York blanked Philadelphia with an average winning margin of 22.3. Like in the Atlanta series, the Knicks were merciless in dispatching the 76ers via a 30-point romp in the Game 4 clincher.

The last season where the Knicks failed to make the playoffs was in 2021-22, finishing with a 37-45 record. Following that mishap, New York jumped from 37 wins to 47, 50, 51 and this season, 53. The uphill climb has led experts to believe that the Knicks are destined for bigger things with new coach Mike Brown.

Replacing Tom Thibodeau with Brown was a gamble. Thibs took the squad to the Eastern Conference Finals to end a 25-year wait last season. He led New York to four playoffs in five campaigns and became the team’s fourth all-time winningest coach. But Knicks president Leon Rose rolled the dice with Brown, a two-time Coach of the Year with Cleveland and Sacramento. Obviously, Rose felt Thibs wouldn’t bring an NBA title to New York and Brown could.

New York’s core of Karl Anthony Towns, Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart, OG Anunoby, Miles McBride, Landry Shamet and Jordan Clarkson shows depth at every position. With Brown, the Knicks have improved on both ends from last season, averaging 116.5 points from 115.8 and allowing 110.1 points from 111.7. The difference may be insignificant in absolute numbers but the impact is clear. Six players are averaging in double figure points and Clarkson (8.6) isn’t even on the list. New York will face the Detroit-Cleveland winner in the East Finals. The Pistons are in a 2-2 dogfight and Game 5 is set today. Detroit should advance and facing New York will be a defensive grind. The Knicks are on a seven-game playoff win streak and won’t be derailed by Detroit. New York is headed for the Last Dance but OKC won’t be denied a second straight crown.