The pressure in New York is mounting following another disappointing loss for the Knicks. Fans and the media haven’t stopped berating the team following their 118-105 disappointment at the hands of the Celtics. The loss drops the Knicks to 0-7 against top three teams in the NBA. As a result, many are abandoning their faith that this team has what it takes to contend for a championship. ESPN analyst Tim Legler believes that goal is so far away, that a loss in the first round of the playoffs is more likely.
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The last thing Spike Lee and Knicks fans want to hear is that their team may lose in the first round. However, Legler isn’t straight up claiming the Knicks will lose in the first round.
Instead, he is suggesting their defensive woes could lead to an unfavorable matchup and end New York’s season with heartbreak. They barely snuck out a win at home against the Bulls. Chicago pushed them to overtime, which shouldn’t happen to a championship-calibre team.
Their next two games came against the Cavaliers and the Celtics, and it’s not a surprise how they ended. Cleveland beat the brakes off the Knicks by 37 points. Boston added insult to injury, handing them another huge loss.
Legler took to ESPN’s Get Up to share his brutal take on the Knicks despite their 37-20 record. He said, “Bottom line is I don’t think they’re capable of beating Cleveland or Boston.
He pointed out how “That tells you they’re not close to the finals and potentially a first-round series could be problematic.”
Legler is right. There is a massive problem in New York. It’s not that they are bad. They are clearly capable of dominating weaker teams, in fact, teams under .500 struggle against New York’s most popular franchise. But the top seeds are a whole different story.
Many believed the addition of Mikal Bridges would provide a dynamic tandem of wing defenders alongside OG Anunoby, which hasn’t been the case. Opposing teams are shooting 3.2% better from mid-range shots and 7% better from corner three-point shots with Bridges on the court.
Another glaring issue is their inability to rebound the basketball. The Knicks are 24th in rebounds per game. They were out-rebounded in both losses against the Cavs and Celtics. The winner of the rebound battle is typically the winner of the game.
Knicks have multiple teams on their tail
New York is currently the third seed in the Eastern Conference and most likely will keep it secured for the rest of the season, but the Detroit Pistons, Indiana Pacers, and Milwaukee Bucks are getting closer.
The Pistons are the sixth seed as of today but are on a seven-game win streak showing no signs of slowing down. The Bucks and Pacers are ahead of Detroit by only one game, meaning there could still be plenty of movement.
Out of those teams, Legler mentioned the Bucks as a group that could pose a serious threat to the Knicks in the first round. Regardless, Legler still believes the Knicks can compete on any given night. The problem is the Celtics and Cavs compete at too high a level for the Knicks to put up a good fight.
