No matter what they do, the Knicks fail to be taken seriously by the basketball world. It’s been almost half a century since Madison Square Garden witnessed a championship banner go up the rafters. It’s been a sad state of affairs for avid hoop fans in New York.
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Over the years, the Knicks have become a source of mockery, given the series of controversies rocking the franchise, most of which have got to do with the management headed by businessman and CEO James Dolan. The situation has reached a boiling point where fans want the ownership replaced, with the organization’s net worth being an astounding $6.1 billion.
Nevertheless, fans continue to throng to the basketball mecca, continuing to have faith. Though it might be too early to say anything, the Knicks have been playing well off-late, evidence being their 8-game winning streak, with many contributing this to the addition of Jalen Brunson and former MIP Julius Randle finding his rhythm back.
Unfortunately, the Knicks remain a futile topic of discussion, especially when it comes to the panel of Inside the NBA, boasting Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal. The Hall of Famer duo wasn’t particularly impressed with the NY team’s recent 8-game winning streak.
Charles Barkley seconds Shaquille O’Neal’s take on the Knicks.
Addressing their recent dominant win over the defending champion Warriors, the panel of Inside the NBA discussed the Knicks’ hot streak lately. Sadly, there wasn’t much to offer when it came to applauding the team, with Shaq and Chuck adopting a wait-and-watch approach.
“I’m not gonna get too happy,” said the Big Diesel, adding how there was still a lot of season left.
“I don’t think they can get out of one round of the playoffs,” concluded the former Lakers big man.
Adding to Shaq’s point, while Barkley did have a few words of praise for the likes of Brunson and Randle, he didn’t forget to throw shade at the team, saying the following.
“They’re not even the best team in the same state,” hilariously remarked The Chuckster.
“They’re not even the best team in the same state.” 😂
Chuck and Shaq aren’t sold on the Knicks despite their 7-game win streak pic.twitter.com/pGsoQB5vKY
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) December 21, 2022
Though Shaq and Chuck may come across as a little too harsh on the Knicks, one cannot blame them, courtesy of the history surrounding the MSG team.
The Knicks face stiff competition from their fellow New York counterpart.
The team in the discussion here is the Brooklyn Nets, who have been playing some impressive ball, having won 10 of their last 11 games. The duo of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving have been putting on a show, most recently combining for 81-points in the win against the Pistons.
On the other hand, the Knicks are two seeds below the Nets, ranked 6th, holding an 18-13 record. No denying the team deserves a few claps, but consistency continues to be a major deterrent. Hopefully, this time around, Tom Thibodeau and crew can win back the faith of many.
