Knicks Training Staff Receives Major Honor

With a bid to the NBA Finals on the line, the New York Knicks' training staff is already celebrating a championship.

The National Basketball Athletic Trainers Association has bestowed its Training Staff of the Year Award to the Knicks' group, acknowledging their efforts in what has been a sterling season to date. Among those named in the NBATA's statement included:

• Jonathan D'Angelo: Senior Performance Therapist, Assistant Athletic Trainer
• Naoya Fujii: Assistant Athletic Trainer
• Anthony Goenaga: Head Athletic Trainer
• Roger Hinds: Athletic Trainer Emeritus
• Heather Mau: Senior Athletic Trainer
• Casey Smith: VP of Sports Medicine

“Each season, the NBATA proudly presents the Joe O’Toole- David Craig Athletic Training Staff of the Year Award — a peer nominated honor recognizing one NBA Athletic Training Staff for their exemplary achievements and outstanding service on and off the court," the NBATA wrote in an Instagram post. "Congratulations to the Knicks on this esteemed award."

An award-winning staff certainly comes in handy when working with the expectations of a Tom Thibodeau system, which relies heavily on its starters.

But the Knicks undeniably stand as one of the healthier, if not the healthiest, teams left on the NBA bracket despite the five regular starters (OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, Karl-Anthony Towns) all playing at least 35 minutes a game. Those five, plus regular reserves Miles McBride and Cameron Payne, also all appeared in at least 64 games.

All that and more has culminated in the Knicks' first Eastern Conference Finals showing in a quarter-century. They'll face the Indiana Pacers again after falling to them in seven games in an injury-riddled conference semifinal.

Knicks fans might have to thank the Dallas Mavericks for another major part of their success: having already added point guard and captain Brunson from North Texas, New York also brought in Smith over this past offseason. Brunson previously praised his former fellow Maverick for helping him get through an ankle injury that wiped out most of March.

"I really don't want to give Casey credit, but I guess I have to now," Brunson quipped in video from Ian Begley of SNY. "Nah, he's been great. I've known Casey, obviously, since my rookie year. He's helped me in every step along the way, especially in this past month."

Brunson also embraced the help from other New York medical staffers, including Mau, a fellow Dallas transplant, as well as assistant strength and conditioning coach Shimon Ishikawa and head of strength and conditioning Tyler Yeaton.

"A lot of credit goes out to them," Brunson lauded. "They all helped, sacrificed their time with their families, especially after hours, during two-a-days, during some of those rehab days. I really appreciate them. I feel like I've known these people my entire career. They haven't changed. They're dedicated to what they do. They're dedicated to helping the team, helping the players ... They truly do that, they truly helped me get there."