Knicks Turn Flawed Resume Into East Finals Reality

New York’s regular-season profile was anything but elite. A 15-13 post-All-Star break record, a 15-23 mark against winning teams, and an 0-10 showing against the league’s 60-win clubs painted the picture of a team bound for an early exit.

That included a combined 0-8 against Cleveland and Boston, making them the first No. 3 seed since 1984 to go winless against the conference’s top two seeds, according to Elias Sports Bureau.

No matter, the Knicks have crashed the conference finals through toughness, timely execution, and a rotation that’s finally clicking.

So basically, everything they failed to do has not mattered at all in May.

Behind their usual brand of tenacity — and a timely boost from Mitchell Robinson, who missed the first 60 games but has since become a force on the glass — the Knicks have found cohesion at just the right time. 

Robinson’s presence has stabilized the defense and turned missed shots into second chances, helping New York muscle its way past higher-ranked opponents.

Basically, Jalen Brunson is the star, but the Knicks’ greatest hope of overtaking the Pacers is via multiple contributions. The good news for coach Tom Thibodeau? The talent is there with Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, Josh Hart, and others.

That, coupled with a collective refusal to fold, has brought a franchise known for heartbreak to the doorstep of the NBA Finals.