The New York Knicks took advantage of Jayson Tatum’s Achilles injury, but they also, in all honesty, outplayed the Boston Celtics before losing in the Eastern Conference finals to the Indiana Pacers. That’s the farthest they’d gotten in a long time.

And the Pacers are going to have to manage without Tyreke Haliburton, who suffered his own Achilles injury in the NBA Finals. 

So is the coast clear for the Knicks? 

There is little question that they made the most controversial decision of the off-season when they fired coach Tom Thibodeau. So now Mike Brown takes up the cause as New York takes aim at a Finals appearance and whatever the best is that the Western Conference has to offer.

NBA Futures Odds on the New York Knicks

The Knicks are +300 to win the East and +850 to capture the NBA crown, as those futures numbers are posted at BetOnline. 

And there are the over-under numbers on regular season wins: 

Over 52.5 Wins -130
Under 52.5 Wins +100

Did Thibodeau get a raw deal? 

No one will dispute that the Cleveland Cavaliers are the favorites in the East, after a season in which they won 64 games. But they failed miserably against Indiana in the postseason. Besides, does anyone expect them to duplicate what they did last year? 

Thibodeau loyalists believe the former coach was scapegoated, but the reality is that there was all kinds of speculation about his departure. Did management actually believe that he had taken the team about as far as he could take them? Did he mishandle the roster in a sense, not spreading the minutes around enough and thus leaving the main rotation people a little tuired as they went deep into the playoffs?

After the player exit interviews at the end of the season, Thibs got word he was gone. So some players must have had input.

The new coach is no stranger to the NBA 

The search for the new coach became a drawn-out affair. And instead of going after an assistant coach, they instead decided to opt for the experience of Mike Brown, who was the coach of the 2020 Nigerian Olympic team and also had NBA tours of duty with Cleveland, the LA Lakers and Sacramento. 

What he brings to the table is someone who knows the drill. So to speak; someone who doesn’t have to learn how to run a training camp on the job. And, perhaps, someone who will spread around minutes and spread around the ball to a greater degree. With 454 NBA victories, this team could have done a lot worse. 

Brown inherits quite a bit of talent

Jalen Brunson is going to once again be the Knicks’ floor leader and he will take on much of the scoring load. But we get the feeling that if Brown has his way, there will be more distribution. New York has two defensive stoppers with OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges, who are also good all-around players. They could have a third defensive stalwart at times if Mitchell Robinson, a rim-protector, gets to start alongside Karl-Anthony Towns, an All-Star-level scorer and rebounder who doesn’t always find his way on the defensive end.

What could be kind of interesting for the Knicks is the depth they might be able to put on the court. Josh Hart, of course, is very useful whether he’s starting or coming off the bench. If New York holds onto him, Miles McBride, a point guard, is someone who has to get minutes. Landry Shamet is going to stick around, and he’s got the size (6-4) to fit in as a backup as the two-spot. 

The Knicks could be very deep if things fall the right way

What will be of particular interest are the new people who have been brought in. They’re not perfect, but then again, if they were, they wouldn’t have been available. 

First of all, they could not get together on a deal to bring in Ben Simmons, and that’s a shame, because if he’s healthy, he helps as a “point forward” and a defender. They went out and signed Malcolm Brogdon, a former rookie of the year who was once a member of the “50-40-90” club, which means he shot 50% from the field, 40% from the arc and 90% from the free throw line in the same season. 

They’ll also have Jordan Clarkson, who has provided instant offense off the bench well enough to win a Sixth Man of the Year award, but is getting along a little bit at age 33. Guerschon Yabuelse is bulky and athletic, with the kind of energy the Knicks need from a reserve. He’s developed overseas and averaged 11.0 points and 5.6 rebounds with Philadelphia last season. Seven-footer Alex Len, a veteran who played for Brown in Sacramento, has a chance to stick as a backup center. 

The Knicks have a chance to roll up some wins and be a solid second place in the East. Our forecast is…..

OVER 52.5 REGULAR SEASON WINS (-130)

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