The Knicks will navigate a lot increased expectations than what the franchise is accustomed to.
Many of the main sportsbooks undertaking Tom Thibodeau’s squad to complete second within the East with its greatest file in over a decade. BetMGM and Fanduel, as an example, peg New York’s over/beneath win whole at 53.5, behind the Celtics (58.5) and Thunder (56.5) within the NBA.
To place that in perspective, the Knicks have solely as soon as exceeded 53 wins in a season since 1997.
They haven’t reached a convention ultimate since 2000 — the third-longest drought within the East after the lowly Hornets and Wizards.
The playing world’s enthusiasm for the Knicks arrived after they added Mikal Bridges to a roster that received 50 video games final season and reached Sport 7 of the second spherical.
One other key addition is Julius Randle, the three-time All-Star who missed the ultimate three months of final season with a dislocated shoulder.
Jalen Brunson, who already has established himself as the very best Knicks level guard since Clyde Frazier, acknowledged lofty objectives are additionally inner.
“What can we do to get previous the second spherical? That’s our purpose,” Brunson mentioned this month throughout his captaincy ceremony.
The Knicks open the season Oct. 22 in Boston, the place the Celtics — together with acquainted face Kristaps Porzingis — can be accepting their 2024 championship rings.
“It’s good to listen to that we’re contenders, however I believe we now have to enter coaching camp with out having that phrase be spoken,” Brunson mentioned. “Clearly, I mentioned I need to get previous the second spherical after getting there two straight years. However we will’t simply go into the season and soar proper again into the second spherical. We’ve acquired to return and begin once more.
“We have now some new items and a few acquainted faces, so what can we do with it? What sort of crew can we need to be?”
The draw back to increased expectations is that they’re tougher to satisfy.
And the Knicks have query marks.
They misplaced beginning heart Isaiah Hartenstein to OKC in free company and didn’t proportionately change him.
They’ve two injury-prone starters — Mitchell Robinson, OG Anunoby — and one other — Randle — who’s coming off shoulder surgical procedure.
Maybe their best power is depth, with a potent top-3 off the bench in Josh Hart, Donte DiVincenzo, and Miles McBride.
Nonetheless, a directive of conference-finals-or-bust is a frightening bar.
Assuming the secure guess of the Celtics returning to the third spherical, the Knicks must greatest both the revamped Sixers, the Giannis Antetokounmpo-led Bucks, the pesky Warmth, Kenny Atkinson’s Cavaliers, Tyrese Haliburton’s Pacers and the rising Magic.
Till this level, the Knicks have largely exceeded expectations beneath Thibodeau.
And that’s additionally as a result of the bar was typically low.
In Thibodeau’s first season, as an example, they had been predicted for the lottery and completed fourth within the East.
Now they’re anticipated to complete second.
And something lower than the convention finals could be a failure.
