The Knicks enter this season with very totally different expectations from the surface.
Championship expectations. The assumption that they will supplant the defending champion Celtics and win their first crown since 1973.
Contained in the MSG Coaching Middle?
Nicely, that’s a special story. They by no means speak about it.
“As a lot as we need to leap again into Recreation of seven [of the Eastern Conference semifinals] final yr and proceed to the place we went, we’ve to start out the journey throughout,” Jalen Brunson stated Saturday.
Brunson did say the hype is “positively an important drawback to have,” however he additionally believes it’s essential for the Knicks to tune out the surface noise, whether or not it’s optimistic or destructive. They don’t need to really feel too good about themselves with out doing something or have the necessity to show individuals fallacious.
“No matter what individuals say, whether or not it’s optimistic or destructive, we’ve to have psychological toughness and simply fear about what’s happening inside this constructing, inside this group,” Brunson stated. “You may’t hearken to the optimistic and never hearken to the destructive. That’s simply not the way it works.”
The mindset, as at all times underneath coach Tom Thibodeau, is “get higher each single day,” in keeping with Brunson.
Requested if that is probably the most gifted Knicks crew he has coached since taking up in 2020, Thibodeau merely stated: “We’ll see.”
“Nothing adjustments. That’s for you guys,” the Knicks coach stated, when requested in regards to the expectations. “For us, we will’t skip over something. Every day, we’ve to place in all we will. Hopefully we’re constructing the correct sorts of habits which are needed to achieve success to get higher and we’ll see the place it goes.”
Thibodeau stated he doesn’t count on to have a set backup heart for Karl-Anthony Cities as soon as the season begins.
He has loads of choices, from younger pivots Jericho Sims and Ariel Hukporti to undersized huge man Valuable Achiuwa and even utilizing OG Anunoby in a small-ball lineup.
“I like the flexibility that they carry and the physicality,” Thibodeau stated. “That’s essential. Clearly you want that depth for a season. We’ll see the way it unfolds. Received a protracted solution to go.”
Sims and Hukporti, the No. 58 decide in final June’s NBA Draft, are battling for minutes in a crowded frontcourt.
The 6-foot-11 Hukporti had a powerful preseason debut Wednesday, producing seven factors, 4 rebounds and three steals in 16 minutes.
“One man’s been within the league slightly bit longer and Jericho’s athleticism could be very totally different from most,” Thibodeau stated. “Ariel is a younger man coming in, there’s a defensive element to him already. However he has to be taught the offensive a part of the sport, and that’s coming. However each are excellent.”
