The New York Knicks have been one of the NBA’s best and brightest stories this season, and they have established themselves as a quality team that can go deep in the playoffs.
It hasn’t come a moment too soon for them, as they have been a laughingstock for most of the last 20-plus years.
They may not be a true championship contender, but SiriusXM NBA Radio host Justin Termine said that New York is having success this season because several of their players are “overachieving.”
“It’s a bunch of guys who are overachieving”@TermineRadio tells @Jumpshot8 how impressed he is with the Knicks play #NewYorkForever pic.twitter.com/qIey86VT9S
— SiriusXM NBA Radio (@SiriusXMNBA) March 19, 2024
In particular, Termine mentioned star guard Jalen Brunson, wing Donte DiVincenzo, guard Josh Hart, center Isaiah Hartenstein, and Miles McBride as players who are giving the Knicks a career-best effort.
Brunson, who is in his second season with the team, is averaging 27.6 points and 6.4 assists a game, and he finally made the All-Star team this year after arguably getting snubbed in that regard last year.
DiVincenzo has been a reliable 3-point shooter, while Hart is the type of winning role player every contender needs to have.
Hart has had five triple-doubles this season, and although he’s just 6-foot-4, he’s grabbing 8.1 rebounds a game.
Hartenstein provides defense, rebounding, and muscle, while McBride, a 6-foot-1 guard, has greatly improved his 3-point shooting.
The Knicks made a couple of trades this season to bring in addition perimeter defense and outside shooting by acquiring OG Anunoby, Alec Burks, and Bojan Bogdanovic.
Under head coach Tom Thibodeau, they have a distinct identity as a team that wins by playing great defense, slowing down the pace, and pounding the boards, and they may be one impact player away from becoming a true title contender.
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