The Knicks just completed their 42nd game of the season last night with a win over the Pacers to advance to 23-19 on the campaign so far. So far the offense has been brilliant and the defense has been solid but there is definitely a lot of stuff to improve on still.
The Knicks currently sit in the 6th seed in the Eastern Conference. In a conference where there are 9 legit teams that could easily be in the top six, the Knicks can't get too comfortable where they are now in the standings, they have to keep pushing.
One major flaw that the Knicks have had this season is closing games. If the Knicks were able to hold onto big leads and close out those games, their record would look a lot different and a lot better than what it is now. Just last night the Knicks were up by 25 in the second half yet let the Pacers come all the way back and fortunately the Knicks closed it out in time. The Knicks have one of the best first half point differentials, but come second half it is a whole different story.
A huge bright spot for the Knicks has been the emergence of Jalen Brunson. He's had more 30 point games this season than he had in his previous four seasons in the NBA. If this doesn't scream All-Star to you, it should. He is able to hit clutch baskets when needed and has been one of the more clutch players in the league this season. Without Brunson, the Knicks would be lost.
Julius Randle also has had a bounce back season and he as well is making a strong campaign to make his 2nd all-star game as a Knick. His shooting has improved after a down year last year, and his defense has gotten sharper as well. Randle and Brunson should both be in Utah playing in the All Star Game come February.
The thing that has surprised me the most is the Knicks next man up mentality. Even with RJ Barrett missing more than 2 weeks, the Knicks found ways to win with the next guys up. With RJ out, Quickley took over and did not look back. IQ has definitely established himself as a solid 6th man for the Knicks and provides big buckets whenever they need them.
Also another underrated aspect of the Knicks has been Quentin Grimes. Grimes is the definition of a 3 and D type of player as not only is he a knockdown three point shooter, but he is also a lockdown defender. Grimes should always be in the game when it comes down to the final stretch because he'll bring it on both ends of the floor.
The Knicks have looked pretty good so far, but there is still another whole half of the season yet to be played. One thing the Knicks need major improvement on is not getting too comfortable with big leads because we have seen a lot of them demise this season and turn into opponent victories in the end.
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