On Sunday, the New York Knicks won a hard-fought game against the Chicago Bulls, consequently earning the second seed in the Eastern Conference. They will face the winner of the Philadelphia 76ers and the Miami Heat in the opening round of the playoffs.
According to former NBA champion Antonio Daniels, the Knicks’ gritty style of play should worry opposing teams. He believes it could give Tom Thibodeau’s team an advantage in the playoffs.
“It’s a grit that the Knicks have that other teams just don’t have,” Daniels said on a recent episode of NBA Radio on Sirius XM. “It’s the way they play, other teams just don’t do it. They play harder. Josh Hart plays harder than everyone else. They’re not the most skilled team. But the thing you’ll never do against the Knicks… You’re not going to play harder than them. You’re not going to beat the Knicks.”
Thibodeau has his own team that plays a distinct brand of basketball. The addition of OG Anunoby allowed New York to remain highly competitive despite Julius Randle being ruled out for the season due to a shoulder injury. Currently, New York is among the favorites to reach the Eastern Conference finals.
If the Knicks can maintain their defensive mentality and try to stifle opposing attacks, they will be tough in the playoffs. New York has been preparing for this moment for years. Now, the Knicks are ready to prove they are among the East’s elite. Jalen Brunson’s emergence as a true MVP candidate has also accelerated the team’s ability to compete at the highest level.