The Knicks enter this season with very totally different expectations from the skin.
Championship expectations. The assumption that they’ll supplant the defending champion Celtics and win their first crown since 1973.
Contained in the MSG Coaching Heart?
Properly, that’s a unique story. They by no means discuss it.
“As a lot as we need to leap again into Recreation of seven [of the Eastern Conference semifinals] final 12 months and proceed to the place we went, now we have to start out the journey throughout,” Jalen Brunson mentioned Saturday.
Brunson did say the hype is “positively an amazing drawback to have,” however he additionally believes it’s essential for the Knicks to tune out the skin noise, whether or not it’s constructive or damaging. They don’t need to really feel too good about themselves with out doing something or have the necessity to show folks fallacious.
“No matter what folks say, whether or not it’s constructive or damaging, now we have to have psychological toughness and simply fear about what’s happening inside this constructing, inside this group,” Brunson mentioned. “You possibly can’t hearken to the constructive and never hearken to the damaging. That’s simply not the way it works.”
The mindset, as all the time below coach Tom Thibodeau, is “get higher each single day,” in response to Brunson.
Requested if that is essentially the most gifted Knicks staff he has coached since taking on in 2020, Thibodeau merely mentioned: “We’ll see.”
“Nothing modifications. That’s for you guys,” the Knicks coach mentioned, when requested concerning the expectations. “For us, we will’t skip over something. Every day, now we have to place in all we will. Hopefully we’re constructing the precise sorts of habits which can be vital to achieve success to get higher and we’ll see the place it goes.”
Thibodeau mentioned he doesn’t anticipate 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 large man Valuable Achiuwa and even utilizing OG Anunoby in a small-ball lineup.
“I like the flexibility that they create and the physicality,” Thibodeau mentioned. “That’s essential. Clearly you want that depth for a season. We’ll see the way it unfolds. Received a protracted approach 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 formidable preseason debut Wednesday, producing seven factors, 4 rebounds and three steals in 16 minutes.
“One man’s been within the league somewhat bit longer and Jericho’s athleticism may be very totally different from most,” Thibodeau mentioned. “Ariel is a younger man coming in, there’s a defensive part to him already. However he has to study the offensive a part of the sport, and that’s coming. However each are excellent.”
