SUMMER, 2019 – The New York Knicks were the frontrunners to land superstar forward Kevin Durant—finally, a superstar to revitalize Madison Square Garden as the basketball capital of the world.
Not so fast.
Durant shocked the NBA world when he decided to take his talents right over the bridge to Brooklyn, joining forces with longtime friend Kyrie Irving.
Fast forward to the 2022-2023 season, and the Knicks might have found their guy. He’s not a 6’10” phenom who can handle and shoot the basketball at a historic clip.
Enter 6’2″ guard Jalen Brunson.
The Knicks’ signing of Brunson was deemed by some as an overpay, but it turned out to be one of the best offseason moves. The former NCAA National Player of the Year has reinvigorated a franchise many felt should head toward rebuild after missing out on Durant.
Ironically, with Durant and Irving’s recent departures from Brooklyn, you can crown Mr. Brunson the King of New York.
And I’m not just saying that because I, too, played at Villanova.
Brunson’s averages of 32 points, six assists, and four rebounds on fifty-six percent shooting and forty-seven percent threes over the past 10 games have propelled the Knicks into seventh place in the mighty Eastern conference.
With the trade deadline behind us, let’s see what other seven teams with playoff aspirations will make the cut of the final eight.
- Milwaukee Bucks
Giannis Antetokounmpo is unapologetically the best player in basketball. The Bucks have showcased their dominance as of late, as winners of 11 in a row since Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday have rejoined the Greek Freak. This veteran group has been there, done that, as they say.
They took home the 2021 trophy after defeating the Phoenix Suns 4-2. Antetokounmpo, Brook Lopez, and the crew have been bullying opponents so far, leading the league in rebounds per game at 49.2. Their bully-ball mentality allows them to exploit smaller teams and dominate the paint.
Milwaukee has surrounded its Big 3 with complementary pieces such as Lopez, Grayson Allen, and Bobby Portis. And, again, having the best player in the world certainly doesn’t hurt.
- Boston Celtics
The Celtics are the current favorites to win the NBA Championship. They have been, however, severely plagued with injuries as of late. Despite missing five of their top seven, they took the Bucks to overtime on Tuesday before the All-Star break.
The Celtics currently rank third in the league in points per game (117.9) while also being top four in both offensive and defensive efficiency, for a league-best net rating of +6.2. With Jayson Tatum and Jalen Brown, it is hard to imagine a more dynamic duo in terms of offensive and defensive efficiency. And that’s before we even mention reigning Defensive Player of the Year, Marcus Smart. This team has the potential to be stifling defensively, which will ultimately allow them to overcome their injuries and secure the two spot.
- Philadelphia 76ers
From a lifelong Sixers fan, this team seems different—improved. The emergence of Tyrese Maxey and the resurgence of James Harden have made the Sixers a viable threat to the Celtics and Bucks. Oh, and their center is pretty good, too. Joel Embiid is leading the league in scoring while ranking No. 1 in defensive win shares. The offseason additions of PJ Tucker and De’Anthony Melton have added an extra level of depth that was previously missing. While the Phillies and Eagles have left us in heartbreak, perhaps the Sixers can “right those wrongs” and bring a trophy to a city so desperately craving one.
- Brooklyn Nets
No Kevin Durant? No Kyrie Irving? No problem. The Nets look rejuvenated following a hard-fought victory over the Miami Heat before All-Star weekend. They now feature a balanced scoring attack and have added tremendous defensive versatility in Mikal Bridges and Dorian Finney-Smith. They might not have a superstar, per se, but look for this young team to continue to develop and form cohesion through March.
- Atlanta Hawks
The Hawks feature a balanced backcourt with both offensive finesse in Trae Young as well as the defensive prowess of Dejounte Murray. This Hawks core, though young, does have proven playoff experience, having advanced to the Conference Finals in 2020-2021 before falling to the eventual champion Milwaukee Bucks. Look for “Ice-Trae” to come alive post-All-Star break and lead his team to a comfortable five seed.
- Cleveland Cavaliers
In the offseason, the Cavs shook the league by acquiring superstar shooting guard Donovan Mitchell. Fans were ecstatic to see him alongside sophomore phenom Darius Garland and a promising, young center, Evan Mobley. What was unexpected was the defensive potential of this team. Cleveland currently sits first in the NBA in defensive rating, giving up only 109.3 points per game. Winners of eight of their last 10, the Cavaliers hold the second-best net rating in the East at +5.7.
- New York Knicks
Recently crowned the King of New York, Brunson went off after his All-Star snub, averaging nearly 32 points per game on ridiculous shooting efficiency. Julius Randle has also stepped up, averaging 24 and 10 in his last 10 games. Lefty point guard RJ Barrett serves as a formidable third option on a solid playoff team, and the addition of Josh Hart gives the New York bench the spark it desperately needs.
- Miami Heat
It seems like Miami’s best days are behind them. Returning their core of Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, Tyler Hero, and Kyle Lowry, this veteran group had high expectations coming into the season after their Finals run in the 2020 Orlando bubble. Lowry, however, seems to be a shell of his younger self, while Butler is in and out of the lineup with injury.
Will the recent Kevin Love signing give this team the spark it desperately needs? Maybe—his three-point range gives them some added depth off the bench and adds another option to back up Adebayo. Additionally, Love’s locker room presence and poise as a true professional could serve to mentor some younger players like Gabe Vincent, Max Strus and Herro.
Despite their deficiencies and struggles to date, if this group does sneak into the playoffs, a healthy Heat team could cause matchup problems for a higher seed because of their leadership, culture, and playoff experience.
As NBA players finally had some time to rest during the All-Star Break, fans are left to ponder how the rest of the season will unfold. Brunson could take this time to rejuvenate, rest, and elevate his game even further.
We might look back and acknowledge that the All-Star snub may have been the driving force that propelled the Knicks past the first round of the playoffs.
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