Knicks pick good time for confidence boost to finish out 2023
Josh Hart of the Knicks shoots over Khris Middleton of the Bucks at Madison Square Garden on Christmas Day. Credit: Errol Anderson
OKLAHOMA CITY — The Knicks proved something on Christmas Day, finally breaking through and beating one of the best teams in the NBA with a convincing win over the Milwaukee Bucks. And that confidence boost comes at a good time, since the tests will keep coming before the ball drops on New Year’s Eve.
The Knicks reward for the win is one more road test — a three-game swing in four nights against the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Orlando Magic and Indiana Pacers, teams that in recent seasons might have seemed like easy prey, but have emerged as some of the best young teams.
When the calendar turns the Knicks will have had 20 road games — more than any other team in the league. No coincidence, when the season ends the Knicks will also be the only team to play more games on the road than home with the In-Season Tournament providing a quirk in the schedule that meant the Knicks would play 42 games away from Madison Square Garden and just 40 at home. Even with the two home games against Milwaukee in three days the Knicks played just three games at home in the entire month of December.
Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau has raised the issue but insists — as long as everyone knows what they are facing — that they will take on the challenge.
“I want us to have the mental toughness that we can get through whatever challenge is in front of us,” he said.
And his players echo his sentiments.
“I mean, I don't think we really showed ourselves, to be honest,” Josh Hart said after Monday’s win, proving they could beat the best teams after starting the season 0-6 against Milwaukee and Boston. “I feel like we were always confident coming into a game.
I don't think we're ever looking at the schedule or the scout film and thinking ‘Oh, we have the Bucks.’ Just go out there and try to win. That’s our mentality no matter who it is, no matter what you have a chance to win and that's kind of how we are.”
Still, finishing out the month with the Thunder, who are 18-9, the 17-11 Magic and the Pacers, who are 14-14 after reaching the Finals of the In-Season Tournament, is not an easy path to the new year.
But the Knicks, who have managed a 9-8 record on the road so far, are at least seeing most of the pieces begin to fall into place. Jalen Brunson is playing at an All-NBA level, including 36- and 38-point performances in the two games against Milwaukee in recent days. Julius Randle has shaken off the early-season struggles and been bullying his way to the rim. RJ Barrett shook off a shooting slump to score 14 first-quarter points Monday on his way to a 21-point game. And Immanuel Quickley and Hart have led the second unit.
Whether they needed to prove something with the win over the Bucks, they did, playing one of their most complete games of the season. And if they won’t acknowledge it’s a tough task, it’s a timely raising of their level for this final test of the calendar year.
Steve Popper covers the Knicks for Newsday. He has spent nearly three decades covering the Knicks and the NBA, along with just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.
