The Knicks’ long layoff is finally over. They no longer have to sit back and wait to learn who their opponent will be in the Eastern Conference Finals. It will be the Cleveland Cavaliers after their emphatic 125-94 Game 7 win on the road against the Detroit Pistons.
What do the Knicks have to do to reach their first NBA Finals since 1999? Continue to Use Towns as a Playmaker.
After Game 3 of the Knicks’ first round series against the Atlanta Hawks, where they suffered a heart-breaking 109-108 loss and fell behind 2-1 in the series, Knicks head coach Mike Brown made an adjustment. The Knicks began running more of the offense through Karl-Anthony Towns and gave him more freedom to facilitate. Brown’s adjustment has completely changed the Knicks’ outlook.
Since Game 3 against the Hawks, the Knicks have won seven straight games by a combined total of 185 points, an NBA record. During that seven-game stretch, Towns has averaged 8.0 assists per game. During the regular season, he averaged just 3.0.
In this particular matchup against the Cavaliers, Towns will be matched up against Evan Mobley
— the reigning Defensive Player of the Year — along with another elite defender and athlete in
Jarrett Allen. This will be the toughest matchup Towns has faced this postseason. Will he be up
for the challenge, or will Mobley and Allen be able to shut him down?
From Jan. 21 until April 12, the end of the regular season, the Knicks posted the second-best defensive rating in the NBA at 108.2. The Cleveland Cavaliers have two great guards who can present the Knicks with some trouble: Donovan Mitchell and James Harden. Last round, Mikal Bridges did an amazing job shutting down Tyrese Maxey.
The Knicks’ best defender — and one of the best perimeter defenders in the NBA — OG Anunoby is healthy and will be ready to go in Game 1 against the Cavaliers after missing the final two games of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the 76ers. The Knicks traded for both Bridges and Anunoby exactly for moments like these.
The engine of the Knicks is Jalen Brunson, and they need him to be great if they want to get back
to the NBA Finals. He has been more than great thus far in his fourth playoff appearance as a Knick. Brunson is averaging 27.4 points per game while shooting an outstanding 48.5 percent from the field and 40.9 percent from beyond the arc. Brunson is also averaging 6.1 assists per game with just 2.2 turnovers.
If Jalen Brunson continues to be Jalen Brunson, the Knicks will be in good shape.
Series prediction
As for how I think this series will go, I think the Knicks will continue their dominance this postseason. The Knicks are playing their best basketball of the season at the right time, and they are significantly more rested than the Cavaliers.
I think Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby will do a great job limiting Donovan Mitchell and James Harden. I also think Karl-Anthony Towns will continue to make a huge impact as a playmaker. Finally, Jalen Brunson will rise to the occasion once again.
I have the Knicks taking down the Cavaliers in five games.
