The New York Knicks were all but written off prior to the beginning of the 2017-2018 NBA season. In June, Phil Jackson was let go after three seasons as team president–his puzzling obsession with the outdated triangle offense failing to bring a championship to the Big Apple, as he had promised it would. Then, the centerpiece of the Knicks offense, Carmelo Anthony–who famously forced a trade to the Knicks from the Denver Nuggets in February of 2011–was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Long-time Knicks general manager Steve Mills, a figure in the Knicks organization for decades, took over the role left vacant by Jackson's dismissal, and former Sacramento Kings' executive vice president Scott Perry was hired as the new general manager.
Needless to say, but expectations were not high for the team, and the Knicks reinforced that notion by dropping their first three games of the new season, losing in embarrassing fashion to the Thunder, Celtics and Pistons–the last of which being a game the Knicks led by double-digits before completely collapsing in stunning fashion. But despite the dismal start, the Knicks have responded by winning six of their last seven games, and as of this writing, are sitting in fifth place in the sad Eastern Conference with a 6-4 record.
So what has given these Knicks "the knack," as Knicks legend Clyde Frazier likes to say?
Coach Jeff Hornacek made a crucial decision after the Pistons loss by taking Ramon Sessions out of the starting line-up, and substituting him with the crafty, yet often injured, Jarrett Jack. Personally, I never understood the signing of Sessions this summer. To me, it felt like it was ten years too late, as Sessions would have strived in former Knicks' coach Mike D'Antoni's run-and-gun offense. But Sessions appeared lost on the court, failing to grasp the offensive sets thoroughly and never finding a groove with his new teammates.
Of course, during that time the entire team was a mess, turning the ball over to a frightening degree, and completely botching defensive rotations whenever the opportunity presented itself. But since the insertion of Jack into Hornacek's starting 5, the offense has started to click, and the team has protected the ball much better over the last seven games. It is important to note, though, that Jack's contract is not guaranteed–and with the return of beleaguered center Joakim Noah pending, the Knicks have a decision to make, as they already have a 15 man squad.
Noah is currently serving a 20 game suspension for use of a banned substance, and I think I speak for most Knicks fans when I say that no one is really itching for his return. Noah's days of being a dynamo on the court are over. Period. But his hefty contract makes it difficult to cut ties with him altogether. So, it will be interesting to see how Mills and Perry play their hand here.
There can obviously be no talk of the Knicks' recent success without hailing the play of Kristaps Porzingis. It would appear as though the young Latvian forward is poised for a breakout season. Currently this week's Eastern Conference Player of the Week, his workouts with Dirk Nowitzki this past summer are clearly paying off. The 22-year old phenom is averaging 30 points in 33 minutes of play per game, and has a 50 percent field goal percentage. But what is perhaps most exciting about Porzingis' play this season is he is no longer settling for questionable jump shots from behind the arc. Quicker and stronger this year, KP is posting up players when his shot isn't falling–and even when it is, he's still taking the ball to the hoop more than in his rookie and sophomore seasons.
Of course, this is the Knicks–so drama is always inevitable. But as the team heads into tonight's matchup against the Orlando Magic, there's reason for fans to be optimistic.
