The New York Knicks, following an exciting come-from-behind victory 104-101 over the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals on April 22, are now considered by Bleacher Report’s Dan Favale to be the biggest Eastern Conference threat to the Boston Celtics.
Prefaced by, “The New York Knicks just ended it, so the search for the Eastern Conference’s biggest threat to the Boston Celtics is officially over,” Favale said. Some would contend that this has already been resolved—long ago, even.
“The OG Anunoby trade to close out 2023 turned out to be that impactful, diversifying and balancing the rotation, at both ends of the floor, in a way that made undeniable sense.”
Although it would be enjoyable to refute such a claim, Favale could well be correct. Because Anunoby can play the 4 position, New York has been able to start Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo, the teammates who won the NCAA Championship with Jalen Brunson, as its top option. Strangely enough, the reason NY poses the greatest danger to the Cs in the Eastern Conference may be due to the absence of Julius Randle and RJ Barrett, the two best players from the previous two Knicks playoff trips.
The Knicks fan base was so outraged by this transfer that they denounced it as soon as it occurred. Barrett and Immanuel Quickley both had a lot of promise, but they would have taken up space on New York’s cap sheet for a long time. Anunoby is a better fit and more economical.
The Knicks’ current success is motivating, but the Celtics shouldn’t be afraid of them. Not at all.
In the NBA, Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets pose the only real danger to Boston’s chances of winning the championship. Right now, The Joker is playing at G.O.A.T. levels, and the supporting players—Jamal Murray, especially, following his Game 2 buzzer-beater—are rising to the occasion.
We’ll talk about this again once NY advances to the Eastern Conference Finals. However, Boston is not the only club worth discussing in the same breath as Denver.
