Last season, LeBron James‘ undermanned Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals. The King switching conferences has created opportunities for teams to rise up and compete for a spot in the NBA Finals this season, though. The fact that clubs like the Celtics, Sixers, and Bucks have stepped up their play has made the East’s competition stand out. One such example of the current status quo in the Conference is the Atlantic Division.
Four of the five teams in this division alone have a good chance of making the postseason. Joel Embiid, Kyrie Irving, Kawhi Leonard, Ben Simmons, Kyle Lowry, and D’Angelo Russell are just a few of the All-Stars who reside in the Atlantic, which has grown into the dominant powerhouse of the East coast.
New York Knicks
Prior to the regular season’s conclusion, the New York Knicks and Phoenix Suns are competing to be the league’s worst team. They are currently in last place in the East and have the best chance of selecting top college prospect Zion Williamson in the 2017 NBA draught according to their 11-47 (0.190) record.
It’s fair to say that lately, New York hasn’t been the place to be, even though they recently ended their 18-game losing run against the Atlanta Hawks. The Knicks are 2-12 versus clubs from the Atlantic division and have only won 4 games at Madison Square Garden this year.
The Knicks have an intriguing combination of seasoned players like Julius Randle and former Celtic Marcus Morris, along with young players like R.J. Barrett, Kevin Knox, and Mitchell Robinson. New York boasts a strong group of players who can fill a variety of roles. They had hoped to fill that vacuum with Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant, or perhaps even both, but the absence of that next-level superstar is painfully clear.
Both made Brooklyn their new home in the offseason, leaving the Knicks with a squad that is unlikely to contend for a postseason spot this season, making them the only exception in the Atlantic Division.
Coach
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Tom Thibodeau: Head Coach
Johnnie Bryant: Assistant Head Coach
Andy Greer: Assistant Coach
Darren Erman: Assistant Coach
Dice Yoshimoto: Assistant Coach
Roger Hinds: Trainer
Anthony Goenaga: Trainer
The Knicks are heavily anticipated to be a more formidable force this season following a good campaign last time.
Crucial Arrivals
PG Kemba Walker and SG/SF Evan Fournier
Key Departures Elfrid Payton (G/F), Reggie Bullock (G)
Renewals and Extensions
Derrick Rose (PG), Nerlens Noel (C), Alec Burks (G/F), Taj Gibson, Julius Randle (F) (4 years at $117.1 million) (C)
Probable Starting Line-Up
Kemba Walker (PG), RJ Barrett (SG), Evan Fournier (SF), Julius Randle (PF), and Mitchell Robinson are possible starters (C). Kemba starting at the point is unquestionably a better option than Elfrid Payton. Immanuel Quickley, Alec Burks, Kevin Knox II, Nerlens Noel, Dwayne Bacon, Taj Gibson, and Derrick Rose are among bench players to add depth. It is simple to comprehend why Madison Square Garden is becoming more and more exciting.
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