With the 2025 NBA postseason officially underway, the New York Knicks look to be in the best position they have been in years. The team is finally healthy and if they play up to expectations, they can make a deep run and potentially win it all. I think if the Knicks stars Jalen Brunson, Karl Anthony Towns, and Mikal Bridges play the way they should over the next couple of weeks, the Knicks have the ability to beat the defending champion Boston Celtics and have a shot at winning the whole thing.
The #3 seed New York Knicks are facing the #6 seed Detroit Pistons in the first round of the playoffs. The Pistons are a young up and coming team, with PG Cade Cunningham leading the team to their first postseason appearance since 2019.
In Game 1 of the series, the Pistons were outplaying the Knicks until the end of the 3rd quarter, when the Knicks went on a 21-0 run and sealed the game. If it wasn’t for the run, I think it would’ve been a nail biter at the end. I also believe that the Knicks did not play up to their expectations, and that with more games in the next few days, they will click throughout all four quarters.
While the Knicks are heavy favorites in this series, it will be interesting to see where they go after it ends, assuming they win. Next up for the Knicks would be the winner of the Boston Celtics Vs. Orlando Magic series, of which the Celtics are heavy favorites. Another reunion against the Celtics would be an extremely difficult task for the Knicks, as the Celtics eliminated them in last year’s playoffs and would be favored to knock them out this time as well.
Getting out of the Eastern Conference alive would be a huge accomplishment for the Knicks who haven’t even made it to the NBA Finals since 1999! As much as winning the whole thing is always the main goal, getting that far would be a lot of progress made.
I asked Sophomore Monmouth student Jason Lacosta if he thinks the New York Knicks have the potential to win the whole thing this year. He replied, “I think the Knicks can win the finals because their team is built for the playoffs. They built their team strictly to match up with Boston in the playoffs and the playoffs are completely different from the regular season. I think the Knicks have the best player on the planet in Jalen Brunson, especially in the clutch, and with defensive pieces like Bridges, Anunoby, and Robinson, they match up with [the Celtics] nicely. If they guard the three point line in the playoffs better than they did in the regular season, they can beat anyone”. I agree with Jason’s points, as after losing to the Boston Celtics last year, they built the team this time around to get past that team.
It all comes down to who is hot at the right time in my opinion. That’s the greatest part of sports. If you’re hot at the right time, you will win. If the Knicks get hot and start to play good basketball over the next few weeks, they have the chance to win it all. That is a big if, but IF they play well, they have a good enough team to beat anyone. Yes, even the Oklahoma City Thunder, who have the best record in the sport this season. Crazier things have happened, and the next few weeks should be an exciting time as everything unfolds.
