The New York Knicks' season ended with another loss in the second round, but the Knicks appear to have improved as a franchise, reaching the second round in consecutive years for the first time since 1999 and 2000.
The team has built a strong identity and acquired some key players worth keeping for the long term, but the Knicks still have a lot of work to do if they want to rise to the top of the NBA contenders. Now that the dust has settled, let's look at some takeaways from New York's 2024 playoff run.
Brunson is the guy who can grow the team.
After a strong showing in the 2023 playoffs, Jalen Brunson He was the best scorer the Knicks had built their team around. He continues to live up to expectations as the No. 1 option and had a memorable run in the 2024 playoffs. In 13 postseason games, the guard averaged 32.4 points and 7.5 assists.
Brunson scored 40 points five times and had six or more assists 10 times while facing teams that were playing any type of defense against him. The Philadelphia 76ers often brought in extra help and went 6-7. Kelly Oubre 6-8 and Nicolas Batum They guarded him. The Indiana Pacers had smaller defenders, but they tried to tire him out with a full-court press.
Brunson injured his right foot early in the second round and broke his left hand in Game 7. He's shouldered a lot of responsibility and his overall shooting efficiency has dropped during the playoffs. If the Knicks can find a way to ease the load for Brunson, those numbers should bounce back in the future.
Need a second star
As the playoffs progressed, injuries to several other Knicks players made it seem impossible for Brunson to shoulder such a heavy offensive load. Brunson played significant minutes, but more concerning was his usage rate, the highest in the league (36.4%). It's notable that Brunson rarely shot off the catch, with most of his shot attempts coming off the dribble under pressure.
clearly, Julius RandleThe absence of Kevin Durant likely eased some of that pressure, but there are still legitimate questions about whether Randle is a right wingman or a second option. Randle played solidly in the regular season but was lackluster in both playoff games.
Acquiring a shot creator, whether it's Randle or another star the Knicks pursue this offseason, is crucial, but it's a tough choice. Ideally, the Knicks need another star who can bolster the offense while Brunson is resting and complement him with strong defense and three-point shooting ability.
When healthy, the Knicks have strong depth.
New York has consistently found the right complementary pieces over the last few years, and the playoffs proved just that. Throughout this year's playoffs, the new Knicks looked to be hitting their stride every game. Six Knicks players averaged double figures in points in the postseason.
Josh Hart He performed better than expected from the three-point line, averaging 11.5 rebounds per game. Donte DiVincenzo He had two games with 35 or more points in the conference semifinals and made arguably the Knicks' biggest shot of the season in Game 2 of the first round. OG Anunoby Was an elite two-way player.
Isaiah Hartenstein He provided a steady presence and grabbed more offensive rebounds than any other player through the first two rounds. Miles McBride He was effective off the bench, and with Anunoby and Hartenstein likely set to become unrestricted free agents, it will be important for the Knicks to retain two key players who have made such an impact on both ends of the court. Keeping this core is essential if the Knicks are to continue to build their team towards championship contention.
