Knicks’ toughness has lifted them beyond expectations
NY Post
We’ve heard forever — and admittedly regurgitated by myself — that the path to NBA success is through superstars.
The Knicks chased that for a long time, pitching plans involving cap space and high draft choices and mega-trades for box-office attractions.
Yet here we are today, April of 2024, enjoying the most exciting NYC basketball team in decades, with its roster built on college friendships and connectivity and grunt work.
The most impressive statistic about these Knicks, often overlooked, is that not a single member of the rotation was a lottery pick. You can’t say that about any other team in the NBA, let alone one in the playoffs. Take out the injured Julius Randle — who hasn’t logged a second since January — and the highest pick is Donte DiVincenzo, hardly a blue-chipper out of high school, at No. 17.
More than half their rotation were second-rounders — Jalen Brunson, Isaiah Hartenstein, Mitchell Robinson, Miles McBride and Bojan Bogdanovic.
The other half share the same trait.
The Jets’ offensive line is such a concern that it is impossible not to think about it and worry about it. If — and that is the two-letter word that means so much here — the rebuilt unit stays healthy, it should be able to give Aaron Rodgers the opportunity to show that at 40 years old he still has what it takes.