One week before the NBA All-Star break begins next Thursday, the Knicks will essentially finalize their roster for a run at a conference and league championship with today’s trade deadline at 3 p.m. When this article went to press, the Knicks had not made any moves. Their assumed ardent pursuit of Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo had not yet come to fruition nor had any other deals.
During this period of speculation amplification about the Knicks’ interest in acquiring the 31-year-old Antetokounmpo, they have played as well as any team in the association. They went into last night’s (Wednesday) game at home at Madison Square Garden as winners of seven straight and knotted with the Boston Celtics, both with 32-18 records, for the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference, 5.5 games behind the 37-12 No. 1 seed Detroit Pistons.
The Celtics and Pistons did execute trades to shore up areas of need. The Celtics added size in former Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vučević, sending the Bulls guard Anfernee Simons, and the Pistons bartered with the Bulls to secure the three-point shooting services of guard Kevin Huerter in a three-team exchange that also included the Minnesota Timberwolves. Furthermore, the Cleveland Cavaliers, No. 5 in the East at 30-21 as of yesterday, dealt for Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden.
The Knicks face the Pistons tomorrow on the road (7:30 p.m.) and the Celtics this Sunday (12:30 p.m.) in Boston.
It is sound judgment for the Knicks to want to bring Antetokounmpo under their tent. He is a true force multiplier — a singular presence that could levitate the Knicks above their chief competitors. At 6’11”, he is one of the best all-around players of this generation, a seven-time first team All NBA performer, two-time league MVP, 2021 champion and Finals MVP with the Bucks, and 10-time All-Star.
As of late Wednesday morning, though, Knicks head coach Mike Brown was preparing for the Nuggets with a squad already a formidable East contender, albeit still vulnerable. A critical area of improvement over the past two weeks has been stronger defense — the Knicks held every opponent in the seven-game win streak under 110 points, four at 100 or less, before playing the Nuggets.
“I think the small adjustments that were made can be credited to the success we are
having,” said Knicks forward OG Anunoby after a 112-110 victory against the Los Angeles Lakers at home Sunday. “There are going to be slumps during the season. That’s expected. Just improved communication and great coaching from [assistant] Coach Brendan O’Connor and [assistant] Coach Darren Erman. We are just following their game plan.”