THEY’VE GOT PLENTY IN THEIR TANK
Knicks can still win by losing
The bookmakers have set the over/under at 25½, which, contrary to logic and reason, isn’t the Knicks win total for the 2017-18 season. Since you asked, the over/under for Knicks wins is 30½, so again, if you’re using logic and reason, bet the under.
What the 25½ represents is points Carmelo Anthony will or won’t score next Thursday when the former Knick sees his old teammates on opening night in Oklahoma City. (For the record, that’s 25½ for the entire game, not just the first half.) Russell Westbrook and Paul George will understand what this game means to Carmelo so it might be wise to take the over. It may take Carmelo 30 shots to get there but he’ll get there.
Anthony, to use an old Jeff Van Gundy expression, will be “right and ready” when the Knicks come to town. As for Jeff Hornacek’s team, your guess is as good as any.
Kristaps Porzingis, the face and hope of the franchise, is expected to miss the Knicks’ final preseason game on Friday with a sore hip. That would mean two straight DNP’s for Porzingis, but the belief is that the third-year forward will be available against OKC. Still, it’s not an ideal way to enter the new season. And yet, Porzingis is light years ahead of rookie Frank Ntilikina, who on Friday will likely miss his fourth straight preseason. Phil Jackson’s last official act as Knicks president has, to this point, resembled most of Phil’s transactions: unfulfilling. An injury prevented Ntilikina, the eighth pick from last June’s draft, from playing any summer league games and the young point guard has only appeared in one preseason game. Ntilikina is way behind.
Meanwhile, two players Jackson ignored on draft night, the Mavs’ Dennis Smith Jr. and Charlotte’s Malik Monk, are both playing and playing well. Phil may be gone but he won’t soon be forgotten.
With the Phil and Carmelo drama gone and the Knicks expected to finish out of the playoffs for the fifth straight season, there is very little buzz at Madison Square Garden. The fans may be drunk on hope but this team isn’t moving the needle. At least not yet.
The Knicks are marketing 2017-18 as a rebuilding year featuring young, athletic players. While that is a smart and safe strategy it does make you realize that Jackson’s failed tenure set the franchise back. How far? That will be determined at a later date.
So the buzz words are “rebuild, young, athletic.” You’ll be hearing a lot of that this year. But those marketing slogans are false advertising if Ntilikina can’t get on the court and Porzingis misses any extended time.
The Knicks’ revamped front office, aware that they may struggle to reach 25 wins, has set this roster up to tank even if they won’t use that word. It’s not the worst play.
The incoming class of college freshman is deep and talented.