Mike D’Antoni thought the four-game Rust Belt trip might spell the end of the Knicks’ playoff chase. Instead, it could be the beginning if they build on improvements made in the Midwest.
Despite the tough Cleveland loss Sunday in the trip finale, optimism is flying, as the Knicks fight five teams for one spot. One of those clubs – the Nets – they face tomorrow at the Garden, which should be buzzing.
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“We’re in great position to make it now,” Al Harrington said. “We’re definitely playing better. We got to lock in and win games we’re supposed to win, especially on our home floor and we’ll be in great position to make it. I think our confidence is higher. We really believe we can definitely do this.”
After awful losses at the Garden vs. Charlotte and in the Swamp vs. the Nets, the Knicks embarked on four-game journey through Milwaukee, Detroit, Minnesota and Cleveland with scant hope. D’Antoni made several references to the end being on the horizon. The Knicks were 7-22 in road games as they descended upon Milwaukee one week ago.
After three straight gritty Rust Belt wins and then taking the East-leading Cavs to the final minutes, the perception has changed. The Knicks are 1½ games out of the eighth slot. Tomorrow, the Knicks will get back their overworked starting point guard Chris Duhon, who rested his sore back the final two games.
“We’re back in the playoff race,” D’Antoni said as he left Cleveland late Sunday night. “It’s not all in our hands, but we do play teams that we have to knock off. If we’re good enough, we will.”
Whether they are good enough will depend on four keys.
The Knicks need to continue to become less one-dimensional offensively. The team – especially Wilson Chandler – must drive the ball to the basket in the final minutes instead of settling for 3-point attempts, as it did on the trip. D’Antoni’s speedball crew leads the league by far in 3-point attempts at 1,897 and will easily smash the NBA record, set last season by Golden State (2,185). The alarming part is their 3-point shooting percentage (.363) is 17th in the league.
Veteran Larry Hughes, who has shown he can be clutch, must become a leader on and off the court. David Lee is a double-double machine, but he must avoid getting overpowered inside defensively as often. And Duhon must go back to being the Duhon of the first three months.
“I look at it overall as we had a great road trip,” Lee said. “Winning three of four put us back in the hunt, and I’m excited to go home and winning the next two at the Garden.”
Having meaningful March games at the Garden is a breath of fresh spring air after last season’s 23-59 disgrace, when the Isiah Thomas-led franchise was the shame of the city. Those Team Titanic Knicks were out of it by mid-February.
Of the 16 games left, half are at the Garden. Following the Nets showdown, the Knicks host the awful Kings Friday before a home-and-home with rugged Orlando. The other major test is a three-games-in-four-nights jaunt to close March, beginning with contending Charlotte and ending in Utah and Denver, two Western stalwarts.
D’Antoni feels his 28-38 squad must go at the very least 8-8.
“They’re not all must games, but we have to get to 36, 37, 38 wins to have a legitimate shot,” D’Antoni said.
With the Pacers, Bobcats, Bucks, Bulls and Nets involved, 38 wins will likely be needed.