For a sports team to be successful, let alone win a championship, it needs to have a distinct identity, and that helps give it something to hang its hat on, especially when things aren’t going well.
One team that started to develop that type of distinct identity last season in the NBA was the New York Knicks, who became a force after trading for 3-and-D wing OG Anunoby and nearly advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals.
They traded for Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns this summer, leading many to consider them a legitimate championship contender, but they started this season with a dismal 4-5 record coming into Tuesday’s game against the Philadelphia 76ers.
On TNT’s “Inside the NBA,” Shaquille O’Neal said the Knicks have lost their identity.
“I think the Knicks are in trouble. I think they lost their identity…They have no rim protector…”
“I think the Knicks are in trouble. I think they lost their identity…They have no rim protector…”
–– Shaq pic.twitter.com/3yI0ZZwHQm
— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) November 13, 2024
New York created an identity last season as a team that plays great defense and pounds opponents on the boards, and it reminded some of those memorable New York teams from the 1990s that were often title contenders.
But they currently rank 21st in defensive rating and have regressed to merely a middle-of-the-back team on the boards, and although they’re second in offensive rating, it hasn’t been enough to pick up the slack.
Fortunately for the Knicks, only two teams in the Eastern Conference are over .500 right now, which means if they get things going right now, they can still finish with an excellent record and give themselves a real shot at winning it all.
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