The New York Knicks went through a period of suffering. The nightmares of Trae Young owning Madison Square Garden, Michael Jordan being their perennial kryptonite, and Reggie Miller going nuclear have never fully wavered.
While the Knicks have had their fair share of success in decades past, they haven’t been able to replicate that success in recent memory. If they can defeat the Detroit Pistons, the Knicks have a chance to advance to the second round for the second straight year.
Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns have been tremendous in this series, leading the Knicks to a resounding 3-1 series lead. The Knicks have a chance to close out their series in Game 5 at Madison Square Garden, which could end up as a big moment for the franchise.
The New York Knicks Could End 26-Year Drought
The Knicks are nearing a milestone, as they stand to get over their biggest drought ever. The Knicks haven’t closed out a playoff series at home in 26 years, but they have an opportunity to finish off the Pistons.
The last time the Knicks closed out a playoff series at home was June 11, 1999, when they defeated the Indiana Pacers to make the NBA Finals. The Knicks have an opportunity to cement themselves in history again with a win on Tuesday. Whether or not the Knicks can pull that off is a different question.
The Knicks have an opportunity Tuesday night to close out a playoff series at home for the first time this century.
The last time NY won a series-clincher at MSG was June 11th, 1999 (that’s 9453 days ago), when Sprewell, Houston, Camby and company smacked the Pacers in Game 6 of… pic.twitter.com/bC7lvsUgjL
— Tommy Beer (@TommyBeer)
The Pistons have been within striking distance multiple times in this series, but some of the crucial players in the regular season have disappointed in the playoffs so far. Poor performances from Dennis Schröder and Ausar Thompson, as well as a lack of scoring punch from Jalen Duren, definitely hurt the Pistons in Game 3 as they looked to tie the series.
Can the Knicks Beat the Celtics?
If things continue down the current path, the Knicks will face the Boston Celtics in the second round. Many suspected this series would happen last season before the Pacers defeated a depleted Knicks squad.
Now, with everything aligning, the Knicks face their most grave challenge. The Celtics are the defending champions and the most stacked team in the NBA. The Knicks haven’t been able to pull out a victory against the Celtics this season, which doesn’t seem to bode well for their chances.
If the Knicks are going to reach the Conference Finals, they’ll need premium efforts from Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, and Josh Hart to complement their one-two punch of Brunson and Towns. Can the Knicks surprise the world by ending their MSG drought and going on to beat the Celtics?
