thelesterlee
This 2023-24 New York Knicks were the greatest team I’ve watched in my lifetime. If Apple Music was writing about this season, it would be the Lauryn Hill of all Knicks seasons.
Sure, I love Latrell Sprewell and if you’ve seen me at the local gym, you know I’ve modeled my game after a young Zach Randolph and of course—Mario Hezonja had a major impact on who I am today—but these 2023-24 New York Knicks were special.
Coming off a 47-win season, a 2nd round defeat in Miami and an offseason where the only real move was letting Obi Toppin walk and replacing him with Donte DiVincenzo—it felt like this season was going to be a re-run, as the organization waits for a superstar to demand a trade to New York.
The team had a slow start to the season with Julius Randle in particular, having a historically awful shooting season. Not only was Randle bricking all of his shots, he showed zero effort defensively with opposing teams frequently playing 5-on-4 as Randle stood in one spot looking around while his teammates darted around to cover up all the holes left open by Julius’s absentmindedness.
The NBA In-Season Tournament didn’t help the Knicks struggles as they ended up playing the Milwaukee Bucks seemingly every other day.
They were stagnant, in desperate need of change.
Enter OG Anunoby.
At the end of December, the Knicks finally pulled the plug on the RJ Barrett experience, trading him, along with Immanuel Quickley, to the Toronto Raptors for OG Anunoby and Precious Achiuwa. Thibs wanted more dogs and Leon Rose said “Fine, damn. here”, before dropping the biggest dog in the yard off in the middle of Penn Station.
Perhaps Toronto Raptors jerseys are incredibly flattering so I never noticed his size but OG looks like a grizzly bear for this team. He could play nose tackle for the Jets this season, and with Aaron Donald retired, end the year as the best D-Lineman in the NFL.
The Knicks, whose star is the height of the guy writing this, suddenly became bullies. A frontcourt of Isaiah Hartenstein, Julius Randle and OG Anunoby put teams in hell. At one point, they beat the Denver Nuggets, 122-84, with OG scoring 26 points with 6 steals and posting a +38 against the defending champions.
It worked. It actually worked.
For the first time in my life, the New York Knicks won a trade. One time we they traded for Andrea fucking Bargnani. Not only did they trade for one of the biggest draft busts in NBA history, they traded THREE players and a future first-round pick for him. Wait, this is karma. The Toronto Raptors curse is lifted.
I really believed RJ Barrett had a chance to become an All-Star—not a perennial All-Star but ya know, a couple guys turn an ankle at the end of January and RJ gets to sneak in there a few times—however, he and Julius Randle’s games were too similar.
Two lefties who liked getting the ball from the same areas on the floor. They were redundant. It didn’t help that Jalen Brunson had established himself as one of the best scorers in the NBA, turning RJ into a guy who stands in the corner. Except RJ could not shoot 3s.
Immanuel Quickley brings pure joy to the court but New York needed defense and size, not vibes and aura..
Also, does anyone else remember when Julius Randle almost knocked IQ’s head off his shoulders last season? Not sure Quickley was an on-court fit with the starters.
Julius Randle got hit with a technical foul for arguing with a ref and then got into with Immanuel Quickley heading into halftime 👀 pic.twitter.com/7wm0TnRPQO
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) March 24, 2023
Best of times, worst of times.
I just pray RJ and Quickley get used to shooting snot-covered basketballs from Scottie Barnes.
OG Anunoby’s first game wearing a Knicks jersey, they beat the dogshit out of Minnesota Timberwolves who were the no. 1 seed in the West at the time. They’d continue to 14-2 to finish the month of January looking like one of the best teams in the NBA.
And at the trade deadline, New York made one final maneuver to add depth and make the most out of Evan Fournier’s silly contract.
Quentime Grimes would be sacrificed for some veteran scoring off the bench. I loved Grimes and still believe he has the skill set to be a starter for a playoff team but unfortunately, he always looked terrified with the ball in his hands as if he believed he’d be pulled off the court if he made any mistakes which I imagine is a sad way to play basketball.
Miles McBride absorbed all of Quickley’s and Grimes’s powers to become the perfect 6th man.
It came down to the final game of the season. With an opportunity to rest guys and potentially fall to the 3rd seed to play the Indiana Pacers in the first round instead of facing the Sixers who had Joel Embiid, the reigning MVP, coming back to save them but instead, the squad busted their ass to beat the Chicago Bulls to finish the year with 50 wins.
Heading into the playoffs, Boston was almost guaranteed a spot in the Eastern Conference Finals and 7 teams were fighting for their chance to meet them there. Since the arrival of OG Anunoby, this team turned every game into a UFC fight. They had a chance to shake shit up against ANY team.
Especially with the way Jalen Brunson was playing.
Injuries took it from them.
Julius Randle blew his shoulder in January. Mitchell Robinson’s ankle tore. Bojan Bogdanovic’s foot exploded diving for a loose ball. OG Anunoby popped a hammy. Jalen Brunson injured his foot and broke his hand. Josh Hart’s stummy erupted.
The Knicks lost in the 2nd round in 7 games to the Indiana Pacers.
I recognize this season is supposed to feel like a failure. The team made the 2nd round last year. You’re supposed to progress further every year and get closer to a championship. Sixers fans celebrated getting to the 2nd round and now they’re trapped there for all of eternity.
We’re supposed to dissect every mistake and blame the coach for playing professional athletes too many minutes or the GM for not being more aggressive at the trade deadline or the players for not ‘wanting it more’ or whatever but I was there when Jared Jeffries and Lance Thomas were ALWAYS on the court. I remember 67-year-old Lenny Wilkins trying to coach. Steve Mills was addicted to acquiring Tim Hardaway Jr.
For the first time in my life, the Knicks have an MVP-caliber player on the roster, a respected head coach who inspires the team to bust their ass every single night, and a front office capable of finding the roster of guys willing to put that level of effort.
Windows close blah blah. Who gives a shit about any of that? It is exciting to be a New York Knicks fan. The 2023-24 New York Knicks did this. What a year.
Let’s all celebrate what we witnessed this season. We may never get this level of bliss again.
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What are your thoughts on this Knicks squad? Leave a comment below. Respond on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram. Or shoot me an email at Deadseriousmailbag@gmail.com. Let’s chat, bay-beeeee. Let me know if you think the 2023-24 New York Knicks season was a disappointed show I can show you Mardy Collins highlights.
