2025-26 KNICKS
Leon Rose doesn’t talk to the media, but we have to assume that when he acquired Karl-Anthony Towns on October 3, 2024, he believed he was acquiring the final piece to a championship puzzle.
Since then, the Knicks have won 125 of 195 games across two regular seasons, two playoffs, and one NBA Cup. That’s a 64% winning percentage.
Now, that doesn’t mean that everyone shared Rose’s opinion. Most of this season, there were concerns about Karl-Anthony Towns’ role. He was criticized by both Stephen A Smith and Shaquille O’Neal for not demanding the ball on offense, and many wondered if the Knicks should trade him for Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Now, he is being lauded for being unselfish. Same with Mikal Bridges, who struggled mightily down the stretch. But now that he is hitting his shots and still playing strong defense, folks are starting to realize that it is not easy going from being the man in Brooklyn to the fourth-option on the Knicks.
Even after the Knicks had their remarkable comeback in Game 1, many wondered if Landry Shamet should replace Josh Hart in the Knicks starting lineup. I’m guessing that if there was social media and thousands of sports media options in 1972-73, the dynastic Knicks would’ve had their share of controversies too.
1972-73 KNICKS
The Knicks’ second championship team featured six Hall-of-Fame players in Bill Bradley, Dave DeBusschere, Walt Frazier, Jerry Lucas, Earl Monroe, and Willis Reed. Plus, head coach Red Holzman and bench player turned coach Phil Jackson are also enshrined in Springfield.
Despite those lofty standards, there are many similarities between that team and today’s group. The Knicks have tremendous team chemistry; they are inherently unselfish and willing to put the team success ahead of their individual accomplishments. And, when they are at their best, they play solid team defense.
Are the current Knicks perfect? No, but neither were the Big 3 Miami Heat. They still have work to do to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers, and they will likely be an underdog to either the Oklahoma City Thunder or San Antonio Spurs if they make it to the finals.
But their ongoing 9-game heater is showing the world what the “silent assassin” Leon Rose must’ve envisioned when he shocked the basketball world by acquiring Towns on the eve of Training Camp in 2024.
CLYDE’S KNICKS VS BRUNSON’S KNICKS
Red Holzman’s team played seven players during the 1972-73 championship run, similar to a Tom Thibodeau rotation. However, Mike Brown is rolling ten-deep this spring. Here’s a comparison of each team’s playoff stats.
POS | NAME | AGE | GAMES | PTS | REB | AST |
PG | Walt Frazier | 27 | 17 | 21.9 | 7.3 | 6.2 |
SG | Earl Monroe | 28 | 16 | 16.1 | 3.2 | 3.2 |
SF | Bill Bradley | 29 | 17 | 14 | 3.4 | 2.6 |
PF | Dave DeBusschere | 32 | 17 | 15.6 | 10.5 | 3.4 |
C | Willis Reed | 30 | 17 | 12.5 | 7.6 | 1.8 |
F/C | Jerry Lucas | 32 | 17 | 7.5 | 5 | 2.3 |
G | Dean Meminger | 24 | 17 | 4.8 | 2.2 | 2.2 |
F/C | Phil Jackson | 27 | 17 | 8.7 | 4.2 | 1.4 |
1972-73 Averages | 28.6 | – | 103.8 | 44.5 | 23.3 | |
POS | NAME | AGE | GAMES | PTS | REB | AST |
PG | Jalen Brunson | 29 | 12 | 27.6 | 2.8 | 6.8 |
SG | Mikal Bridges | 29 | 12 | 13.9 | 2.8 | 2.3 |
SF | Josh Hart | 30 | 12 | 11.8 | 8.4 | 4.4 |
PF | OG Anunoby | 28 | 10 | 19.8 | 6.9 | 1.5 |
C | Karl-Anthony Towns | 30 | 12 | 17.1 | 10.5 | 6 |
G | Miles McBride | 25 | 12 | 6.7 | 1.5 | 1.2 |
G | Jose Alvarado | 27 | 11 | 4.4 | 1.1 | 1.1 |
G | Jordan Clarkson | 33 | 12 | 6 | 2 | 0.8 |
F | Landry Shamet | 28 | 12 | 4.2 | 0.8 | 0.3 |
C | Mitchell Robinson | 27 | 11 | 5.4 | 5.3 | 0.4 |
2025-26 Averages | 28.3 | 119 | 44.5 | 26.2 |
WHAT’S NEXT
Game 3 (Sat, May 23) at Cleveland (8p, ABC)
Game 4 (Mon, May 25) at Cleveland (8p, ESPN)
Game 5 (Wed, May 27) vs Cleveland (8p, ESPN) if necessary
Game 6 (Fri, May 29) at Cleveland (8p, ESPN) if necessary
Game 7 (Sun, May 31) vs Cleveland (8p, ESPN) if necessary
ICYMI “The RantBack Digital Mailbag (New York Knicks Playoff Edition)”