Chaos at the Garden: Knicks top 76ers in exact environment they want most
Maybe attributing the result to a higher being is the only way to explain what went down at the Garden on Monday. Or maybe the Knicks were built for that exact play.
They were built for Brunson to hit big-time shots, even on nights when it doesn’t seem like he’s making any others.
They were built for Hart to tear away steals that shouldn’t be his. After all, Team USA coach Steve Kerr once relayed something his assistant, Erik Spoelstra, said about Hart when Hart was playing for them in the FIBA World Cup: Some players get 50-50 balls, but Hart gets 30-70 ones.
They were built for DiVincenzo to drain 3s aplenty. He just broke the franchise record for most makes in a single season. They were built for him to hesitate naught if a pass swung back to him after a miss.
They were built for Hartenstein to snag those boards, too. The Knicks finished the regular season first in offensive-rebound rate. They were built to create 3-pointers when they recover their misses, too.
....
As Hartenstein dropped to the court, he peered to Anunoby, his first read, stationed in the corner just where Thibodeau would want. It won the Knicks the game when Anunoby flipped the ball to DiVincenzo for the 3.
Thibodeau speaks so often about the importance of preparation, about how building habits in the regular season helps during high-pressure playoff situations. He doesn’t believe in changing day-to-day customs come spring basketball. According to his philosophy, coaches and players should approach any game as if it’s a playoff game.
This is why.
When Hartenstein’s mission overcomes him, when all he can think is to go get the ball, muscle memory takes over.
The Knicks prevailed amid chaos. But the Knicks were built for chaos.
https://theathletic.com/5437982/2024/04/23/knicks-sixers-game-2/