The New York Knicks are one win away from qualifying for the Eastern Conference Finals. Tom Thibodeau’s team heads into Friday, May 16th, holding a 3-2 advantage over the Boston Celtics.
New York’s front office dreamed of this scenario. It’s what led them to make some big moves last summer. One of those moves was to trade for Karl-Anthony Towns, despite it costing Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo.
During a May 14 news conference, DiVincenzo was asked about his trade now that both the Knicks and Minnesota Timberwolves are on the brink of making their respective conference finals.
“I talk to them everyday but from a basketball standpoint,” DiVincenzo said. “…It’s really cool to see a trade that happens where you can rule it as a win-win for both sides.”
DiVincenzo has been a big hit for the Timberwolves. In the 62 games he’s played, 50 of them from the bench, he’s averaging 11.7 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3.6 assists while knocking down 3-point shots at a 39.7% clip.
New York has certainly missed the versatility DiVincenzo brings to the table. However, there is no doubt that they’re happy with the addition of Towns and what he brings to the table, especially in terms of offense.
P.J. Tucker Is Making an ImpactWhile DiVincenzo is clearly enjoying is time out West, the Knicks are embracing a new voice in the locker room. P.J. Tucker joined the Knicks on a 10-day contract earlier this year. He then signed a second 10-day contract before earning himself a full-scale deal.
And while we haven’t seen much of Tucker on the court, it would appear he’s making a significant impact behind the scenes and also on the sidelines.
“Shoutout to PJ Tucker, for making sure we’re up, we’re talking,” Hart said during a recent episode of MSG Network’s postgame show. “He brought that championship pedigree to us and he deserved a big shoutout … He’s just someone that always talks to us. He’s a champion and he’s bringing that mentality.”
Tucker, a former NBA champion, knows what it takes to win at the highest level. He also brings a toughness to the rotation and will likely hold others to the same high standard he sets for himself. The Knicks knew what they were doing when they signed him to provide some additional leadership heading into the playoffs.
Josh Hart Has Stepped UpLosing DiVincenzo meant that the Knicks came into the season needing to find some additional perimeter shooting from within the roster. Josh Hart appears to have been the player willing to step up and embrace that role. Hart has shown marked improvement when firing away from deep, especially off the catch.
“He’s worked a lot on his shooting,” Thibodeau recently told the New York Post. “You leave him open, he’s not hesitating. Just let it fly. I think that’s huge for us, particularly when they overcommit, you gotta trust the pass, trust each other, trust your teammates and you’re going to have an advantage on the backside. Anytime you put two on the ball, there’s advantages in another area.”
New York will need all of its players at their best if they’re going to close out the series against Boston on Friday. Joe Mazzulla’s team have been impressive on the road this season. Nevertheless, if the Knicks can secure a win on May 16, they will book themselves a spot in the Conference Finals. And with it, they will vindicate the front office for their risky dice roll last summer.
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RIP mags
