Stan Van Gundy gives Knicks ‘puncher’s chance’ at playoff run with 50 wins realistic

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Only twice in the past 24 seasons have the Knicks reached 50 wins. The 2012-13 Mike Woodson Knicks won 54 games before losing in the conference semifinals to the Pacers. Then you have to go back to the 1999-2000 Knicks when the Jeff Van Gundy Knicks won 50 games before losing in the conference finals to the Pacers.

The only other Knicks coaches who belong to the 50-win club: Red Holzman (five times) Pat Riley (four), Rick Pitino (one). Van Gundy also won 57 games in 1996-97.

It is an exclusive club and there is no reason why Tom Thibodeau should not be joining that club this season.

I think that 50 games has always sorta been a marker in the league of a really good regular-season team, and I think unfortunately, people discount the challenge of the regular season and the consistency it takes to go out and play high-level basketball every single night in the NBA, and I think the Knicks are doing that, NBA on TNT analyst Stan Van Gundy told The Post before the Knicks’ 113-109 win over the Wizards on Thursday night at the Garden.

I think if Im a New York fan, Im excited about this team, and look, I dont think theyre as good as those other three teams Boston, Milwaukee and Philadelphia, but Im sincere in saying Miami was not nearly as good last year as the Knicks are now, and they ended up in the NBA Finals. In boxing youve got a punchers chance.

Stan_Van_Gundy_gives_Knicks__puncher_s_chance__at_playoff_run_with_50_wins_realistic 3Stan Van Gundy said the Knicks could become a 50-win team this season. NBAE via Getty ImagesI think New York has a better chance now than theyve had i a long time to go a step further or two steps further in the playoffs. But I still think anything beyond winning in the first round they would need some breaks, or maybe they hit it right and continue to improve.

The second half of the season began Thursday night with the 25-17 Knicks rolling past the woeful Wizards, and with 23 home games remaining, a 25-15, 50-32 finish is hardly an unreasonable expectation, whether or not they make a move before the Feb. 8 trade deadline.

I just think theres a narrative around Thibodeau, everybody thinks hes a good coach, they think hes old school, they think hes all defense and the whole thing, SVG said, and it doesnt stand up to scrutiny. Its two years in a row now hes had a top-10 offense, and I dont think when you look at the roster, thats a roster that you would think would be a great offense, either last year or now. Theyre a top-10 offense because Thibodeau maximizes the abilities of people around him.

Stan_Van_Gundy_gives_Knicks__puncher_s_chance__at_playoff_run_with_50_wins_realistic 3Tom Thibodeau “maximizes the abilities of people around him,” according to Stan Van Gundy. Charles WenzelbergThe OG Anunoby trade has changed the complexion of the Knicks defense, especially if Mitchell Robinson makes it back before the regular season ends. He can go match up with best player on every other team in the league, SVG said of Anunoby. It makes them a far more formidable playoff team than they were before.

I think what New York did with that trade with OG was a sep forward, SVG said. I think they gave themselves a punchers chance. If somehow they can add a bench scorer to that group, now theyve got a little bit more of a chance. But I dont see a route for them to come up with a roster where I would look at it and say, Yeah, I think their rosters as talented as Milwaukees and Bostons, I dont think thats gonna happen. Or Phillys.

I think right now that I would put the Knicks in a group with Miami and Cleveland in those 4 through 7 spots. But the caveat is Miami was even lower than that a year ago and ended up in the Finals. So I think if you get in those spots and put things together at the right time and get the right matchups and have the right health, you could make a run from being that horse coming up on the outside and get in. But its still something of a long shot.

Stan_Van_Gundy_gives_Knicks__puncher_s_chance__at_playoff_run_with_50_wins_realistic 3The Knicks wouldn’t have a chance at 50 wins without Jalen Brunson on their roster. Charles WenzelbergBrunson and Randle are good players, but are you taking Brunson and Randle over Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey? Are you taking them over Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown? Are you taking them over Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo? Youre not, youre just not. So I think theyre still on the outside. They certainly have a chance if things go right, but you would need a lot of things to align correctly for them to have a run.

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Check out more newslettersThe Knicks remain in the market for a bench playmaker/facilitator and have been linked to the likes of Dejounte Murray, Malcolm Brogdon, Jordan Clarkson, DeMar DeRozan and most recently, Bruce Brown (12.1 ppg, 4.7 rpg), who was just traded by the Pacers to the Raptors in the Pascal Siakam deal. I think a guy like Clarkson, a guy who would be able to add some offensive punch off the bench would be what they would need the most, thats just me looking from the outside, SVG said. Those are all great names. I dont see a lot of trade value left on the Knicks. Thats the problem.

The Knicks have reportedly been fielding calls on Quentin Grimes. A backup big to relieve the stress on godsend Isaiah Hartenstein is also a possibility.

I love Quentin Grimes myself … but I dont know that it gets you any of those guys, Van Gundy said. I think their centers have some value, but I dont think they would want to give away either of those guys.

In no world would it be justice for Brunson to be snubbed a second straight time for the All-Star Game.

When I did my media vote for All-Star starters, so youre only coming down to five guys, the three guys I considered were Tyrese Haliburton, Brunson and Maxey, Van Gundy said, and I ended up going with Haliburton and Brunson, and I love Tyrese Maxey. And what it came down for me was as good as Tyrese has been, he hasnt had to carry as heavy a load because of Embiid, obviously, as Brunson has.

The Garden knows that without Jalen Brunson, the Knicks wouldnt have a prayer to win 50 games.

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