You’re allowed to enjoy re-energized Knicks even if there is more roster work to do
Its OK to sit back and enjoy what youre seeing right now, you know. Its all right to do what no less an authority than Pat Riley has done for years, urging his players to live in the precious present, a term he borrowed from author Spencer Johnson, a phrase that really should be the sacred mantra of Knicks fans right now.
Tomorrow is for tomorrow. May and June are for May and June. The fact that the Knicks are still a little short when you line them up against the beasts of the East is still real life, no matter how glorious they looked across wide swatches of Tuesday nights 112-84 evisceration of the Blazers before 19,812 occasionally delirious fans at Madison Square Garden. But for now, its OK to forget that.
We were really connected, said OG Anunoby, who had the Garden chanting his name during a remarkable 29-minute shift in which he scored 23 points, including 4 out of 6 from deep. Flying around, getting stops, looking out for one another.
They were. Thats five-for-five now since Leon Rose acquired Anunoby as the centerpiece of a deal that sent RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley to Toronto, and the effect has been an eerily similar vibe to the 9-0 stretch the Knicks went on last year when they acquired Josh Hart from Portland.
3Knicks guard Donte DiVincenzo slams the ball during the first quarter. Charles Wenzelberg / New York PostThe ball is moving. The feet are moving. They are now 15-1 against teams with losing records on the season, and the Blazers are a confirmed member of the NBA dregs right now. But two of those five wins since the trade have come against Minnesota and Philadelphia, who have a combined record of 49-22.
What's happening on and off the Garden court
Sign up for Inside the Knicks by Stefan Bondy, a weekly exclusive on Sports+.
Thank you
Enter your email address Please provide a valid email address.
By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Enjoy this Post Sports+ exclusive newsletter!
Check out more newslettersIts all very heady stuff.
And its OK to be OK with that.
Were striving to be a 48-minute team, Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. I thought we had a good rhythm and a we were very aggressive early.
Because he is who he is, Thibodeau was decidedly salty about the fact that the Blazers outscored the Knicks 23-15 in the fourth quarter, even though he cleared his bench and was giving the walk-ons as much playing time as theyre likely to get all year. Thats Thibs being Thibs, so he will be immune to enjoying this moment of the season for as long as it lasts.
Though even he was willing to concede: The spirit of the team is very strong right now.
Look: if you want to be a buzzkill about all of this, you can do so quite easily. The 4,000-pound neon pink elephant embedded in every gym in which the Knicks play is always there: theyre still a player away. Theyre still a move away. Theyre still outside the room when the conversation turns to genuine contenders.
If what the Knicks are presenting nightly right now might not be good enough to take the Celtics or the Bucks four out of seven in May well, its plenty good enough to energiz the Garden for 2 / hours on a rainy night in January.
Were playing for each other on both ends of the floor, said Julius Randle, whose 20 points, seven rebounds and eight assists paced a balanced offense that was easily able to overcome a rare substandard night from Jalen Brunson (12 points, 3-for-11 from the field). Guys are doing a great job being active. Were playing good basketball, winning games. I like what were doing.
3Knicks forward OG Anunoby drives to the basket as Portland Trail Blazers center Duop Reath defends during the first quarter on Tuesday. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post## see also
OG Anunoby’s Knicks start has been downright historic
And Its OK to be OK with that, too.
The goal is to be playing our best at the end of the year, Thibodeau said. We have to keep doing what were doing and get better.
Maybe getting better will mean that Rose can figure out another acquisition next month at the trade-deadline, though unless some random superstar grows vastly unhappy in the next six weeks its hard to identify who that would be. Maybe it means that once the weather turns warmer, there will be a pathway for the familiar old skepticism to seep back into the picture. Thatll be fair.
But so is this: its OK to like what youre watching. Its OK to look forward to what should be a fun matchup with Luka, Kyrie and the Mavericks Thursday. Somehow this is the 25th anniversary of the Knicks most recent trip to the Finals, and there have been so many awful, empty games across the almost 9,000 days and nights since then. Its OK to suspend the eternal expectation of a falling sky, for now. Its OK to be having fun right now.
3Knicks guard Jalen Brunson goes up for a shot as Portland Trail Blazers guard Scoot Henderson defends during the second quarter on Tuesday. Charles Wenzelberg / New York PostIts OK to be OK with all of that.
How many decks are used in poker?
In most popular poker variants, such as Texas Hold'em and Omaha, a standard deck of 52 playing cards is used. Each deck contains four suits (hearts, diamonds, clubs, and spades) and consists of 13 ranks (Ace, 2 through 10, and the face cards: Jack, Queen, and King).
What is the bonus code for WPT Global Poker 2023?
The best bonus code for WPT Global is WPT777. By entering the bonus code, players will get a welcome bonus 100% up to $1,200 on the first deposit. The minimum deposit is $20.
What is the best WPT Global bonus code?
Use the WPT Global bonus code WPT777 when registering to get a 100% deposit bonus up to $1200 plus a $100 No Deposit poker bonus.
