Can Knicks still make play in?

The New York Knicks have played a total of 73 seasons. Their first season was in 1951, and their most recent season was in 2023.

Have the New York Knicks gone by any other names?

No, the New York Knicks have been known by that name since 1951.

What division do the New York Knicks play in?

The New York Knicks currently play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference.

What was the best start to a Knicks season?

The best start to a Knicks season was the 1993-94 New York Knicks, who started the season 7-0. The second best start to a season was the 2012-13 New York Knicks, who started the season going 6-0. The third best start to a season was the 1969-70 New York Knicks, who started the season with 5 wins.

What was the worst start to a Knicks season?

The worst start to a Knicks season was the 1985-86 New York Knicks, who started the season at 0-8. The second worst start to a season was the 1982-83 New York Knicks, who started the season with 7 losses. The third worst starts to a Knicks season was the 2005-06 New York Knicks and the 1987-88 New York Knicks, who both started the season at 0-5.

When was the last time the Knicks were in the playoffs?

The New York Knicks last made the playoffs in 2021, when they lost the Eastern Conference First Round. They've been in the playoffs a total of 37 times in their 73 seasons.

When was the last time the Knicks missed the playoffs?

The New York Knicks last missed the playoffs in 2022.

When was the last time the Knicks won a playoff series?

In 2013, the New York Knicks beat the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference First Round.

When was the last time the Knicks lost a playoff series?

In 2021, the New York Knicks lost to the Atlanta Hawks in the Eastern Conference First Round.

What years did the Knicks make the NBA Finals?

The New York Knicks have appeared in the NBA Finals 8 times, in 1951, 1952, 1953, 1970, 1972, 1973, 1994 and 1999.

Long heralded as two of the NBA’s marquee franchises, the New York Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers were two of the worst teams in the Association last season.

For the first time in league history, both franchises failed to make the playoffs in consecutive years. Furthermore, each had the worst winning percentage in its history. The Knicks won just 17 games and the Lakers 21.

It has been a bad couple of years for both clubs, but who will haul themselves from the basement first?

In many ways, apart from being awful, the two have a lot in common.

• Thirty-something superstars who are coming off of injury-shortened seasons lead both teams.
• Sans superstars last year, neither team had talent to speak of. Ergo, now they’re building from scratch.
• Both teams had a top-five pick in this year’s draft and the rights to a second player taken later.
• Each has reportedly landed a low-scoring, rim-protecting center this offseason.
• Both were counting on cap space to help them this summer but failed to attract a top-tier free agent with it.
• The franchises have second-generation owners who live in their fathers' shadows.
• Per RealGM, they could lose their next first-round picks.
• Both turn their nose up at the notion of analytics, per Kevin Pelton's rankings for ESPN.

And, if all that weren’t enough, Knicks president Phil Jackson is engaged to Lakers president Jeanie Buss.

There are, however, enough distinctions to give us an idea of who might be the first to break into the playoffs.

Conference Call

The Knicks have one huge advantage over the Lakers in that they play in a much worse conference—the East—so getting to the playoffs is an easier mountain to climb.

The last time an Eastern Conference No. 8 seed had more wins than its Western Conference counterpart was the 1998-99 season. Here’s a look at how many wins have been required to get to the playoffs since then. The strike-shortened 2011-12 season was adjusted to reflect the equivalent wins in an 82-game schedule.

On average, it has taken 5.9 more wins over the last 17 years in the “Best” than in the “Least.”

The East got better this year though. In fact, Bleacher Report’s Howard Beck predicts it might even take a winning record to make the postseason this year on the other side of the Mississippi:

Howard Beck @HowardBeck

July prediction I may regret: the Eastern Conference will have 8 -- yes, EIGHT -- winning teams next season, for first time since 2011-12.

Some teams in the West got better too. The San Antonio Spurs improved with LaMarcus Aldridge’s decision to sign, and DeAndre Jordan’s switch helps the Dallas Mavericks. However, by extension, the Portland Trail Blazers and Los Angeles Clippers got worse.

Thus, the West got more top-heavy, not better.

So, the East might have narrowed the gap to get to the playoffs, but it’s still a significant one. The Knicks have an easier job than the Lakers do.

Recognizing Reality

The Lakers and Knicks fell into the same trap, thinking that simply being the Lakers or Knicks was enough to attract players to their teams. That was partially due to the lack of honest self-reflection and partly due to a failure to understand how the league has changed.

Both teams felt that simply being who they were was enough. The Lakers are the most dominant franchise in North American sports over the last half century. The Knicks play in basketball’s Mecca—the greatest city on Earth.

But the league has changed dramatically in the last decade. The popularity of League Pass and the volume of nationally televised games have taken away the greatest advantage they once held: endorsement money. Players from small market teams can now make just as much.

In fact, Kurt Badenhausen of Forbes reported in February that Cleveland Cavalier LeBron James made an estimated $44 million in endorsements this past season and Oklahoma City Thunder Kevin Durant made $35 million, making them the two highest endorsements earners. Kobe Bryant of the Lakers was third at $26 million. Carmelo Anthony with the Knicks had just $8 million.

It no longer matters where you play; it matters if you win. It doesn’t matter who you play for; it matters who you play with. Being the leader on a contender is more critical than being the leader on a large-market team.

Last year, LeBron James went back to Cleveland, in part because of the young talent that was there last summer. This year, Greg Monroe chose the young and rapidly improving Milwaukee Bucks over the bigger markets.

Both the Knicks and Lakers need to get better before they can get great. They need to recognize the league has changed.

Superstars

There is absolutely no version of reality where Carmelo Anthony is considered a greater player than Kobe Bryant. That said, right now Anthony is the better player. He almost six years younger, and that makes a big difference.

For this discussion, I’m defining “greatness” as the totality of a guy's accomplishments and career. However, “better” refers only to the present. For example, Kevin Garnett is a greater player than Anthony Davis, but Davis is better than Garnett. I doubt anyone argues with either of those conclusions.

Kobe Bryant’s basic stats looked passable last season, but that was due to how much the ball was in his hands more than how well he played. Usage is the percentage of possessions a player uses while he is on the court.

Player efficiency rating (PER) is a single-number metric devised by John Hollinger, which is the most “usage friendly” of the advanced numbers. Per Basketball-Reference.com, there are 182 instances in league history of a usage percentage over 30.

I looked at the difference between PER and usage in those instances. Only once has a player with a usage over 30 had a higher PER (LeBron James in 2012-13). The median difference was minus-8.35. Last year, Anthony was below average with a minus-10.7.

Bryant’s season, however, was last at minus-17.3.

10 Worst High-Usage Seasons In NBA HistoryRkPlayerSeasonAgeTmUSG%PERDifferece1Kobe Bryant2014-1536LAL34.917.6-17.32Allen Iverson2003-0428PHI35.319.3-16.03Allen Iverson2001-0226PHI37.821.9-15.94Derrick Rose2014-1526CHI31.715.9-15.85Ben Gordon2004-0521CHI30.414.9-15.56Quintin Dailey1987-8827LAC32.216.8-15.47Michael Jordan2001-0238WAS36.020.7-15.38Bernard King1990-9134WSB34.419.1-15.39Freeman Williams1980-8124SDC34.620.2-14.410Allen Iverson1999-0024PHI34.420.0-14.4Basketball-Reference.com

In other words, Bryant had the worst season by a volume scorer ever. And while we can make excuses that he didn’t have anyone around him, the same can be said for Anthony. And, we’re not talking about a marginal amount of difference to make up. We’re talking worst ever.

Anthony is just 31. He still has a few years of premier scoring in him. Bryant doesn’t.

The advantage here goes to the Knicks.

Veteran Acquisitions

The Knicks were first to the party, landing Robin Lopez as their new starting center. Aside from being the most feared man by mascots around the league, Lopez is one of those guys who “doesn’t show up in box scores” but has a great impact on the team. His “Wins Above Replacement” last season was 2.94, good enough for 19th among centers in the league, per ESPN.com.

No, that’s not going to change the franchise around, but it makes the team incrementally better.

The Lakers agreed to trade for Roy Hibbert, per Marc Stein and Ramona Shelburne of ESPN. Hibbert was 22nd in WAR. This isn’t a super sexy acquisition, either. Hibbert isn’t the All-Star he once was.

But, in both cases, it marked a signal change in how the franchises are approaching things. They’re committing (at least for now) to the process of rebuilding. And truthfully, that’s the best approach they can have.

The Knicks did slightly better for a couple of reasons. First, in acquiring Lopez, they will have him for the next four years whereas Hibbert’s contract expires at the end of the 2015-16 season.

Second, the Knicks also landed Arron Afflalo to a two-year, $16 million deal. Again, this isn’t a sexy signing, but Ian Begley of ESPN argues he could be the secondary scorer Anthony needs:

For most of his 4 ½ seasons in New York, Carmelo Anthony hasn’t had a consistent secondary scoring option. Recent history suggests Afflalo may fill that void.

Anthony and Afflalo were on the court together for 119 games between the 2009-10 and 2010-11 seasons with the Denver Nuggets.

The Nuggets were +231 in 2,624 minutes with Anthony and Afflalo on court together during that span.

Afflalo seemed to thrive on the perimeter in his last season with Anthony. He shot 47.6 percent from 3-point range in 2010-11 when on the court with Anthony and 38.2 percent from beyond the arc when he wasn't on the court with him.

The Lakers added Lou Williams, but that just seems superfluous. The Lakers are stockpiling big men who can’t shoot and wings who only shoot (Bryant, Nick Young, etc).

The Knicks actually got better through free agency. The Lakers got more confusing.

Youth

Both teams are hoping they landed a future All-Star in this year’s draft. The Lakers snatched D’Angelo Russell with the No. 2 selection, and the Knicks grabbed Kristaps Porzingis two picks later.

Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress explained how Russell needs talent around him:

While Russell is incredibly smooth, his lack of freakish explosiveness in terms of his pure first step and ability to elevate around the basket could make for an adjustment period in the NBA as he transitions to playing against bigger, longer and more athletic competition. Russell's splits against the best teams Ohio State faced this season (especially his mediocre 43% 2P% against BCS teams at or over .500) reveals how much he struggled at times against defenses that were familiar with his strengths and weaknesses and had a specific game plan for slowing him down. With that said, the lack of alternative scoring options on the Buckeyes roster surely played into that as well.

For that reason, Russell might not project as a player that can carry an NBA offense from day one like some of the worst teams in the league drafting in the top five probably hope. He'll need the right type of players around him, but thankfully he possesses the type of complementary skills (passing, shooting, positional versatility) required to help facilitate that. He'll have to continue to improve his frame and do a better job of taking hits around the basket and finishing through contact, particularly with his off-hand, which he tends to avoid like the plague.

And of Porzingis, Givony and Mike Schmitz write:

Besides his physical attributes, the most appealing part of Porzingis' game revolves around his feathery touch from the perimeter. He has beautiful shooting mechanics, complete with deep range, a quick release, and the ability to make shots either coming off screens or as a floor-spacer with his feet set.

It's virtually impossible to contest his shot at over 7-feet with his high release point, and he's hitting an outstanding 43% of his 136 catch and shoot attempts thus far this season, including 38% of his 3-pointers (33/87 in 38 games). If the defense closes out too aggressively, he can put the ball down in a straight line and make his way to the basket, sometimes for a very impressive finish.

The meat of the scouting reports suggests that Russell will be the better player and that he was the right choice at No. 2. But, it appears the lack of talent around him will initially hinder him. Meanwhile Porzingis’ best skill—his shooting—will have a chance to be used.

Both teams also had a second pick from the first round this year. Givony says of the Knicks' acquisition, Jerian Grant:

Grant's best attribute from an NBA standpoint clearly revolves around his playmaking ability. He is a decisive passer and an extremely unselfish player overall, making reads automatically and whipping the ball impressively all over the court. He has a tremendous natural feel for finding the open man regardless of where they are on the floor, being capable of making every pass in the book, be it high or low, and to cutters, rollers or shooters. Unlike many big guards, he's not a combo looking to make the transition to the point, he's already a tremendous distributor.

Grant seems to be a triangle-friendly player. He has the components around him to make things work.  

With their second pick, the Lakers took Larry Nance Jr., a power forward who will likely play behind sophomore and veritable rookie starter, Julius Randle. His Draft Express profile reveals he’s a decent post-up player but a terrible jump shooter.  

That’s problematic playing next to Hibbert as neither one is going to excel as a high pick-and-roll option, which in turn is going to limit the effectiveness of Russell.

The bottom line is that the Lakers might have better youngsters as of right now, but they don’t fit as well together with the rest of the team.

For the Knicks, they have the makings of a more modern offense, and the pieces fit together better, but the question is whether they’ll run one. Phil Jackson was trolling analytics gurus as recently as the playoffs.

Phil Jackson @PhilJackson11

NBA analysts give me some diagnostics on how 3pt oriented teams are faring this playoffs...seriously, how's it goink?

Whether the result of the Warriors eventually winning will sway him might be another story. If the Knicks use their players correctly (and that’s a big if), they win this discussion, too—at least in the short term.

Going Forward

As presently constructed, the Knicks are a better team than the Lakers, and they’re in a weaker conference, so the gap they have to erase between where they are and the playoffs is much smaller.

And, it might be easier to get more help going forward. Both teams owe their first-round pick next season: the Knicks’  will go to the Toronto Raptors. The Lakers' will go to the Philadelphia 76ers.

But the Knicks have all their first-round choices after that, while the Lakers still owe their 2018 pick to the Orlando Magic.

The Knicks, even if they miss the playoffs, will be much closer than the Lakers to contending. Anthony will still have a couple of good years left in him. Grant and Porzingis will have their best years ahead of them. The Knicks will own all their draft picks going forward.

Now you add that to the thrill of playing in the limelight of New York City, and it becomes attractive. 

But to be attractive, the rings needs to be plausible and, a year from now, the Lakers are less likely to present that as a realistic hope.

If the Lakers are bad enough this year, they can keep their top-three protected pick. Then, they can add solid veterans around their youth and build on that because Kobe's massive contract will finally be expired. They can then develop the kids for one more season. Only then do they start looking like a legitimate contender.

But, they need to gun for the under-the-radar guys from the outset next year. New York got a year up on the Lakers because they made that concession first. Bryant's massive deal will come off the books, but they need to be careful to not spend it all. 

If the Lakers do it right, they can preserve their cap space for 2017-18. Then, adding two superstars alongside their own—the hopefully emerging Russell—becomes more conceivable.

All factors considered, the Knicks are likely to be the first ones into the playoffs, but if they falter, the Lakers could be hot on their heels.

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