The New York Knicks’ strong season has one serious doubt levied against it amid their failure against elite teams.
Tom Thibodeau’s New York Knicks are third in the Eastern Conference with a 37-19 record.
Yet there is one problem frustrating the team that has seen them labelled as ‘pretenders’. The Knicks have been unable to beat either of the two rivals in front of them in the standings.
On February 21 the Knicks lost 142-105 to top seed Cleveland Cavaliers. It was not just a loss, it was a beatdown.
Halfway through a two-game stretch to try and change the narrative, the Knicks take on the Boston Celtics next on Sunday night.
In two games this season the Knicks have lost twice to the Celtics, the reigning NBA champions.
ESPN expert Tim Bontemps has already ruled out the chances of the Knicks winning at TD Garden. And he pointed towards big man Karl-Anthony Towns as a weakness the Celtics are able to exploit.
He told the network: “I’ve been at both Celtic-Knicks games, I don’t think they’ve got any chance against the Boston Celtics.
“The Celtics are able to stretch out the Knicks defensively, Karl Towns really has to get all the way to the three point line, he does not handle that very well.
“That’s why the Knicks lost the first game. Celtics are just too much for them to handle.”
If there is one excuse the Knicks can offer up for their huge loss to the Cavaliers, it is that they were not fully healthy.
Josh Hart missed the game, while OG Anunoby was working his way back from missing the first night of the back-to-back against the Bulls a night earlier.
Miles McBride contributed from the bench just five points, unable to match his heroics the night before.
If the Celtics game goes the same way as the Cavs loss, then these two games will do nothing to dissuade their doubters.
And they will also have a damaging psychological effect on the Knicks come the playoffs. What chance do they have of beating the Cavs or Celtics four times in a playoff series if they cannot do it even once in the regular season?
The Celtics, led by Jayson Tatum, will be keen to exert their dominance too. It could be a difficult night for the Knicks – who should be desperate to prove their doubters wrong.
