3 things we learned from Knicks' 2024 NBA playoff run
Once again, the New York Knicks’ season ended with another second-round exit. Still, it seems like the Knicks have made progress as a franchise. They advanced to the second round in consecutive years for the first time since 1999 and 2000.
The team has built out a hard-nosed identity and has found several key pieces on the roster worth keeping long term. But there’s still more work to do if the Knicks want to reach the upper echelon of NBA contenders. Now that the dust has settled, it’s time to take a look at a few takeaways from New York’s 2024 postseason.
Brunson is someone you can build around
After a strong 2023 playoff run, it was clear that Jalen Brunson was a top-scoring option the Knicks could build around. He has continued to answer the bell as a number one option. He had a memorable 2024 playoff run. In 13 postseason games, the guard averaged 32.4 points and 7.5 assists.
Brunson had 40 points on five different occasions and had at least six assists 10 different times. This was in the face of teams throwing every kind of defense at him. The Philadelphia 76ers often brought extra help and had 6-7 Kelly Oubre and 6-8 Nicolas Batum guard him. The Indiana Pacers had smaller defenders but they tried to tire him out with a full-court press.
Brunson dealt with a right foot injury early in the second round. He also fractured his left hand in Game 7. Under the weight of massive responsibility, his overall shooting efficiency plummeted throughout the playoffs. If the Knicks can find a way to lighten the responsibility Brunson carried, those numbers should rebound in the future.
Need for a second star
As the playoffs wore on, it seemed unsustainable for Brunson to carry such a heavy load on offense as several other Knicks suffered injuries. Brunson played significant minutes, but even more concerning, he had a league-high usage rate (36.4 percent). It was notable that Brunson rarely took shots off the catch and almost all of his shot attempts were under duress and off the dribble.
Obviously, Julius Randle’s absence would have alleviated some of that pressure. But there still are legitimate questions of if Randle is the right-wing man or second option. In the regular season, Randle has been solid but he has been lackluster in two playoff runs.
Whether it’s Randle or another star the Knicks make a run at in the offseason, the need for another shot-creator is crucial. But it’s a tricky fit. Ideally, the Knicks need another star who can prop up the offense when Brunson rests but then can complement Brunson with strong defense and the ability to spot-up from three.
When healthy, Knicks have strong depth
New York has consistently found the right complementary pieces over the past couple of years. The playoffs showcased just that. It seemed throughout this year’s playoffs, that a new Knick was coming up big in every game. Six Knicks players averaged double-figure scoring in the postseason.
Josh Hart was better than expected from the three-point line and averaged 11.5 rebounds. Donte DiVincenzo had two 35-plus point games in the conference semifinals and hit arguably the biggest shot of the Knicks season in Game 2 of the first round. OG Anunoby was an elite two-way player.
Isaiah Hartenstein was a steady presence and had the most offensive rebounds of any player through the first two rounds. Miles McBride was effective off the bench. With Anunoby and Hartenstein likely to enter unrestricted free agency it will be important for the Knicks to retain the two key players who had a major impact on both ends of the floor. It’s imperative for the Knicks to keep this core together to continue to build towards championship contention.
