20-point reversal, with a slam-up 4-2 counterattack!

Can the Knicks really turn over from the infamy of a "pseudo-strong team", kill the defending champion Celtics, and even strive for the championship? To be honest, before the 2023 NBA playoffs, who would have thought that this team that faces the Thunder, the Cavaliers, and the Celtics in the regular season would be able to burst out with such strong energy in the playoffs? The Celtics were eliminated in an upset 4-2, and three 20-point reversals in a single season, becoming the first team in NBA history to do this! To be honest, my attitude towards the Knicks is quite complicated. On the one hand, I admire their tenacity, and on the other hand, I think the "release" of the regular season is a bit confusing, but if you taste it carefully, does this contrast make people want to find out more?

If you want to talk about the Knicks' counterattack, it is inseparable from the "reversal culture" of their home court, Madison Square Garden. This place is simply a place where a miracle happened! In the second round of the 2023 playoffs, G5 was 18 points behind in the third quarter and was about to collapse. As a result, six players in the team scored in double digits and turned the tables 115-110. Can you imagine the madness of the fans on the scene? The audience shouted "MVP" to encourage Brunson. The passionate atmosphere directly filled the team's morale. To put it bluntly, the home court is not just a venue, it is the Knicks' "sixth man". Every reversal is like fighting in his own backyard, and no one is afraid of coming! I have to admit that this kind of interaction between fans and the team really makes people feel warm. Which basketball fan has never imagined that his home team can have such an atmosphere?

Look at the Knicks and the Iron Man, Bridges and Hart, they are simply not humans, they are "iron-made"! Bridges' total playing time in the regular season exceeded 3,000 minutes, and he missed 610 consecutive games without injury. What does it mean? Others, big names like Tatum, fell down due to a torn Achilles tendon this year, and he was in full blood! In the second round of G4 at the TD Garden Arena in Boston, Bridges directly defended Tatum to only score 18 points, far lower than the average of 26.9 points, and helped the Knicks win a key game 112-109. As for Hart, a small guard of 1.93 meters, averaged 37.6 minutes per game in the regular season, ranking first in the league, averaging 9.6 rebounds per game, and led the defender with a gap. In the Eastern Conference Finals G1, he grabbed 15 rebounds in a single game, including 5 of which were the frontcourt rebounds, which allowed the team to win 108-105. After the game, Hart also said, "It's my life to fight to the last second." Why do you think this sounds so ignited? I have to say that these two people are really the "desperate" of the Knicks. Seeing them fighting, I was worried for my opponent. Who can withstand this physical fitness and fighting spirit?

Speaking of the team's toughness, Anunobi and Brunson are also names that cannot be avoided. Anunobi's defense is simply a wall on the outside! G2 in the Eastern Conference Finals was in Madison Square Garden. He made four steals in a single game, and scored directly at a fast break in the final quarter. This was the 104-101 reversal. Look at his eyes on the court, as hard as if he wanted to eat people, and his opponent would shake his balls. Brunson climbed from a role player step by step to the key, G2 against the Celtics in the second round, and a cold-blooded three-pointer in the last 30 seconds, directly locked in a 20-point reversal, with 38 points and 5 assists in the game, and scored third in a single game in the team's playoffs. At that moment, his eyes were full of calm, as if he had known that the ball would enter. To be honest, I especially admire a big-hearted player like Brunson. The more pressure the more stable he is, the more rare this temperament. The two of them defended and attacked, showing the Knicks' toughness to the fullest. How could it not make people feel excited?

and Towns, this guy's transformation is really impressive. Who didn’t say he was a “gummy bear” before, and he was so soft? But when he arrived at the Knicks' high-pressure environment, he became hard! He averaged 24.4 points and 12.8 rebounds per game in the regular season. He averaged 20 points in the Eastern Conference Finals in the playoffs. He scored 20 points in the 6 minutes of the last quarter, and directly sounded the horn of the turnaround and pulled the team back from the edge of the cliff. The data is even more eye-catching. The large double-double with 40+10 and 30+20 in multiple single games made a name for themselves. After the game, he said, "I want to prove that I am not a softie." This is so satisfying to hear! To be honest, the transition from "soft" to "hard" has brought me too much impact. It was like seeing a child with inferiority suddenly stand up straight. Who can not be moved? Compared with the days when he was sprayed with impeccable skin in the past, now he really means "Nirvana and rebirth".

Finally, we talk about the future of the Knicks. The Eastern Conference Finals fell behind 0-2, and the series that started 0-2 in history was 0 wins and 14 losses. This curse is here, isn’t it scary enough? The Celtics and other people, from three 20-point reversals to 4-2 eliminating the Celtics, did they not come out of the impossible? To be honest, I really hope they can create another miracle and strive for the championship. After all, this kind of tenacity is worth a finale!