The Knicks' run to a championship was dominant, as they finished with the best point differential in NBA playoff history.
One characteristic of this team that will define this run will be expecting the unexpected.
From game to game, it was impossible to tell who was going to step up. But there was always a player or two who emerged as an unsung hero.
Starters like Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, and OG Anunoby were consistent for the most part, but the rest of the club filled in the gaps.
To go 16-3 in the playoffs, the Knicks needed the entire roster, after depth was one of New York’s largest weaknesses the past few seasons. Last season, the Knicks were dead last in bench scoring during the regular season, and ranked 15th out of 16 teams in the postseason.
During this year’s regular season, New York’s bench was slightly better, ranking 28th out of 30 teams. But during the postseason, the Knicks reserves became more of a significant factor, ranking eighth out of 16 teams.
Role players came up big in every game of New York’s 4-1 NBA Finals win against the San Antonio Spurs. Landry Shamet scored 13 points with three trifectas in Game 1. Mikal Bridges stepped up with 20 points in Game 2.
Josh Hart had 16 points with four three-pointers, and Jordan Clarkson put up 10 points in New York’s lone loss in Game 3. Jose Alvarado was the unsung hero of Game 4, scoring all of his eight points in the fourth quarter. The backup also gave New York another point guard capable of breaking San Antonio’s amped up defensive pressure on Brunson.
And in Game 5, the Knicks needed Brunson to carry them over the top.
Brunson scored 45 of the club’s 94 points in the championship clincher. But there was still a memorable contribution from the supporting cast. With Towns in foul trouble, Mitchell Robinson played 20 minutes and had 10 rebounds, including an offensive rebound on a missed free-throw in the closing moments. Even third-string center Ariel Hukporti had a key block in the third quarter of the title clincher.
It was like a game of whack-a-mole. One or two Knicks would struggle for a game, but then another role player would emerge. That was the case for New York during the entire playoff run.
There was Miles McBride’s 25-point eruption against the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 4 of the second round. Hart emerged with 26 points and seven assists in a signature Game 2 win over the Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals. Bridges played like a two-way All-Star in the second round and Conference Finals.
The importance of each role player is a reflection of Knicks head coach Mike Brown’s trust of the roster. He wasn’t afraid to go deep into the bench. Second-year point guard Tyler Kolek had a significant role in New York’s NBA Cup championship win against the Spurs in December. Rookie Mohamed Diawara was in the rotation for portions of the regular season.
And after testing different lineup combinations throughout the regular season, Brown was ready to roll with many different players throughout the playoffs. With the grueling NBA schedule and the shift to a faster pace in the league, there’s a need for depth -- and Brown wasn’t afraid to rely on it.
New York’s success is a reflection of the current NBA. Star power is the base from which a title contender can be constructed, but to win big, you need contributions across the entire depth chart.
