The New York Knicks have the talent to make a very deep run through the playoffs this year, but major concerns exist after their immense struggles against the top teams in the league. However, not everyone is casting doubt on their chances to make a deep run.
Knicks: Patrick Beverley thinks PJ Tucker will be the difference maker for New York
Former NBA player Patrick Beverley said on his podcast “The Pat Bev Pod” that the Knicks can go far in the postseason, but not for reasons that many would think.
“Don’t be surprised if the Knicks go far this year because P.J. Tucker’s on the team now,” Beverley said.
P.J. Tucker signed a two-year deal with the Knicks earlier this month after being on two separate 10-day deals. He was initially signed to be an enforcer in a locker room that was demoralized at the start of a grueling West Coast trip in early March.
He hasn’t been in the Knicks rotation and is mostly there to provide a locker room veteran to a team mostly filled with younger players, with his only minutes as a Knick coming in garbage time.
Tucker has been a positive influence in the Knicks’ locker room
Tucker hasn’t played meaningful NBA minutes in nearly two years, but it is clear that his presence still provides an impact thanks to his hard-nosed mentality. During the time Jalen Brunson was out, the team went 9-6 and stayed in the third spot of the Eastern Conference standings.
While Tucker had no on-court impact during that, him cheering on his teammates on the bench and providing a voice in the locker room certainly was a help. Many players stepped up over the past month as well, most notably OG Anunoby going through the best stretch of basketball he has had in his career.
If the Knicks want to go on a deep run this year, they will need to have every player step up and perform at their highest level. They can’t rely on Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns to do everything, so everybody will need to do their part.
Tucker’s presence on the bench should help them play hard and compete until the very end.