With the improvements the New York Knicks made after a strong 2023-24 season, many now believe they have a great chance to prevent the Boston Celtics from dominating the Eastern Conference once again next season. Knicks legend Carmelo Anthony is one of those believers, saying on the podcast “All The Smoke” that New York is now in the top tier of Eastern Conference teams.
Carmelo Anthony sees the Knicks as true contenders
“I don’t want to guarantee that [the Knicks win the title], but I do believe they situated and set themselves up to be right there with Boston and Philly,” Anthony said. “Now what we do with that is totally different because you still have to go through Boston, you still got to be Boston, but I think everybody else got better and the Knicks got better. We ain’t worried about nobody else in the East. We’re worrying about Boston, that’s it.”
The Knicks and the Celtics were the two best teams in the East during the regular season last year, but Boston had the upper hand by a wide margin as they were 14 games better than New York. The two teams looked primed to face each other in the Eastern Conference Finals, but the Knicks fell short in the second round to the Indiana Pacers after injuries piled up for them. The Celtics would go on to sweep the Pacers and then defeat the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals in just five games.
The Knicks made significant improvements following last season
Boston will be bringing back their entire core next season as they look to replicate their dominance, but the Knicks made a splash of their own to challenge them by acquiring Mikal Bridges in a trade with the Brooklyn Nets. They also re-signed OG Anunoby before he hit free agency and extended Jalen Brunson for the long haul. In addition, they will be getting important pieces back from injury, most notably All-Star Julius Randle and defensive menace Mitchell Robinson.
The Knicks did, however, lose Isaiah Hartenstein to the Oklahoma City Thunder in free agency, a loss that can’t be overlooked as he provided them a lot of stability at the center position during Robinson’s absence. However, despite that, the Knicks are undoubtedly a much deeper and more talented team heading into next season than they were last season.
The 76ers have to be taken seriously as well
The Philadelphia 76ers, who the Knicks defeated in the first round of the playoffs, also weren’t quiet this summer, as they signed Paul George to a massive four-year contract and now have arguably the most imposing trio in the NBA with George, Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. Contrary to Anthony’s belief that Boston is the Knicks’ only threat, the 76ers have the star power to knock off anybody, with health remaining the one stipulation that could hold them back.
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If the Knicks want to snap both the two-decade-long drought of making the Conference Finals and the half-of-century-long title drought, it won’t come easy for them. The race to claim the top seed will be a dogfight, but the Knicks are well-positioned to be heavily in contention for making serious noise next season.