The New York Knicks will have the opportunity to write history at the Eastern Conference Finals.
Returning to the Eastern Conference Finals has been 25 years for the New York Knicks and pulled it out in the most dramatic way possible.
The Knicks defeated the Detroit Pistons in the six-game slugfest in the postseason opening round. And in the East Semi-Final Round, they surprised the world, eliminated the real world champion of the Boston Celtics, winning by six.
Tom Thibodeau knew their main goal was to win the NBA Championship, but their progress towards this stage is monumental and already worth celebrating.
With the aim of the franchise’s first championship since 1973, the New York Knicks are set to embrace a big battle with familiar enemies, and the NBA world is excited about its new rivalry.
To get tickets to reach the NBA Finals, the Knicks clash with the Indiana Pacers for a highly anticipated, last-7 best game in the East Finals.
The Knicks have an unfinished business against the Pacers. Last year, Indiana eliminated them in the second round with a fierce seven-game play.
And according to Knicks legend Patrick Ewing, the Knicks’ massive redemption and chance to draw an entry for the title stage leaps towards how OG Anunoby appears.
“For us to win,[Anunoby]has to play well. In order for us to win, he has to be the dominant person who will stop their best players,” Ewing said on the rematch podcast.
“Their best wing or guard player, he is the person who will become a major defender.
“We need to get him locked up and boost what he’s been giving us to an offensive end, knock down the three of us, get on the post, drive in the lane and do a lot of what he needs to do to be able to win.”
Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns are already estimated to produce so much as the main Knicks superstars, and it sums everything up on how Anunoby and the other teams step up.
Ewing is also a huge Josh Hart fan, comparing his Grit and Hustle plays to the legendary 1990s Dennis Rodman.
Anunoby has had a variety of successes against the Celtics, averaging 14.2 points on 36.7% shooting in 38 minutes. In three of the six total games in the series, he dropped only one digit to the point.
However, despite the offensive display, Anunoby still responded on the defense, mainly as he was spinning on both Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
Faced with the Pacers, there is high hope that he will do his best when he raises the game and includes his former Toronto Raptors teammate Pascalciacam.
Has Anunoby reached the challenge of being New York’s X-factor in dealing with Indiana? If Game 1 of the East Final is set for May 21st, the answer will be initially answered.