Stan Van Gundy gives Knicks ‘puncher’s chance’ at playoff run with 50 wins realistic
NY Post
Only twice in the past 24 seasons have the Knicks reached 50 wins. The 2012-13 Mike Woodson Knicks won 54 games before losing in the conference semifinals to the Pacers. Then you have to go back to the 1999-2000 Knicks when the Jeff Van Gundy Knicks won 50 games before losing in the conference finals to the Pacers.
The only other Knicks coaches who belong to the 50-win club: Red Holzman (five times) Pat Riley (four), Rick Pitino (one). Van Gundy also won 57 games in 1996-97.
It is an exclusive club and there is no reason why Tom Thibodeau should not be joining that club this season.
“I think that 50 games has always sorta been a marker in the league of a really good regular-season team, and I think unfortunately, people discount the challenge of the regular season and the consistency it takes to go out and play high-level basketball every single night in the NBA, and I think the Knicks are doing that,” NBA on TNT analyst Stan Van Gundy told The Post.
“I think if I’m a New York fan, I’m excited about this team, and look, I don’t think they’re as good as those other three teams [Boston, Milwaukee and Philadelphia], but I’m sincere in saying Miami was not nearly as good last year as the Knicks are now, and they ended up in the NBA Finals. In boxing you’ve got a puncher’s chance.
“I think New York has a better chance now than they’ve had in a long time to go a step further or two steps further in the playoffs. But I still think anything beyond winning in the first round they would need some breaks, or maybe they hit it right and continue to improve.”
JUPITER, Fla. — A.J. Minter isn’t prepared to declare himself ready for the Opening Day roster, but he took a significant step in that direction on Wednesday.
Patrick Mahomes’ contract continues to provide valuable salary cap relief.
We’ll soon learn how much Falcons owner Arthur Blank values $10 million in cold, hard cash.
TAMPA — Add one more quirk to a Yankees rotation that has become quirky: Without their No. 1 starter, their No. 2 starter likely will not shift ahead in the order.
The Jets were quiet on Day 2 of free agency after adding a new quarterback Monday.
WINNIPEG, Manitoba — Brett Berard has displayed both a fiery passion and an admirable patience in the last six months of his hockey career, which reached the NHL level for the first time at the end of November.
PORT ST. LUCIE — The baseball calendar says the Mets have about two weeks until Opening Day, but Francisco Lindor’s mind is on another timetable as these dog days of spring training pass.
The man with the best nickname on the team is one of the few Knicks who has made it this far relatively unscathed in the court of public opinion.
For a guy who seemingly is always headed out the door, Darius Slayton has a way of never leaving.
WINNIPEG, Manitoba — The Rangers stood by their defensive structure in the immediate aftermath of their Weekend of Missed Opportunities, in which they had two chances to capture the top wild-card spot in the East and failed to do so in such disappointing fashion.
PORT ST. LUCIE — Luis Torrens helped inject life into the Mets’ season last year but now faces even larger responsibilities with the team.
The Jets are having a Fields Day.
SACRAMENTO — P.J. Tucker understands his reputation as a hard-nosed player who is willing to vocalize displeasure.