NBA Team Preview: New York Knicks

The New York Knicks surprised the entire basketball world last year, as they finished fourth in the Eastern Conference after being projected to finish near the bottom heading into the season.

A lot of their success had to do with the emergence of Julius Randle, who was finally able to embrace a bigger role as a top guy on a winning team.

Big Additions

The Knicks added Bronx native Kemba Walker to the squad, as Walker hopes being back home will help him return to the same version of him we saw when he was with the Charlotte Hornets. 

Walker struggled with injuries last season after a successful first season with the Boston Celtics, but he still managed to average close to 20 points per game. His shooting, driving, and playmaking skills should still finally give the Knicks the point guard they’ve been seeking over these last few seasons.

Evan Fournier is a huge addition as well, as he brings excellent 3-point shooting, particularly off the catch-and-shoot, as well as craftiness around the rim. 

Impactful Subtractions

After four seasons, the Knicks and Frank Ntilikina parted ways, as the Knicks drafted him with the eighth overall pick in 2017. 

Ntilikina brought excellent on-ball defense at times, but he could never provide enough scoring at the guard position to justify having him around for the long haul.

Key Players

Randle will be key for the Knicks this upcoming season. He’ll have to prove that he’s the real deal rather than a one-hit-wonder. If things pan out well, he’ll become a folk hero in New York in no time. If they don’t, then he’ll eventually be remembered as yet another star who failed to live up to expectations in the Big Apple.

Derrick Rose will also be a key for them, as the former MVP has embraced his role as a go-to scorer off the bench while providing excellent 3-point shooting.

RJ Barrett is also entering his third season in the league, as he showed significant improvement from year one into year two. If he can continue to improve his 3-point shooting and playmaking skills, then we can start to see him develop into one of the league’s young stars.

Mitchell Robinson will be relied upon to be the defensive anchor and a lob threat, but the question remains if he can stay healthy.

2021-2022 Win total, Divisional/Conference Odds, Odds to win Title

The Knicks are projected to win 41.5 games this season. In a condensed schedule last year, they won 41, and with the additions they made, they could very well surpass that. This could be a candidate to take over on NBA Betting Lines.

The Knicks have +2500 odds to win the Eastern Conference and +8000 to win the title. The Knicks aren’t exactly well equipped for a title run at this current moment, so these odds sound about right.

* All odds provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.
**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.