Solid Start

1 down, 15 to go, thanks in no small part to a big night from the big man.

Good morning!

1-0. Happy Sunday y’all.

Knicks 113, Hawks 102

Normally, when you’re a team in New York’s position, there’s very little upside to Game 1 of the playoffs.

Contending teams are not only supposed to open the postseason with a win, but an easy win at that. A close victory or, heaven forbid, a loss, and you’re up shit’s creek without a paddle.

Perhaps the Knicks’ opening win against the Hawks should be viewed in this modest light. They mostly took care of business early, maintained a lead throughout, and save for some late PTSD, pulled away as you would expect the better team to do. Nothing to see here; wake me when it’s 2-0 headed to Atlanta.

It’s a justifiable viewpoint, especially for anyone high on this team’s chances. Whether or not you believe in the Hawks’ rise up the standings, no one would argue they can match the Knicks in talent or experience, let alone expectations. The house doesn’t take a bow for getting blackjack.

But there’s also a reason New York garnered more skepticism than any other Eastern Conference favorite, and it isn’t just Atlanta’s improvement or the Knicks for Clicks Industrial Complex. The Knicks’ journey to the postseason has been a checkered one, and it is only in the last few weeks that they’ve shown a consistent ability to tap into what should have been their biggest strength all along.

So if you - like me - were curious how they’d look once the clock hit 6pm last night, I don’t blame you one bit.

I’m guessing you like what you saw.

In a season full of checking boxes, New York filled some very important ones against an opponent who came ready to play. Here are my top three: