On what started as a sad day, Knicks remind fans why they fell in love with this team

Early on Thursday morning, we were all hit out of nowhere with the devastating news that Julius Randle would need season-ending surgery on the dislocated shoulder that had sidelined him since January. Much of the fan base went on to spend much of if not the entirety, of the afternoon trying to come to terms with just how big of a hit this was to the team and just how bad they felt for once polarizing All-Star power forward, who had his share of detractors and critics but had become more and more beloved this season. And if we were all feeling this, we could only imagine just how tough it must’ve been for the guys who were in the trenches with him night in and night out.

Because of that, none of us would’ve blamed the Knicks if they couldn’t muster up the wherewithal, strength, and energy to come away with a victory against a good Sacramento Kings team. And early on, it looked like the Kings, who like the Knicks, are in the midst of their own playoff-seeding battle, smelt blood. Hitting on seven of their first 10 three-pointers in the first quarter, Sacramento got out to a quick 35-20 lead. But for the next three quarters, it was a completely different game.

New York outscored the Kings 100-72 in the final 36 minutes and it was spectacular. But what made it all the more special, was how they did it. It would’ve been incredibly easy for a team, especially one that had just received the kind of gut-wrenching news that they did earlier in the day, to fold and waive the white flag after seeing their opponent bombard them with that many threes in the first quarter.

What this team did though, was the exact opposite. They took a deep breath, buckled down, and got to work. Slowly chipping away at the large margin, one point at a time, one possession at a time. And they did so with the type of grit, toughness, and togetherness that makes this exact team so unique.

It obviously starts with Jalen Brunson, who not only scored 35 points on 12-20 shooting but also dished out 11 assists while turning the ball over just three times. He was masterful in choosing when to take over and when to take on the double team and dump it down to his teammates.

Then there’s Josh Hart, who scored 31 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists on a sprained wrist just days after so many people called him out for having an awful game. And it was so fitting that it was Hart who had the game he had because he, maybe more than any other singular player on this team, so accurately and precisely personifies the makeup and characteristics of this particular team.

We also can’t talk about last night’s game without Isaiah Hartenstein, who chipped in with seven points, seven rebounds, and nine assists, while playing some spectacular defense on Domantas Sabonis. And he, much like Hart early on this season, heard plenty of jeers and criticisms last season, yet he, also like Hart and really everyone else on this roster, just put his head down, went to work, continued to improve, and keeps showing up when he is needed most.

But that’s not all. Donte DiVincenzo, who had 21 big points of his own, was crucial in continuing to space the floor. Deuce McBride, who couldn’t hit the side of a barn in the first half, hit a few incredibly crucial three-pointers in the second half. Bojan Bogdanovic, despite being a -13 in 12 minutes, hit some very important shots as well.

Now, it’s not like this exact team is guaranteed to make a finals run this season and we all know that the Kings aren’t the Nuggets or Celtics. And yes the Knicks are still just 1-3 in their last four games. And sure, the Kings definitely beat themselves up a bit and made it easier on the Knicks last night. But this team is special. And it’s not just a “this team has good players” kind of special.

The 23-24 Knicks are full of guys, and a head coach who is imperfect but works relentlessly, and they, through discipline, trust, and belief, have developed before our own very eyes into a team that shows up in the biggest moments and plays its best basketball when their backs are up against the wall. They aren’t always the more talented or athletic team, but similar to a cat with nine lives or Steve Rogers (a.k.a. Captain America) when utters his catchphrase, “I can do this all day”, this team just keeps getting up and fighting regardless of who is injured, who they are playing against and what kind of news they received earlier in the day. And on a day that started out with maybe the most disappointing news we’ve heard all season, this team, once again, reminded us why we have fallen in love with them and why they still deserve all of our attention and confidence moving forward.

All this to say, we are very lucky. Because I still very vividly remember being asked who my favorite team was frequently as a kid, and almost every single time, my answer was, “Unfortunately, the Knicks”. I knew that if I could beat them to the punch, the jokes about how bad the Knicks were and how poorly they were run would hurt a little less. But those days are over. The New York Knicks are back to being a team we can all be proud of rooting for.