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Top 5 WWE Wrestlers & Their NBA Comparisons
Published
3 years agoon
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JoshuaTop 5 WWE Wrestlers & Their NBA Comparisons
Top 5 WWE Wrestlers & Their NBA Comparisons
With WrestleMania today and tomorrow, April 2nd and April 3rd, CourtSideHeat is doing something very unique. We have been huge wrestling fans and love WrestleMania, so, our idea, we would have a comparison list of who in the WWE would match with in the NBA and why.
This is a list just to have fun with as we want to see which NBA player compares to the WWE; because we, as people, have been making so many comparisons for different sports that now it is time to do it on the grandest stage of them all.
So without further of due, let’s get start!
Number 5: Seth Rollins & Kevin Durant
These two superstars have had a tremendous career that allowed them the opportunity to fight some legends of their respective sport. Rollins got to have matches and appearances with Sting, Triple H, John Cena, CM Punk, Rey Mysterio, and many more wrestlers like those guys listed.
The same can be said about Durant; Durant got to play against Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Chris Paul, Shaq, Tracy McGrady, Ray Allen, and many more players like those guys listed.
Both players are highly regarded in their respective workplace, popular by the fans, and could put on great performances. Speaking about great performances; NBA Finals and WrestleMania, Rollins and Durant have won many championships in their respective career.
Those moments are exciting accolades, but it isn’t the defining markers of what made them famous. What do I mean by that? What I mean is that they had a moment of betrayal to get them famous. Seth Rollins dismantled The Shield by betraying his on-screen brothers, Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose (Jon Moxley – AEW).
It was one of the many highlights in 2014. Then we come to Kevin Durant, while amazing, he isn’t innocent of no betrayal. When Durant left the OKC Thunder for the Golden State Warriors, it literally took everyone’s emotions and flared them up. Disappointment and anger ensued because of how good OKC was back then to have Durant leave is a real blow to them.
With Rollins with The Authority, at that time period of betrayal, he won a championship to highlight the epic move. To highlight the epic move of what Durant did, he secured a title with Golden State. Making both of them the transcending heels of their professional companies.
Number 4: CM Punk & Allen Iverson
Even though Punk isn’t with WWE anymore, when he was with WWE it was a sight to behold. CM Punk was a master on the mic, willing to speak his mind on anything he did, and had a rivalry with the same people that were putting him on payroll.
The same could be said about Allen Iverson, how so? Well, he was the ultimate heel, willing to speak his mind on anything he did, and had beef with the man that (rumors) held his career down.
NBA Commissioner, at the time, David Stern was against Iverson. Plus, the media didn’t help A.I.’s persona and who he was in any way. It never felt like Iverson was given a fair shot in the NBA as there were always some factor against him; plus, the NBA were just not promoting him the way they promote other top names of their company. In the end, Allen Iverson never made it to an Olympic Team or an All-Star Team. Also, as I mentioned before, the media killed him. Their view of him made teams want to steer clear of that kind of guy.
The same could be said for CM Punk, tremendous wrestler that now performs for AEW. When he was in WWE, he was very loud about not getting a main event spot in any WrestleMania. He also took note of the lack of push he was getting from the creative team, because after his incredible feud against John Cena; there really weren’t anything to exciting about his character. After that is when the downfall began and Chairman Vince McMahon sought to release him.
In the end, while both athletes put in good careers. They have had their shares of downfalls, fall-outs, and even successes to cap off their career with. Even though the “system” didn’t work in their favor, both still had good runs.
Number 3: Triple H & Scottie Pippen
There are many similarities between the two; we all know the careers that these two athletes have had, and all the bad blood they have experienced in their rivalries and former friends. Scottie Pippen turned on Michael Jordan when he couldn’t be the star of the show. He felt, even though he isn’t even as a close to good as Kobe Bryant, he could be better than Michael Jordan. Get the spotlight, the attention, and be like Michael.
While Triple H is very good and accomplished a lot, he has gone through so many factions it is crazy. The Authority, Evolution, and D-Generation X have helped boost the role of Triple H. He has won many championships due to being in that stable, or with that partner.
The same can be said about Pippen, Pippen was the sidekick of the Bulls. The duo worked well, but Pippen was the Robin to Jordan’s Batman. This has caused tension, rivalries, and hatred to ensue. Pippen wanted revenge and show he was superior, same with Triple H. The first rivalry between Shawn Michaels and Triple H proves that; who remembers when Hunter put Michaels’ head through a car window, nobody knew, they take a look at some footage, and BOOM they find out Hunter betrayed his friend. Really cool storyline and rivalry that had incredible matches.
Both athletes could be seen trying to one-up their teammate/partner, trying to prove to everyone they are superior, trying to get over with the fans more. Michaels was able to win championships on his own, while Triple H couldn’t. Same with Scottie, Scottie was done for after he left Jordan and Chicago. Six championships later and tensions rose beyond the point of breaking.
So, yes, while they had memorable careers. They will always be in the shadow of their partner, like Michaels or Jordan, as Pippen and Hunter had to rely upon other factors (or factions) to get them to the top.
Number 2: Randy Orton & Chris Paul
Two very accomplished athletes who got over with the fans, prove to have that killer instinct, make the team/company they are working for better, and many different things like that. “The Viper” Randy Orton is crafty, logical, and does things perfectly timed that not too many wrestlers can pull off. He has climbed to the top to defeat big names and he has seen it all.
Same with Chris Paul, Paul has risen to the top of beating out the best of the best in hopes of achieving a championship. Paul is a killer in the mid-range, has every move he does perfectly timed-out and executed, and he strikes when the time is right. Both men have an instinct about them that is undeniably epic, their instinctive killer-like mentality.
When talking about facing the best of the best, they have. Orton faced the likes of The Undertaker, John Cena, Triple H, AJ Styles, Kane, Daniel Bryan, and other wrestlers such as those listed. Paul has faced many great ones too. He faced Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Stephen Curry, Giannis, Kevin Durant, and many other notable players.
Even when working in factions, they have made them exponentially better. Randy Orton in Evolution, put them on the map by being an edgy, cocky wrestler that was young and paving his own path of greatness. Chris Paul with the Phoenix Suns, leading them in the hopes of a title and pure greatness.
Their mentality is the number one similarity they have between each other; that have gotten them many accolades that boosted their confidence, resume, and their popularity with the fans. They have a killer instinct that is so power it can win them games, matches, whatever it may be. The fans love it so you know it’s gotta be good.
Number 1: Roman Reigns & LeBron James
When you think of these two athletes it is very conflicting. Get a room full of a hundred people and half will say they like this guy and the other half will say that they don’t like this guy. That is the persona of Reigns and LeBron; two guys that the room is split on, despite being so good.
LeBron has been carrying the NBA since Jordan left and Kobe was in his final years; and Reigns have been carrying the WWE since Brock Lesnar and other notable names stepped down for Roman Reigns to come through and be the “Tribal Chief.” Their moves are unmatched and epic to witness as it destroys their opponents without fail.
They can either be baby faces or heels and it still wouldn’t matter, they just wouldn’t be liked by half of the people hearing and watching them. But one thing that is undeniable, that is understood throughout the entire room. The physical attributes of these two superhuman’s.
Their athletic abilities have put them over and have seen what many wrestlers want to be but can’t. Nobody the size of these two guys should move and act the way they do, it is simply incomprehensible to witness that take place. These athletes are presented as bigger than life themselves as the stuff they do in and outside of the sport they represent is incredible.
Plus, let’s not forget the defining struggles these athletes went through just to make it to their very best – to the top of WWE or the NBA. That has earned them championships, awards, and accolades of all kind.
They have had a long, prosperous career and it is still going. That is the amazing part. Pushed from the very beginning has led to successes, failures, criticisms, and praises.
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How Karl-Anthony Towns Negatively And Positively Impacts The Knicks
Published
2 weeks agoon
October 5, 2024By
JoshuaIt is no secret that the New York Knicks won the trade involving Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo being sent to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Karl-Anthony Towns. They’ve set themselves up for a competitive run to the Finals.
However, despite having the tremendous upsides of Towns, there are some noticeable concerns that need to be addressed before writing their names into the championship history books.
This article will walk through all the negatives and positives surrounding the 28-year-old, then, come the end, I will draw a conclusion on whether or not they are a Finals-bound team.
Positive: A position of need has been fulfilled
New York lost Isaiah Hartenstein in free agency to the Oklahoma City Thunder and Mitchell Robinson will be out until December with his looming ankle injury; this left a large hole in their center position.
Their solution? Trading for Karl-Anthony Towns, which was a brilliant move. Minnesota, after acquiring Rudy Gobert, tried playing Towns at the power forward position. To say the least, it was an awful move. Why? Because Towns is a natural, and more comfortable, center.
New York is putting him back into his natural element, which is a phenomenal win-win for each sides.
Before Towns, their center room consisted of Mitchell Robinson, Jericho Sims, and Ariel Hukporti. For those that don’t know, Hukporti was selected in this year’s draft with the 58th pick.
Robinson is hurt, so that would mean they would either have Sims start or pull Precious Achiuwa from the four to play the five. I don’t have to explain in great depth why that would have been a chaotic nightmare for management and head coach Tom Thibodeau.
In the end, the positional upgrade and stress taken off by acquiring Towns is something worth more than gold. A heavy weight has been lifted off the shoulders of many.
Positive: Towns is way better player than Julius Randle for New York
This statement I made has multiple layers that needed to be unpacked. Firstly, Towns is the better shooter. There’s a reason why many said there was a Randle problem in New York, it wasn’t because he was this significant player dominating the space.
Towns is a far more consistent shooter than Randle has been in his career; one is a 52% shooter, while the other is a 47% shooter. From deep saw Towns 6% better than Randle. Towns is literally a stretch big that wasn’t limited to one role.
Secondly, Randle was never successful or effective in the pick-and-roll game. Something that is almost an underrated skill of Towns is his ability to work the pick-and-roll so well. For majority of his time in Minnesota, the Timberwolves never had a successful guard to compliment Towns in that capacity.
Now, that is not a knock against Anthony Edwards. Please do not misconstrue what I am saying; of course, Edwards has the ability to do it. However, poor spacing, involving Rudy Gobert, killed any possibilities of that happening.
New York has incredible spacing and an incredible guard that is Jalen Brunson to get the job done. This will be scary hours in New York for opposing defenses to try to scheme against.
Thirdly, and this a massive one, especially for the front office, contracts. Heading into this season was Randle’s final guaranteed year, there were so many questions focused on if he would re-sign if it meant taking less money. The kind of sacrifices Brunson and Mikal Bridges are making.
Speculation arose on whether or not Leon Rose and the Knicks would want to go all-in on a number two player that they already had issues with and not fully invested.
With Towns, he’s entering his huge four-year deal worth $220 million. Forget about the money right now, what is really important are the years in the agreement. New York doesn’t have to worry about a big piece leaving anytime soon.
Negative: Roster depth & financial flexibility has been compromised
While this isn’t directly the fault of Towns, New York has taken away some of their depth to acquire him. This raises a red flag for when injuries happen and overall roster rotation.
They essentially traded two pieces for one piece; getting rid of DiVincenzo certainly didn’t help, however, it’s understandable on why they pulled the trigger when given the context of the deal not happening without him apart of it.
Even with the context, one of their biggest issues last season was depth. That was one of the key factors in them not making a deep playoff run, it was evident since the very beginning.
Here is their entire depth chart:
- Miles McBride
- Cam Payne
- Tyler Kolek (second-round rookie)
- Landry Shamet
- Pacome Dadiet (first-round rookie)
- Precious Achiuwa
- Kevin McCullar Jr. (second-round rookie)
- Jericho Sims
- Ariel Hukporti (second-round rookie)
Their front-court is very scarce, with a lot of it being filled by rookies. The back-court is also very interesting to look at because the second and third units may not be able to carry as much as their talent will allow them to.
This puts more pressure on the starters and McBride, who will now see an increased role. Was he expecting it? We will see as the season unfolds.
All of this is to say that the New York Knicks and their fan base must proceed with cautious optimism, as there is a lot of hopeful wishing going on right now with their backup units.
Now, what about their financial flexibility?
By New York getting Towns, with his massive $220 million contract over the next four years, they have put themselves in an unforgiving hole of (almost) zero financial flexibility or independence.
This season, he is making $49 million. This will be the cheapest season, as each season will see a four million increase in his pay. His final season will cost New York $61 million. For a fuller understanding of this, Towns will be 32 years old. Something to consider.
Fun fact, half of their cap space is being spent on Towns and OG Anunoby. The more terrifying part is realizing their history with injuries.
Then pile on the soon-to-be Mikal Bridges contract extension, which will push them into the second apron, New York is forcing themselves into keeping this roster for the long haul. Or at least the starting lineup and other key contributors.
They could face the same level of inflexibility as Mat Ishbia’s Phoenix Suns; there are concerns there.
Negative: Adding Towns doesn’t add another shot creator
Karl-Anthony Towns is a wonderful offensive player, there is no doubt in my mind or the mind of the New York Knicks. However, it’s not like they traded for a player who can generate their own shot out of thin air.
One of the only positives Randle had in his arsenal was his ability to create his own shots and not rely on others, or specifically the point guard, to create them for him. Towns not so much, which could prove to be challenging.
Now, could Towns’ spacing abilities counteract this issue? Yes and no, while it will for sure help, Brunson is still going to have to put in more work regardless of the spacing.
A lot of the Knicks’ players are reliant, and almost fully dependent, on the playmaking and shot creation abilities of Brunson. That isn’t always sustainable, but there are feasible ways out of those tough scenarios.
The reason why this is a negative, besides the obvious, is seeing how this will affect Brunson. Before with Randle, he had those breaks; now, he won’t be having them as much with Towns.
Is this a good trade off for better pick and rolls with better spacing? It can be, but it all depends on coaching and personnel.
What fans have to worry about is how it will affect them in the postseason, not the here and now – speaking of the regular season.
Conclusion:
Is this team Finals-bound? They can be, but so many things have to go their way and they have some tough teams to face once in the postseason. For example: the Boston Celtics, Philadelphia 76ers, and even the Indiana Pacers.
Rosters have changed, teams have adapted, and that includes their benches. The long-term, and short-term, success of this team depends on a lot of factors. A lot of the factors that were covered in this article; plus, factors, like defense and chemistry, that will need to be addressed as the season progresses.
New York is taking a serious gamble, which heavily impacts their future one way or another, and all eyes will be on the Knicks.
Do cracks begin to show? Yes, but, in this deal, they got the best player.
How you must look at it, is this: they were never sustainable with Randle, when healthy and when not, they’ve gained a player that compliments New York better.
Towns has significant defensive issues, he is a worse liability than what many think, but the right scheme and defense will minimize the issues.
This trade shows them going all-in, while remaining conservative, as this proves to the world they are serious about a championship by raising the risks even higher with the reward paying off greatly.
If injuries are kept at a low, and the team gels to the Knicks’ liking, then I could see this team compete in the Eastern Conference Championship. However, the margin for error is very slim now, especially given the reasons above.
In the end, this was the right move by the Knicks. It filled holes in their roster, upgraded a player, and gives them a better chance for the postseason. A lot of the issues were there when Randle was there; funny enough, some of the issues that he caused have been fixed.
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Why Tyus Jones Is The Point Guard The Suns Always Needed
Published
3 months agoon
July 31, 2024By
JoshuaThis past Saturday, fans of the NBA and the Phoenix Suns saw the shocking news that Tyus Jones would be signing with Mat Ishiba’s organization. This was a move that many felt was very improbable due to money, but Phoenix somehow convinced him to take a one-year, $3.3 million deal.
Jones has been a very underrated, underappreciated point guard in the past couple of seasons. There is no bias to that statement, it is simply a fact. He’s only 28 years old, is a 12/7 player, and has propelled his career from being a backup to a full-fledged starter.
While what I have listed is all well in good, not taking away anything, but how does he help the Phoenix Suns? How does Jones bring this team together and much better than what they were last season? Is he their PG savior?
All those questions and more will be answered below.
The skills Tyus Jones possesses:
Ball Protection
He became a full-time starter with the Washington Wizards last season, and it was one of the most impressive point guard seasons I’ve seen in a while. Particularly in this area, why? Jones recorded 485 assists against 66 turnovers; that’s a 7.35 ratio, which is best mark in NBA history.
To provide more context of how stunning that is, only talking last season, Jones was first and Chris Paul was fourth. Paul’s assist to turnover ratio was 5.1, the Point God himself wasn’t close to Jones. It’s extraordinary to dish out seven passes before committing a singular turnover.
Was it a fluke? Absolutely not, here are some more numbers: in 2018-19, he set an NBA record with a 6.96 AST/TO ratio. Later, in 2021-22, Jones topped it with a 7.04 AST/TO ratio. As his minutes and exposure to the court grew, so did his numbers and consistency to the game.
Also, he’s led the league in AST/TO ratio for five straight season. He’s no joke, an absolute stud playmaking-wise.
Pushing The Pace
The Suns have found a happy median between the erratic play of Cam Payne and the slow play of Chris Paul. Jones won’t take 10 seconds to get up court and get a play ready, and he won’t rush it by sprinting with the ball up the court in 1.2 seconds to make a bad decision.
Pushing the pace will keep Phoenix flowing in a positive direction on fast-breaks and bringing the ball up the court on usual inbounds. What he did in Memphis with the Grizzlies was absolutely fantastic, and was a sizable chunk of his game.
In the final season with Memphis, they were fifth in pace (possessions per 48 minutes), which featured him being second in fast-break points. About 20% of his offense accounted from scoring on fast-breaks and transitions.
Jones has played in different styles of tempos and can adjust very well to head coach Mike Budenholzer’s tempo. His excellence on pushing pace has been seen through his overall basketball IQ and how he handles the ball as a primary facilitator and floor general.
Shot Creation & Ball Handling
As a full-time starter, fans have seen his shooting performances on the rise. In 2022-23, Jones averaged 10.3 points on 43.8% from the field. In 2023-24, Jones averaged 12.0 points on 48.9% from the field.
His ball handling skills has allowed him to create shots, create space, and get pretty good looks. That is why he’s able to have such a high percentage from the field; it should also be noted that the more he dribbles the more efficient he is scoring-wise.
After taking two dribbles then the shot, Jones converts it at a 51.6% success rate. Let’s say it’s three or more dribbles, he’s still knocking them down at a 49.1% success rate. The model of today’s NBA is to catch-and-shoot or take one dribble only, but Tyus Jones is completely different.
This is what has made him so effective and dangerous around the perimeter and beyond the arc. It is visually and statistically proven. These two features of his game has sent him from being a backup trying to prove himself to a full-blown starter that can lead a team in a positive, unselfish way.
How does Tyus Jones help the Phoenix Suns?
If anyone has lived under a rock for the past season when it comes to Phoenix basketball, let me painfully fill you in on the horrors this team had to go through. Mind you, I’m a diehard Suns fan, so this kills me.
Anyways, the Suns were the most hideous team with no continuity or consistency as an offensive group due to having no point guard that led to high turnovers and defensive breakdowns. We collapsed in the third quarter, offensively and defensively, but if we survived that quarter, it would definitely die in the fourth quarter.
Turnovers were a massive problem, as stated above, with the Suns averaging 14.1 turnovers per game. No franchise can be a sustainable, winning, championship-contending team if they are committing that many turnovers.
Plus, having no true point guard couldn’t facilitate or help function the rest of the pieces on the court. It looked to appear that this team had no chemistry, intensity, or understanding of the game of basketball.
Devin Booker was not the answer; Bradley Beal was not the answer; nor was Kevin Durant, Isaiah Thomas (wasn’t even given a shot), Grayson Allen, nobody was the answer.
So, how does Tyus Jones become Phoenix’s savior?
He’s a true point guard who doesn’t need to always score and will, in fact, look to get the primary scorers open and able to get “easier” shots. There will be less frustration from players, more chemistry, pressure will be taken off of the “Big 3” to move around the ball, less iso-ball, and other things along those lines.
Fans, reading this article and knowing Jones already, know who Jones is and will always continue to be. His playing style is incredible and it will fit within Phoenix’s scheme of the coaches and the players.
With him running the offense, there won’t be 14 turnovers per game anymore. There won’t be constant traps and pressures put on Phoenix’s players when bringing up the ball. What makes this even more beautiful as a fan of the Phoenix Suns is knowing that everyone will be involved, there will be no more (to limited) iso-ball, and stars can return to their natural roles.
Conclusion
This isn’t rocket science, right? Phoenix always needed a point guard, a true play-making guard. James Jones has finally found him and has finally be able to sign him. Everything I’ve listed in this article from his main skills to the problems of the Phoenix Suns all go together because the problems can be solved with his talents.
Phoenix struggled in the third quarter because they didn’t have a point guard, same goes for their fourth quarter struggles. When a team can’t pass the ball, and has to play hero-ball to generate scoring opportunities, they are bound to collapse and stall out like an old car.
The health of this offense, and this team in general, needed a point guard. We found that out with Chris Paul, now we’ve found a younger and almost better version of him for the modern-day Suns.
There was no secret code to figuring out how to “fix” the Suns; they just needed a point guard, a reliable and beyond ready-to-play point guard.
I’ve always wanted him here in Phoenix, and, now, management has secured him.
Featured
Why The Knicks Adding Mikal Bridges Makes Them Title Contenders
Published
3 months agoon
July 9, 2024By
JoshuaMikal Bridges was traded to the New York Knicks for the price of five first-rounders and Bojan Bogdanovic, which isn’t much in the eyes of New York.
They don’t need the picks, and while Bogdanovic was great to have, he was very much replaceable when a player like Bridges could land. I say all this to say that General Manager Gersson Rosas hit the jackpot, which sets them up for many years of potential championship runs.
In today’s article, I will be breaking down why Bridges is an excellent fit for New York, why the Knicks are now a legitimized threat in the East, and how their starting five can take on the reigning champs – the Boston Celtics.
What does the 27-year-old add to this franchise?
First of all, here is the official trade for anyone that is curious:
Knicks traded Bojan Bogdanovic, Shake Milton, Mamadi Diakite, five first-rounders, a first-round pick swap, and a future second-round pick to the Brooklyn Nets for Bridges, Keita Bates-Diop, and a future second-round pick in exchange.
I wanted to clarify this trade. Critics call this move the best move this offseason because it truly is a steal. We can talk about his lack of a resume from his time with the Phoenix Suns to now, but that isn’t his fault.
Who is Mikal Bridges? He is an underrated two-way player who elevates a team’s defense with the ability to score an efficient 20 points per game; plus, his skill as a shot creator and space creator is another reason why so many teams wanted Bridges on their team. Pay attention to teams like the Houston Rockets.
But how does this positively impact the Knicks?
Jalen Brunson is the primary scorer, has been, and always will be, so don’t think Bridges will come in here and disrupt that in any shape, form, or fashion. It will be the complete opposite. Bridges is a full-on team player. He will complement and benefit Brunson as a secondary creator who will take pressure off Brunson.
Beyond his offensive aspect, let’s talk about his defense. When Bridges was with Phoenix, nobody knew he had the capability to score in high volumes. Statistically, he averaged roughly 12 points during his time with the Suns. What people did talk about was his defensive presence, intensity, and how much of a nightmare he was covering pretty much anyone (within reason).
Also, let’s be fair to Bridges: his offensive game came in the final season with Phoenix due to injuries and other factors, as that’s when his potential scoring was revealed to the world. It then exploded when he arrived in Brooklyn. So, this tells his story, and his style is even better.
However, back to defense. Bridges is a pivotal piece due to him being a scrappy player who will always fight for loose balls, rebounds, try to get steals/blocks, and stuff that doesn’t get recorded.
Plus, his style of basketball is very intriguing, especially since he can play multiple positions. Bridges is essentially the “glue” on any team he is on. This is why front offices and head coaches value him and hold him in such high regard; his overall play in this game is beyond exceptional.
Everything I have listed offensively and defensively positively impacts New York because this is everything they wanted in a player and value. Now, there is one more factor that sealed the deal in this whole transaction.
The Nova Knicks have the greatest chemistry ever
Since their time at Villanova, Brunson, Bridges, Josh Hart, and Donte DiVincenzo have been teammates or friends. Now, they’ve all rejoined each other to create the “Nova Knicks,” which has become popular since the trade before day one of the 2024 NBA draft.
Teams worry about putting players together and seeing how they build chemistry, react, roles, and egos, and how that all translates to winning basketball games. It’s hit-or-miss; sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn’t. The Knicks, however, don’t have to worry about that.
First, most of this team doesn’t have impeding egos that ruin franchises. I don’t think of anyone who does. Second, when you have high-level athletes and players connected for years, that is going to make the integration process very easy and winning games even easier.
With the preexisting chemistry between those four players and the ones already being constructed through the entire roster, this team will be locked in for game one of the next season.
This team being dangerous is no longer a what-if but a reality
The chatter of New York is a team that can’t get out of the second round, striking no fear into the hearts of their opponents, and being the same old failing Knicks is no longer here. It shouldn’t be, as this team has changed and has improved drastically through a couple of moves in the draft and overall offseason.
Sticking with Bridges, though, their starting five is beyond dangerous. They’ll be starting Brunson (PG), Bridges (SG), OG Anunoby (SF), Julius Randle (PF), and Mitchell Robinson (C). Many teams can’t compete with, as that is one heck of a starting lineup.
Who in the East can beat them outside of Boston? New York was the second seed last season; they won 50 games. Now, they’ve made improvements by adding Bridges, and they didn’t have to unload their roster like Phoenix did for a big-name player.
If these teams couldn’t drag them down last year, what makes anyone think it will be different this season? Yes, teams did make moves. However, they did lose pieces. While New York did lose Isaiah Hartenstein, they still have Mitchell Robinson. Robinson is a solid center who, when healthy, is a double-double machine that is an incredible rim protector.
My point is this: New York didn’t clear the house to land a solid piece. Not only did they stay as a 50-win team, but by getting Bridges, Leon Rose has increased their games of winning by at least five. New York could see themselves as a 55-60 win team next season, not even exaggerating.
The addition of Bridges only made them scarier; there was no need to take a step back. This was a strategic move to keep them contending without sacrificing a known name. Given who Mikal is and who the Knicks were last season, this should frighten teams and fanbases heading into next season.
Can the Knicks beat the Celtics?
I love talking about the Knicks and their chances of winning a championship, but their number one enemy in the East is the Boston Celtics. While I would want to ride the hype train longer, we need to be ultra-realistic.
Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown’s Celtics are the reigning champs; Boston has one of the most impressive groups the NBA has seen in a while. Like other teams, they aren’t going anywhere, as the Knicks are building up their team to dethrone the champs.
Personally, I am not going to take the Knicks over the Celtics. There are several reasons, but nobody can stop Boston. Not the Mavericks, Nuggets, 76ers, Suns, Bucks, Timberwolves, absolutely nobody can. Boston could make a dynasty out of this, or at least a two-three championship run.
So, for right now, I’m taking Boston over New York. Let’s wait to get ahead of ourselves until we see them go head-to-head next season. It’s not diminishing the Knicks, but nobody can beat the Celtics.
Conclusion: The Knicks are title contenders
While I said they can’t beat the Celtics, I never said they couldn’t win a ring or compete for one. Even though nobody can beat the Celtics, few teams can match up against New York.
The Knicks made the East grueling during the regular season, which won’t change. If they can stay healthy, which looks very good, they can be number two in their conference again. Opposing teams will have to get through New York, which’ll be a struggle.
Even teams in the West have to watch out for New York. New York is a growing threat, doing everything perfectly in the offseason and trying to replicate their success from last season. Fans will be witnessing prime New York years; it will start next season, as this team has all the makings to win a championship.
Randle and Anunoby are going to be healthy, and Brunson will continue to be healthy. Bridges is Iron Man; nothing stops that man. Robinson will be a productive center, boosting the Knicks in many ways. Hart will continue his high-minute, high-production nights. The entire team will be functioning in a high capacity.
There is no better time to be a Knicks fan than right now; I’m excited, as this year will be a fun ride.