Last season: 47-35, reached Eastern Conference semifinals.
Coach: Tom Thibodeau (4th season with Knicks, 125-111; 12th season overall, 477-357).
What to expect: Another playoff appearance, which would make two in a row for a team that hasn’t made consecutive appearances since three straight trips from 2011-13. The Knicks are confident enough in their roster that they did little more than sign Donte DiVincenzo in the offseason, remaining largely the same as last season’s team that finished fifth in the East before beating Cleveland for New York’s first postseason series victory in a decade. Like any team coached by Thibodeau, the Knicks will try to outwork their opponents and play tough defense, believing that if they do that, another season together for Jalen Brunson, Julius Randle and RJ Barrett will give them more than enough scoring. The Knicks were already fourth in the league last season in offensive rating, measuring points per 100 possessions.
Departures: F Obi Toppin, G Derrick Rose.
Additions: G DiVincenzo
Player to watch: Barrett. Randle, an All-Star last season for the second time in three years, might be the Knicks’ best player. Or it could be Brunson, who was everything they could have hoped after coming from Dallas, even though his first season in New York was his first as a full-time NBA starter. But it’s Barrett’s play that often determines how good the Knicks can be. When the forward isn’t knocking down his 3-pointers or confidently attacking the rim with his left-handed drives, the offense stalls and too often the ball ends up stuck in Randle’s hands until late in the shot clock. The No. 3 pick in the 2019 looks poised for a strong season after helping Canada win the bronze medal in the FIBA Basketball World Cup.
Season opener: Oct. 25 vs. Boston
FanDuel Sportsbook NBA title odds: 46-1
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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA
The Associated Press
