5 Things that went wrong for the New York Knicks in the 2020-21 NBA season
There have been a lot of positives from the New York Knicks' season and a lot to look forward to for the franchise's fanbase. Tom Thibodeau led a team who hadn't made the NBA playoffs since 2013 and turned them into a winning organization for the first time since then.
Julius Randle turned into an all-round powerhouse on the court and made his All-Star debut in March. Rookies Obi Toppin and Immanuel Quikeley impressed tremendously while veteran guard Derrick Rose was unstoppable at times, particularly in the postseason.
It's in the postseason where we begin with this article and the underlying issues the New York Knicks had during the regular campaign that became clearer in the playoffs.
Five negatives to take away from the New York Knicks' season
With attention now switching back to the illustrious franchise, players will be keen to come to the Big Apple and Madison Square Garden could become a fortress once again. The Knicks' front office will be keen to make several offseason acquisitions to help bolster the roster and make a return to the playoffs.
Although they finished with a winning record, there are always areas to improve and players that can be brought in. Let's dive into what went wrong for the New York Knicks in an otherwise very positive season.
#1 Julius Randle's postseason slump
There's no doubting that Julius Randle was one of the breakout stars of the 2020-21 NBA campaign. He averaged 24 points and 10 rebounds with a shooting split of 45-41-81 and won the award for most improved player.
However, in the first postseason of his career and with the onus on his shoulders to carry the Knicks, Randle's output fell, providing just 18 points per game and shooting at 30% from the field. In game three on the road, the 26-year-old connected with just two of 15 field-goal attempts, registering his lowest tally of the series with just 14 points.
Randle can be forgiven due to the importance placed on him and the fact that, among other players, he was entering uncharted territory in the playoffs. Knicks fans can be safe in the knowledge that his All-Star ability will be back next year with greater experience of how to lead a team in both the regular season and whatever comes after.
#2 Lack of playoff experience
Considering the fact the New York Knicks had a postseason hiatus, their roster had little playoff experience. Beyond the Knicks' young core and Julius Randle, there were few players who would play against the Hawks who could say they had considerable postseason knowledge, except for Taj Gibson and Derrick Rose.
Although that was ultimately part of their downfall in the series, getting to the playoffs was a major step for the New York Knicks and could help to re-create a winning culture at the franchise. The Boston Celtics have solidified their position as regular contenders in the postseason and have made the conference finals in three of the past five seasons. Prior to that, they had been eliminated in the first round of the playoffs for three out of four years, with them failing to qualify in the other.