Analyzing New York Knicks' over-under odds for the 2021-22 NBA Season: Are Tom Thibodeau's men being underrated?
The New York Knicks head into the season on a very optimistic note, and despite all that optimism, some prognosticators feel the Knicks will be mediocre. Let's dive into that.
How some feel the New York Knicks will finish
Some have the New York Knicks at +8000 odds to win the NBA championship. Yeah, not too flattering. What is everyone seeing that suggests the Knicks will finish worse than last season? Is it common to think that Kemba Walker won't pan out? How many points a game will he put up? If the Knicks are to finish at the top of the Atlantic Division, Kemba Walker would have to be around 20 per or something in that ballpark. That's with the contributions of RJ Barrett, Evan Fournier, Derrick Rose and specifically Julius Randle in mind, of course.
Tom Thibodeau
Tom Thibodeau has talent now. He runs a tight ship, so all he has to do is get the new players to buy into his way of doing things. Some say Kemba Walker was signed too late in his career; that his health won't hold up when the Knicks need him when the season matters most. That could be true, yet if his mates perform to their abilities, Kemba won't have to log as many minutes as it appears he will have to on the surface.
Manhattan cohesion
This is about chemistry. This isn't a championship caliber roster, yet I fail to see how the New York Knicks don't win 50 games. I say this to say that Kemba going home to New York will be exactly what fans and media expect, a success. The Knicks will be scrappy, RJ Barrett will develop as he needs to be considered for all-star contention, and Derrick Rose will be a steady anchor and a big in spots performer. Obi Toppin has to be better right? Surely he'll have the confidence and the shoulder chips needed to make the leap he's capable of making. Immanuel Quickley should also contribute to that trend of becoming better in support of the team.
The spotlight
The New York Knicks will be on national TV 29 times this season. With many of those games at Madison Square Garden. How the New York Knicks react to the spotlight will show if they are ready to move up in the standings. That's on coach Tom Thibodeau.
Verdict
The New York Knicks will have a successful season. Injuries would be the only reason this team regresses. It's time for the New York Knicks to shoot back into relevance, and Tom Thibodeau will be held to major account if this upgraded roster doesn't perform. The Atlantic Division has one team that is reliable, yet will Brooklyn stay healthy? Toronto is losing players and rumors of Pascal Siakam in trades persist, and Philly is unsure of what will happen with Ben Simmons.
The time is ripe for the New York Knicks to ascend to prominence simply by doing their collective jobs. Tom Thibodeau, with all of his mettle, will have to perform as well nightly for the New York Knicks to definitely change the culture and get out of the first round.