The Knicks are better than their so-so start — and they’ll figure it out

Here’s nan thing: 

You want to consciousness nan measurement you felt past May, erstwhile nan Knicks were assignment tv three, 4 nights a week. You miss those days erstwhile you would get your crippled look fresh by lunchtime, impatiently count nan minutes down until tip-off so you could show Joel Embiid what you really deliberation of him, aliases Tyrese Haliburton. 

Mostly, truthful you could lend your full-throated support to helping nudge nan Knicks done 1 much 2 ½-hour circuit done a hoops hellscape. The sore pharynx you woke up pinch nan adjacent greeting was a taxation you were consenting to pay. The Knicks played 13 playoff games past spring, and each 1 hit you up. 

And now you inquire yourself: “Is this each location is?” 

You person nan early-season blues and nan early-season blahs. Part of that is because you’re looking astatine a squad correct now that looks a batch different than nan 1 for which you were truthful consenting — eager, moreover — to jump connected a metaphorical manus grenade successful April and May. You find yourself checking retired Timberwolves container scores, thing that was ne'er portion of your greeting routine, alongside nan crossword, Wordle and Immaculate Grid. 

You spot nan Thunder retired to a 7-0 commencement without 1 infinitesimal yet from Isaiah Hartenstein (say nan sanction softly, respectfully), still retired pinch a manus injury. Maybe you moreover sigh wistfully arsenic you spot RJ Barrett up north, taking still different measurement guardant successful Year Six. 

And possibly it’s nan record. The Knicks are 3-3. That feels astir right, oversea level. Hard to get excessively excited. Hard to get excessively angry. Hard to get … worked up. 

It’ll happen, though. 

It will. Look, if you cheque successful present regularly to get my takes connected nan Knicks, past you retrieve that I wrote this nan time earlier nan Knicks opened nan play successful Boston a mates weeks ago: “If we scope Nov. 13 and nan Knicks are bringing a grounds for illustration 4-6 — aliases worse — pinch them to nan Garden to look nan Bulls, cognize that it is possible.” 

It’s astir apt worthy remembering that past year’s Knicks squad — nan beloved bunch that Knicks fans were each but clamoring should person a banner raised for them aft their inspiring shorthanded tally past outpouring — were 2-4 aft six games. The champion six-game commencement nan Knicks person ever had successful 5 years nether Tom Thibodeau is 5-1 — and that was 3 years ago, erstwhile they vanished 37-45 and retired of nan money entirely. 

Thibodeau teams return clip to jell. Thibodeau teams return clip to find themselves. They usually deed their stride correct astir nan New Year, and it would only make consciousness that this squad will return immoderate clip to find itself pinch Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns still integrating their games into nan Knicks’ analyzable fabric. 

Here’s nan thing, though. 

They’re already playing discourtesy astatine an exceedingly precocious level — arsenic good arsenic nan Knicks person ever played nether Thibodeau connected that extremity of nan floor. They are 3rd successful nan convention successful violative ratio down Boston and Cleveland (a mixed 15-1), tops successful 3-point percentage, 5th overall. They besides walk nan oculus test: The starters are 5 highly skilled players who already fresh good together, conscionable six games in. 

Their defense … well, that’s thing else. But 1 of nan yearly traditions of Thibodeau’s Knicks teams is nan extended process turning Thibs’ protect imagination to action. Last year’s squad gave up 146 points to Milwaukee connected Dec. 5, nan 20th game, and 140 connected Dec. 30, crippled 32; from past connected location were 16 different games successful which they held opponents nether 100. 

“When you’re not shooting well, you’d for illustration to trust connected your defense,” Thibodeau said aft nan Knicks mislaid to nan Rockets connected Monday, renewing a taxable he’s fallen backmost connected clip aft clip successful his clip here.

It’s difficult to judge that won’t happen. By nan clip nan Knicks return location Friday, they’ll person played 5 retired of 7 distant from nan Garden. If they tin hit aged friend Trae Young and nan Hawks connected Wednesday successful Atlanta, they’ll make it location pinch a 4-3 record, pinch truthful overmuch play near to play. Even if it’s 3-4: A batch of clip betwixt present and April. 

And that’s nan hardest part. It’s intolerable to replicate nan sizzle — and nan stakes — of May successful November, December, January. It conscionable is. As electrical arsenic Citi Field was successful October, location are going to beryllium a batch of chilly nights adjacent April and May, nary matter who’s connected nan team, erstwhile Mets fans will inquire themselves: We couldn’t person watched this connected TV? 

The Knicks are 3-3. They’re still learning each other. They’re still figuring things out. The first 10 games are a bear. They’ll beryllium fine.