The 2013-14 New York Knicks season marked the 68th season for the franchise. They missed the playoffs for the first time since the 2012-13 season. After a disappointing season in 2012-13, the Knicks are now headed to the rebuilding phase. The team will hope to improve in the 2014-15 season and advance to the Eastern Conference Finals. Here are some tips for watching the Knicks in 2014.
After a promising start Tim Hardaway Jr. was traded the Cleveland Cavaliers. Amare Stoudemire, a rookie, became an excellent player. Despite the Knicks’ young talent, they finished with a 37-45 record and missed the playoffs in the Eastern Conference. While the Knicks remained competitive throughout the season, they didn’t reach their potential and ended up missing the postseason for the third consecutive year.
Keep in mind that the 2014 Knicks season was the worst in franchise history. They lost 65 games and yielded the fourth pick in the 2015 draft. Fans were wrongly hopeful that Phil Jackson would make things right in 2014. However, the 2014-15 Knicks’ unit was led by Derek Fisher, who emphasized the future.
Jose Calderon was purchased by Phil Jackson, his first move as team president. In a trade with Dallas Mavericks, he was traded to the Knicks. In return, the Knicks received Raymond Felton and Tyson Chandler. This deal was intended to clear cap space and allow for some more. But the Knicks lost a valuable piece in the deal. The Knicks subsequently made several other trades to get him.
Amare Stoudemire is the Knicks’ scoring punch. With a strong mid-range jumper and smooth post moves, he is an asset on the floor. Not only does he have great skills on the offensive end, but he also is known for his little celebrations after plays. Don’t be surprised if they don’t make the playoffs this season. They might even be able jump over Brooklyn.
Despite the grim outlook, the Knicks went into the 2014-15 season with high expectations. Many predicted that the team would be a contender for a lower East playoff seed. After all, they retained Carmelo Anthony in the summer of 2014 with a five-year, $125 million deal with a no-trade clause, and his signing was largely a result of Phil Jackson’s vision. Unfortunately, this partnership didn’t turn out as the Knicks had hoped.
The Toronto Raptors are a scary team. With a young and talented team, they could easily take over the Atlantic Division and the perennial top-five Eastern Conference. The Knicks played the Chicago Bulls in their first game of the season, a team that has been a long-time rival to the Knicks. The Knicks have yet to come close to this rival. You have to be patient and keep up your effort to improve the team’s record.