Two and a half weeks and 8 games into the 2020–21 NBA season and we have our first #FridayNightKnicks. And this isn’t a 2–6 ready to get worked by the Bucks or Celtics Friday night. This isn’t a 1–7 already lost 5 straight games Friday night. This is a 5–3, looking for a 4th straight win, team is absolutely buzzing Friday Night. When one of your teams has a night with a catchy fun name attached to it its always cool. Remember #HappyHarveyDay? Sorry, i should not bring that energy in here.
You can certainly feel the NBA on TNT jingle right in your plums when it hits, but nothing around the league slaps like the jive sensations of Robert Randolph and the Family Band ripping ‘Get There’ leading us into some Friday Night Knicks. Sure, I absolutely mind riding the bus, and I despise taking the train, I also try not to leave the house when its raining, but god damn is this song a jam and when the Knicks are playing good basketball it makes that Friday night game that much more electric and we gotta embrace it right now. There is an electricity around this current Knicks squad and I’m not talking about an exposed wire in Penn Station. Starting the season off 5–3 is nothing to fret about for the Knicks. They have been habitually bad for years now and being 2 games over .500, on a three game streak, with a home game vs. a more than beatable opponent should have everyone completely fired up.
Thibs having them play hard is not a shock, thats his M.O. But lots of teams play hard and lose. Its more than just going out there and grinding it out for 4 quarters, not that that isn’t wildly important. But the Knicks have a guy averaging a double double and playing at super star level every single game, a solid group of hungry youngsters, some veterans who know their role and seem to be awesome leaders and a coach who has them playing great basketball. I really don’t think it’s some anomaly that the Knicks are starting off the season well, but as a Knicks fan its hard not to be surprised and cautious. But at some point you have to stop just going season to season playing for a draft pick and try to take that next step. And that isn’t saying the next step is being a championship team, but why not be a team who is fighting for a playoff spot in an expanded format and actually start to go down that path of being a perennial playoff team instead of being tuned into the lottery every year.
Julius Randle seemingly gets more hate than love, but them man is flat out playing at a level parallel to the elite players in the league. He giving this team a nightly effort that gives them a chance in every game. RJ is very much looking likes he taking a leap into becoming a very good guard in this league. He’s long and athletic and is really starting to see it all come together. Mitchell Robinson is a force when he stays on the court and I truly believe the best is yet to come with him. Austin Rivers is another guy who people love throw shade at but he’s a veteran now and has continued to say all the right things and looks like he has been a great presence for the younger guards. Not to mention what he showed he can do on any given night in last games 4th quarter. Quickly is playing with a confidence and moxy thats going to make him a fan favorite well, quickly. And they are are still waiting on Obi to return. The pieces for a competitive season are absolutely there. They aren’t some scrub team that has trotted onto the court at MSG in years past. They are a different team, with a different vibe around them and that momentum has to continue tonight vs. the Thunder.
So, Friday Night Knicks on MSG are officially back tonight. Got front row seats, doin’ what it takes to get there…should we bring #Knickstape back? Jk. But seriously, I got some shackles in the back.
