Sir Charles in Charge
Fansided

New York Knicks: Revisiting the tanking question

By Jonathan Macri

NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 15: Tim Hardaway Jr. #3 of the New York Knicks celebrates after he hit a three point shot in the final minutes of the game against the Utah Jazz at Madison Square Garden on November 15, 2017 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 15: Tim Hardaway Jr. #3 of the New York Knicks celebrates after he hit a three point shot in the final minutes of the game against the Utah Jazz at Madison Square Garden on November 15, 2017 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /
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NEW YORK, NY – NOVEMBER 15: Tim Hardaway Jr. #3 of the New York Knicks celebrates after he hit a three point shot in the final minutes of the game against the Utah Jazz at Madison Square Garden on November 15, 2017 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY – NOVEMBER 15: Tim Hardaway Jr. #3 of the New York Knicks celebrates after he hit a three point shot in the final minutes of the game against the Utah Jazz at Madison Square Garden on November 15, 2017 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /

The New York Knicks keep winning and the questions keep coming: Is New York really benefiting from its early season success, or are they doing more harm than good?

On Thursday night, the New York Knicks won a game they probably shouldn’t have.

Already without their second-best player, New York lost its winged demigod early in the third quarter to a non-contact knee injury. A 17-point lead quickly turned into a four-point deficit. The Knicks had no answers for a Brooklyn team low on talent but high on spunk (we see you, Spencer Dinwiddie!).

Somehow, they pulled it out. Melo from another mother, Mike Beasley, had some key buckets, and Frank Ntilikina gave us another reminder that Phil Jackson wasn’t completely high off his gourd when he picked the Frenchman over other, safer bets. Despite the designation as a road game, most of the orange and blue clad Barclay’s center crowd left happy, feeling like their team had taken another step forward in a season of redemption.

Another subset of Knicks fans were likely happy for a different reason. KP’s injury momentarily brought with it the possibility that this year could still descend into oblivion. The team might get one more bite at the high-lottery apple that many feel is the Knicks’ only escape route from the path to mediocrity on which they’re currently traveling.

Logic dictates they have a point. History says otherwise.

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