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Knicks Set to Open Season in front of Garden Crowd

Author Michael Cohen
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 27: Julius Randle #30 of the New York Knicks celebrates after drawing the foul late in the fourth quarter against the Indiana Pacers at Madison Square Garden on February 27, 2021 in New York City. A limited number of fans are in attendance due to COVID-19 restrictions. 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 pandemic shortened 2020-21 season was a renaissance year for the New York Knicks.

After spending a better part of the past 20 years in basketball purgatory, there was finally a glimmer of light for one of New York City’s premiere franchises.

Led by one-time Lakers-throw-away-turned All-Star, Julius Randle, the Knicks went from the basement of the Eastern Conference to 41-31, and marched into the playoffs for the first time in eight years as a four seed.

There was a different vibe around this team a year ago. They finally had a top head coach in Tom Thibodeau, who not only knows how to win after turning around teams in Chicago and Minnesota, but showed a young Knicks team how to do just that in his first season on the job.

Now the expectations are higher. In fact, the expectations are the highest they have been certainly since 2000 when the Knicks were coming off an appearance in the NBA Finals a year earlier.

While this version of the Knicks got a taste of how electric the Madison Square Garden crowd can be during last spring’s first round series loss to the Atlanta Hawks, they will get a greater sense of Knicks’ fans passion tonight when the season opens against the hated Boston Celtics.

The Knicks were busy this off-season.

They extended Randle with a four-year $114 million contract; re-signed veteran Derrick Rose to a three-year extension at $43 million, and dolled out three-year deals to Nerlens Noel and Alec Burks.

The biggest move of the off-season had to be the acquisition of All-Star point guard Kemba Walker, who opted out of his contract with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Walker, a New York native, wanted to come home, and signed a two-year, $18 million deal. Getting Walker is a huge boon for the Knicks, who needed a proven point guard at the end of last season.

The question is, can it all come together? Can the Knicks challenge the Nets, Sixers and Toronto Raptors at the top of the Atlantic Division?

While the Nets will certainly get their share of headlines coming out of Brooklyn this year, the Knicks are not to be ignored.

One thing is for sure, the Knicks’ fanbase is ready for action.

Michael Cohen is the News and Sports Director at Fox Sports Radio New Jersey and Magic 98.3 FM, as well as a radio production assistant with Fox and Magic in New Jersey. He started his career in Somerset in 2018 initially as a news fill-in at WCTC 1450 AM, and soon moved up to higher responsibilities in the ensuing years, assuming News & Sports Director title in 2021Prior to his time with Fox Sports New Jersey, Michael was play-by-play voice for New Jersey Jackals baseball, and as well as play-by-play and color for the College of Staten Island basketball (men and women), softball and baseball. Michael began his career as a news and sportswriter with the Jersey Journal of Hudson County.

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Author Michael Cohen
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