Knicks legend John Starks hints at WINNING Eastern conference run for Jalen Brunson and co. amidst Heat, Sixers
John Starks has picked the New York Knicks to represent the East in the NBA Finals.
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Jalen Brunson
The New York Knicks advanced to the second round of the Eastern Conference for the first time since 2013, thanks mainly to Jalen Brunson. Meanwhile, John Starks, feels they have what it takes to make it out of the East. Jalen Brunson has been a breath of fresh air in New York, becoming the first Knick since 1997 to record 25+ points, 5+ assists, and 5+ threes made in a playoff game.
Knicks icon John Starks appeared on the SiriusXM Radio show and said, “Every team in the East we got a better record, or we split them.” Starks was referring to the teams above the Knicks, and he is not wrong, as the Knicks have a winning regular season record against all the teams above them, barring the Philadelphia 76ers and the Milwaukee Bucks. The Knicks have a 3-1 regular season record against their second-round opponents, the Miami Heat.
“I felt good. We have a good chance of coming out of the East… This team could beat any team,” said Starks.
The last time the Knicks made the NBA Finals was 1999, and they did it as the eighth seed in a lockout-shortened NBA season. This time, the Knicks will take on the eighth seed, hoping to advance to their first conference Finals since 2000.
Jalen Brunson and the Knicks prepare to re-ignite 90s playoff rivalry against Miami
The New York Knicks and Miami Heat are storied NBA franchises with a rich rivalry. The two juggernauts met three seasons in the 1990s from 1997-1999, and New York toppled them twice. However, in 2023 times have changed; since then, New York has had a lackluster playoff reputation, whereas Miami is a post-season staple missing the playoffs only three times since 2009.
Jalen Brunson and Jimmy Butler are the spearheads of their teams, leading in points per game as both toppled over a higher seed. Brunson, however, did not average close to Butler’s outrageous 37 points per game in his 5-game series win over the #1 seed Milwaukee Bucks. However, Jalen Brunson and the Knicks have the second-best defensive rating these playoffs and will look to stifle Miami’s offense, which is amongst the top five this post-season.
John Starks was part of the last New York Knicks team to make the NBA Finals, and if he feels they can make it out of the East, it will give Knicks fans a lot of confidence going into this series. The Miami Heat have made the Eastern Conference Finals twice in the last four years and know what it takes to perform under pressure. The Knicks will take on Miami in game 1 of their series tonight.
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