Spike Lee Has 'Full Belief' in Deep Knicks Playoff Run
The New York Knicks may not have made too many acquisitions this offseason, but it appears they've gained the confidence of one of their biggest and most renowned fans.
Lauded director and noted Knicks superfan Spike Lee was one of several New York sports fans who spoke to Christopher Maag of the New York Times in the wake of one of the most bittersweet victories in recent professional sports memory: the New York Jets ended the first week of the 2023 NFL season with a 22-16 overtime win over the Buffalo Bills on Monday night but lost star quarterback Aaron Rodgers for the season just four plays into his metropolitan career.
Lee was among the many devastated by the development, one of many who believe that the Jets' newfound Super Bowl chances are over with Rodgers out. The filmmaker, however, still believes in the optimism around his beloved Knicks, making a bold prediction in the wake of the Jets' polarizing victory.
"(Monday) night was a disaster for the Jets," Lee told The Times. “But we got the Knicks, though! We’re going to conference finals at least! I have full belief.”
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Like the Jets, the Knicks recently made a big splash on the transactional front, as they're one summer removed from adding point guard Jalen Brunson on a four-year, $104 million contract. While Brunson hasn't reached the level of prestige that Rodgers has quite yet, he made a major difference in the Knicks' fortunes last season to the tune of 47 wins and their first playoff series victory since 2013.
Fulfilling Lee's prediction will take some work: the Knicks haven't appeared in the Eastern Conference Finals since 2000 and the ensuing 23-season drought is the third-longest in the NBA behind only Washington (44) and Charlotte (33). The Knicks were two wins away from reaching last year's semifinal round but fell to eventual conference champion Miami Heat.
There's no doubt, at the very least, that the Knicks have the brightest immediate future among New York City's NBA representatives. Though the Brooklyn Nets harbor hope for a new era led by Brunson's college and World Cup teammate Mikal Bridges, they could struggle to lock up another playoff spot after dealing away Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.
Rodgers' injury is the latest stroke of bad luck that New York sports fans have had to endure: Rodgers went down less than 24 hours after the Jets' MetLife Stadium roommates, the New York Giants, were on the wrong end of a 40-0 decision against the Dallas Cowboys on the very same turf.
Elsewhere in New York sports, the Mets and Yankees are on the cusp of elimination from MLB playoff contention while the NHL's Islanders and Rangers were first-round departures from last spring's Stanley Cup Playoffs. Even soccer clubs New York City FC and the New York Red Bulls linger at the bottom of the MLS standings.
The city's most prominent hope for a championship for the time lies in the WNBA, where the New York Liberty are set to embark upon a Finals run beginning on Friday night at Barclays Center against the Washington Mystics (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2). Armed with downright historic talents like Sabrina Ionescu and Breanna Stewart, the Liberty won a franchise-record 32 games and locked up the second seed on the bracket, behind only defending champion Las Vegas.
