Knicks Close, But So Far Away, from Title Contention

The New York Knicks have a few obstacles to beat before being considered true title contenders.

Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham shoots the ball over New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns. Mandatory Credit: David Reginek-Imagn Images | David Reginek-Imagn Images

The New York Knicks ended this past regular season as one of five teams to finish with 51 wins or more.

Being a top five team in the league is commendable, but it doesn't matter much beyond the playoffs, where the Knicks are expected to compete early in the first round against the Detroit Pistons.

ESPN insider Chris Herring looks at the state of the team going into the postseason.

"The Knicks are really good. They're in the midst of their best campaign in more than a decade but there's just one huge problem: All season long, they've looked one, sometimes two, steps behind Boston and Cleveland," Herring writes.

"Against the two best teams in the East, the Knicks have gone 0-8, with a number of those losses coming in huge routs. (And the last two — this past week — coming after enjoying big leads, then ultimately faltering down the stretch.) It's a frustrating dichotomy for the franchise and its fanbase: to be vastly better than most, and a top-five team perhaps, but still far from title contention."

The Knicks have to get past the Pistons in the first round, and if they do, they will likely meet the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

If the Knicks are truly the fifth-best team in the NBA, a second-round exit is exactly what they are projected for. Only four teams can make it to the Conference Finals anyway, so the Knicks are lined up exactly where they should be.

That being said, once a pattern forms, and one has with New York's playoff failures, the team should look to do what it takes to try and break that. This playoff run is made to determine what needs to change for the Knicks moving forward.

Make sure you bookmark Knicks on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns as and so much more!