Knicks offseason primer: Plenty still to come

The 2024 New York Knicks recorded the team’s first 50-win season since 2012-13, led by the excellence of Jalen Brunson, the best player in the franchise’s history going back even further than that. They made the playoffs for the third time in four …

The 2024 New York Knicks recorded the team’s first 50-win season since 2012-13, led by the excellence of Jalen Brunson, the best player in the franchise’s history going back even further than that. They made the playoffs for the third time in four seasons and made the conference semifinals for the second consecutive year. All of which is to say that, despite a loss in Game 7 of that series to the Indiana Pacers that ended their season, there is still plenty to come from this incarnation of the Knicks.

It is entirely fair to think that New York would have won that series had they not had to manage without their two-time All-Star big Julius Randle and their big mid-season pickup OG Anunoby. Consequently, if the Knicks do nothing this offseason except run it back and get healthy, it follows logically that next year’s team will be better. They will, though, obviously be hoping to do more than that, and the mid-season trade with the Toronto Raptors for Anunoby was a statement of intent that they feel they are ready to join the teams at the top of the league.

As for how much they can do to achieve that goal, their summer business will be largely shaped by what they do with important free agents, and what they have to spend on outsiders. With this in mind, here follows a look at the New York Knicks’ roster and spending heading into the 2024 NBA offseason.

Which of the New York Knicks or Indiana Pacers is a better East finals matchup for the Celtics?

We have yet to learn who the Celtics’ opponent in the Eastern Conference finals will be between the Knicks and the Pacers.

Even after 6 games of their Eastern Conference semifinals series, we have yet to learn who the Boston Celtics’ opponent in the Eastern Conference finals will be between the New York Knicks and the Indiana Pacers. While we wait for a decisive Game 7 on Sunday (May 19), we can look back on the series to date to determine which of the two ball clubs is a better matchup for the Celtics.

The hosts of the CLNS Media “Garden Report” podcast, Bobby Manning, and Josue Pavon, linked up with Celtics Blog’s Noa Dalzell to talk all things Knicks or Pacers in the East finals.

Take a look at the clip embedded below to hear what they had to say about which team they prefer Boston to play in the next round.

If you enjoy this pod, check out the “How Bout Them Celtics,” “First to the Floor,” and the many other New England sports podcasts available on the CLNS Media network.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Who will the Boston Celtics face in the NBA’s 2024 Eastern Conference finals?

Which of the two East ball clubs do you prefer?

Now that the Boston Celtics have defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA’s 2024 Eastern Conference series, they now turn their attention to the other East semis series currently underway. That would be the series between the Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks, the winner of which will be the Celtics’ opponent in the 2024 Eastern Conference finals.

The hosts of the CLNS Media “How Bout Them Celtics!” and “Talkin’ Cs” podcasts, Jack Simone, Sam LaFrance, and Bobby Krivitsky, recently took some time to talk over which of the two East ball clubs they would rather see Boston play in the next round of the playoffs.

Check it out in the clip below.

If you enjoy this pod, check out the “How Bout Them Celtics,” “First to the Floor,” and the many other New England sports podcasts available on the CLNS Media network.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Are the New York Knicks next for the Boston Celtics?

Will the Boston Celtics face the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals?

The Boston Celtics are through to the Eastern Conference Finals. They dispatched the Cleveland Cavaliers in five games, closing out the series on Wednesday (May 15). As such, the Celtics have earned themselves some additional rest while awaiting the result of the other conference semifinal contest between the New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers.

New York currently leads the series 3-2. However, the Pacers have proven resilient during the postseason and cannot be counted out. Nevertheless, Tom Thibodeau’s team appears to be Boston’s most likely opponent in the conference finals. 

In the latest episode of the “Celtics Chronicle” podcast, Adam Taylor is joined by Brenden Nunes to discuss the Celtics’ potential path to the NBA Finals and whether the Knicks would be a tougher route than the Pacers. New York plays a stringent brand of defense and boasts an elite scoring guard in Jalen Brunson. 

You can watch the full episode by clicking on the embedded link above.

Subscribe to the “Celtics Chronicle” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3UAVYRg

Spotify:  https://spoti.fi/3y0H4Lh

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3QnlPcS

Substack: https://bit.ly/3WoA0Cf

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Looking back at Boston’s Game 5 win vs. Cavaliers, Al Horford’s huge night

Thanks to Al Horford and some more heroics from Jayson Tatum, Boston is headed to the NBA’s 2024 Eastern Conference finals.

Thanks to veteran Boston Celtics big man Al Horford and some more heroics from star Celtics small forward Jayson Tatum, Boston is headed to the NBA’s 2024 Eastern Conference finals to face the winner of the Eastern Conference semifinals series between the Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks.

After punching their ticket to the East finals with a 113-89 Game 5 win over a banged up Cleveland Cavaliers ball club on this past (May 15) Wednesday night, Tatum said (via the Associated Press) “It just shows the character of the team, the organization. People might think it’s a given we’re supposed to be here.”

The hosts of the CLNS Media “Garden Report” podcast, Bobby Manning, Josue Pavon, Jimmy Toscano, A. Sherrod Blakely and John Zannis, took a closer look at the series clincher postgame. Check it out below!

If you enjoy this pod, check out the “How Bout Them Celtics,” “First to the Floor,” and the many other New England sports podcasts available on the CLNS Media network.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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For the third straight season, the Boston Celtics are headed back to the Eastern Conference finals

They will face the winner of the New York Knicks – Indiana Pacers Eastern Conference semifinals series.

For the third straight season, the Boston Celtics are headed back to the Eastern Conference finals. They will face the winner of the New York Knicks – Indiana Pacers Eastern Conference semifinals series after beating the Cleveland Cavaliers in their own East semis series.

“We had a great opportunity at home to handle this, and I knew it was going to take a lot more than handling it normally,” said veteran Boston big man Al Horford postgame via the Associated Press. “It’s special. It’s something that’s hard to do (…) This is another positive step of where we want to get to.”

The hosts of the CLNS Media “First to the Floor” podcast, Jake Issenberg, Ben Vallis, and Wayne Spooney, sat down to talk it all over on their latest episode. Check it out below!

If you enjoy this pod, check out the “How Bout Them Celtics,” “First to the Floor,” and the many other New England sports podcasts available on the CLNS Media network.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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How are fans of the Boston Celtics feeling about a return to the Eastern Conference finals?

Are the Celtics ready for the next round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs?

How are fans of the Boston Celtics feeling about a return to the Eastern Conference finals? After beating the Cleveland Cavaliers in five games in their 2024 Eastern Conference semifinals series, the Celtics await the winner of the New York Knicks – Indiana Pacers East semis series.

Are the Celtics ready for the next round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs? Do they need the Knicks – Pacers series to go to 7 games to give Boston a chance to rest and star Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis a chance to heal from his strained right soleus? And which of the two potential opponents in the next round might give Boston fits?

The hosts of the CLNS Media “Still Poddable” podcast, Brian Robb, Sam Packard, and Jay King, dug into the mailbag to see how Celtics fans feel about everything from the Cavs to the next round of the playoffs. Check it out below!

If you enjoy this pod, check out the “How Bout Them Celtics,” “First to the Floor,” and the many other New England sports podcasts available on the CLNS Media network.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Celtics Lab 259: Closing out the Cavs in the East semis and a look ahead to the East finals

Let’s talk about the Al Horford game, the Cavs series, and what comes next.

The Boston Celtics have defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 113-98 in Game 5 of their 2024 Eastern Conference semifinals series to advance to the NBA’s 2024 Eastern Conference finals. It came via a massive game from veteran Boston big man Al Horford, and it also saw perhaps the best postseason play from star Celtics forward Jayson Tatum as well.

As an added bonus, the team will get a bit of rest while they wait to learn their opponent in the next round from the New York Knicks – Indiana Pacers series. How do we feel about the East semis victory? Do we have any lingering concerns for the next round? When do we think Kristaps Porzingis will return to the court? Who will Boston play, and who do we want them to play?

The hosts of the “Celtics Lab” podcast sat down after the win to talk about all of the above. Take a look at the clip embedded below to hear what they had to say about the Al Horford game, the Cavs series, and what comes next.


The Celtics Lab podcast is brought to you by Prize Picks and Gametime.


If you enjoy this pod, check out the “How Bout Them Celtics,” “First to the Floor,” and the many other New England sports podcasts available on the CLNS Media network.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Jared McCain’s measurements compared to New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson

According to his measureables at the NBA Draft Combine, ESPN’s Jonathan Givony compared Duke star Jared McCain to a blooming playoff star.

Duke star Jared McCain already turned heads with his 3-point shooting at the NBA Draft Combine, but his measurements also show some promise for his potential NBA career.

According to ESPN writer Jonathan Givony and the ESPN database, McCain offers a profile similar to New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson.

With shoes on, McCain measured a hair above 6-foot-3, and he weighed in at 203 pounds. Brunson came in a full inch shorter at 6-foot-2.25 when he went through the draft cycle in 2018, but he weighed 198 pounds and their wingspans measured a half-inch apart.

Brunson emerged as a superstar during this year’s NBA playoffs. He’s scored at least 40 points in five of New York’s 11 games thus far, averaging 33.9 points per game. The Knicks currently lead the Indiana Pacers 3-2 in the second round, with New York one win away from an Eastern Conference Finals appearance.

Givony thinks the comparison goes deeper than their height and weight.

“Has some similar intangibles in my view,” the NBA Draft analyst wrote.

McCain also enters the NBA Draft process nearly two full years younger than Brunson was in 2018, as the former Blue Devil is 20 years and three months old.

NBA Twitter reacts to Knicks beating Pacers in Game 5: ‘Where were you when Jalen Brunson took Aaron Nesmith’s soul?’

The Knicks are one win away from reaching the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2000 after a 121-91 win over the Pacers. Jalen Brunson again led New York with 44 points, 28 of them in the first half, and seven assists while Josh …

The Knicks are one win away from reaching the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2000 after a 121-91 win over the Pacers.

Jalen Brunson again led New York with 44 points, 28 of them in the first half, and seven assists while Josh Hart added 18 points and 11 rebounds.

Tyrese Haliburton had a quiet night with 13 points and five assists as Indiana was outrebounded 29-53.

Here’s how NBA Twitter reacted to the Knicks pivotal win: