3 bold predictions for New York Knicks' 2021-22 NBA season

#2 - The New York Knicks will have one of the best defenses in the league next season

The New York Knicks had one of the best defenses in the league in the 2020-21 season

The New York Knicks finished the 2020-21 NBA season with a 108.2 defensive rating, making them the third-best defensive team in the league. They averaged 7 steals and 5 blocks per game, and their defense was a major reason why they secured the fourth spot in the Eastern Conference and qualified for the playoffs.

The Knicks will be looking to maintain similar intensity next year, despite a defensively weaker backcourt of Kemba Walker and Evan Fournier. It should affect them a lot, considering head coach Tom Thibodeau's tactics have relied on team defense rather than a player's individual prowess.

Julius Randle and Mitchell Robinson are entering their second season under Thibodeau's tutelage and will further improve on the defensive side of the ball. The same goes for RJ Barrett, who has displayed immense potential on that end despite being a young player.

#1 - The New York Knicks will end up making a deep playoff run

The New York Knicks look primed for a deep playoff run in the upcoming 2021-22 season

The New York Knicks now have one of the most potent offenses in the Eastern Conference, with the quartet of Walker, Fournier, Barrett, and Randle all bringing in different skillsets. Derrick Rose also remains one of the best sixth men in the NBA.

With all these players, it is safe to say that the Knicks have done a brilliant job of improving their offense, which was far from ideal last season.

Meanwhile, defense has never really been an issue for the New York Knicks, which suggests that the franchise is now proficient at both ends of the floor.

Hence, in all likelihood, the New York Knicks are primed for a deep playoff run. The only thing that can stop that from achieving this is probably a meeting with the Milwaukee Bucks or the Brooklyn Nets in the first two rounds.

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