There are a ton of positives to take away from the 2024-25 New York Knicks season. From their second straight 50-plus win season to their top-five offense to the star breakout of OG Anunoby, there was plenty for the Knicks faithful to enjoy. It’s incredible how far this franchise has come after two decades in the NBA basement. New York met yet another marker of their progress in a way that seemed impossible a few weeks ago.
Jalen Brunson Becoming Eligible Should Give Knicks All-NBA Duo
When Jalen Brunson hobbled off the Lakers floor on March 6th with a brutal sprained ankle, it looked like NY’s captain could be done for the season. His ankle bent almost parallel with the floor after stepping on Austin Reaves‘ foot in the paint, and he left the game in agony after hitting both clutch free throws. The Knicks lost that game in overtime in heartbreaking fashion, but much worse was the fear that they’d lost their leader for good. The ankle roll was so gruesome that many speculated he would need surgery or multiple months at the very least.
Obviously, if the Knicks didn’t have Brunson for the postseason, their chances of a deep run were close to zero. The other consideration was Brunson’s eligibility for All-NBA status. Luckily, he had played 61 of the first 62 Knicks games, so he only needed to suit up for four more to meet the 65-game minimum mark for NBA awards. Ironically, fans’ frustrations with NY’s refusal to rest their stars benefitted Brunson’s chances to earn All-NBA honors. However, it still looked bleak when the Villanova product walked with a boot for weeks after the injury.
Fortunately for him and his team, Brunson’s rehab went extremely well and he was able to return exactly a month after suffering the ankle sprain. It’s yet another example of New York’s excellent training and health staff keeping their guys ready to play. Anunoby, Karl-Anthony Towns, Miles McBride, and Josh Hart have all successfully navigated injuries this season to be available for 60-plus games.
He Hit Exactly 65 Games
Brunson returning on April 6th against the Suns gave him five chances to play four times. It was thought that he’d rest on one of the back-to-backs vs. Detroit and Cleveland. Instead, Brunson was healthy enough to suit up for both ends of it. After sitting out in the regular season finale, NY’s superstar participated in exactly 65 games. The entire injury saga actually worked out perfectly for New York. Their exhausted point guard got a month off his feet, returned healthy and rested, and other guys gained a rhythm while he was out of the lineup.
Brunson’s Eligibility Should Give New York All-NBA Duo
One of the biggest accomplishments that mark the enormous strides the Knicks have made is their All-Star starter duo. Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns were the first Knicks to start alongside each other at the All-Star Game since Walt ‘Clyde’ Frazier and Willis Reed over 50 seasons ago. Well, with Brunson becoming eligible next to Towns, they should also have an All-NBA pairing. The last time New York sent two guys to the All-NBA team was in 2011-12. Then, newly-minted Hall of Famer Carmelo Anthony was named to the third team alongside Tyson Chandler.
Both Brunson and Towns have solid arguments to make the second team, but could also be downgraded to third team. If not for Brunson’s month-long absence, he would be a lock for second team. Towns has had one of the best offensive seasons in basketball, but his defensive struggles could cost him second-team honors. Time will tell which squad they’re named to, but both should be locks for an All-NBA selection. Nonetheless, sending two players to this prestigious group of 15 guys is a testament to how far the organization has come.
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