The Knicks just didn’t have any answers for the Hawks. They were dominated in almost every facet of the game. It led to a 4-1 series win for Trae Young & Co., sending the Knicks packing their bags after Wednesday night’s 103-89 loss at MSG. While it was a wildly disappointing playoffs, it was a memorable season for the Knicks, who were expected to win only about 25-30 games. They won 41 and finished as the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference — not too shabby for a roster that nobody saw doing that well.
To break down the series loss to the Hawks, the 2020-21 Knicks season and look ahead to what they might do in the offseason, we bring you the Season 2 finale of the “Big Apple Buckets” podcast with Sal Licata, Jerome “The Junk Yard Dog” Williams and me.
Big Apple Buckets Podcast with Sal, JYD & Jake:
- DISAPPOINTING SERIES: Julius Randle had a huge fall-off in the playoffs. He was terrible. Hawks dominated this series. Clint Capela backed up his smack talk this week and manhandled the Knicks in the paint. Knicks looked like they checked out in the second half and were ready for the offseason.
- WHO COMES BACK: Diving through each free agent for the Knicks. Which players do they bring back on short-term deals? Which players do they let go? Do they give an extension to Randle this summer?
- MEMORABLE SEASON: Knicks were never supposed to be here. This was a memorable season and when NYC needed it most after a brutal pandemic. The Knicks uplifted the city after a rough year.
- OFFSEASON TARGETS: Can the Knicks get Kawhi Leonard? Kyle Lowry? Lonzo Ball? Chris Paul? DeMar DeRozan? Who are realistic targets for the Knicks in free agency? Can they find a way to get two stars?
Catch up on all episodes of “Big Apple Buckets,” a New York Knicks podcast, by subscribing to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Follow the crew on Twitter @sal_licata, @JunkYardDogJW and @JakeBrownRadio. The next episode of the show will drop after the NBA Draft at the end of July.
