How The Bucks Compare: An Early Eastern Conference Primer
By Adam McGee
Apr 10, 2015; New York, NY, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Michael Carter-Williams (5) dribbles the ball around New York Knicks guard Shane Larkin (0) during the first quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports
New York Knicks
Last Season: 17-65 (15th)
Player Additions: Robin Lopez, Arron Afflalo, Derrick Williams, Kyle O’Quinn, Kristaps Porzingis, Jerian Grant
Player Subtractions: Andrea Bargnani, Shane Larkin, Travis Wear, Cole Aldrich, Quincy Acy, Jason Smith, Alexey Shved
2015-16 Outlook
As much as you might laugh about, and remember the Knicks striking out with big name free agents this summer such as LaMarcus Aldridge, and now the Bucks’ own Greg Monroe, they had a good off-season.
All you have to do is take a look at the names listed as incoming above, and then compare them to the ones who left. It’s simple, the Knicks are going to resemble a basketball team again this season.
If Carmelo Anthony can stay healthy, he’ll find himself partnered by a starting lineup potentially consisting of Grant, Afflalo, Porzingis and Lopez. That would be a group that has a nice mixture of young talent and proven consistency, in other words, it would put New York in a situation they haven’t been in for a number of years.
Whether Derek Fisher is the right coach for the team, or what the best style of play for them is, are just some of the questions that remain unanswered for now, but one thing that seems certain is that the East’s most uncompetitive team last season should at least be relevant again.
Doesn’t the Eastern Conference seem like a more interesting place with the Knicks capable of winning games though?
How The Bucks Compare
Milwaukee’s backcourt is very comfortably better than New York’s, and you have to feel like that would be a deciding factor in any meeting between the two teams this season.
What the Knicks are capable of doing is making three-pointers across their roster though, and that’s something which the Bucks would certainly need to be wary of.
New York’s strength may now lie up front, but I’d still take Giannis, Jabari and Moose over Anthony, Porzingis and Lopez any day of the week.
Next: Magic In The Making