Knicks Back On Track

On March 28, I wrote a blog entry detailing the Knicks' struggles. At that point, they had lost six in a row and nine of their last ten. They were 7-12 since the acquisition of Carmelo Anthony.

Since March 28, the Knicks are 7-1. On Tuesday night, they fell to the Bulls, who hold the best record in the Eastern Conference. Before that loss, the Knicks were 5-0 in April and had won seven consecutive games. On April 3, they clinched a playoff spot with a convincing 123-107 win over the Cavaliers.

Carmelo and company are clicking at the right time. The Knicks' team chemistry has vastly improved. With the playoffs approaching, it was imperative that they started to kick it into high gear. They've done that and more. Much of this success should be attributed to none other than Melo.

Since coming to the Knicks, Carmelo has averaged 26.5 points and 7.3 rebounds. New York's bright lights and big stage have not fazed him one bit. His arrival brought immense and arguably unfair fan expectations. Carmelo has not wavered. He's been clutch, hitting two game-winning shots. The most recent one came against the Indiana Pacers this past Sunday to extend the Knicks' winning streak to seven games. Against the Pacers, the Knicks were without the services of Amare Stoudemire for the second straight game. Amare has missed the last three games with a tweaked ankle, but Anthony has kept New York afloat during this time, leading them to a 2-1 record. The one loss came against the powerhouse Bulls.

The playoffs start Saturday, April 16. But this time, the Knicks won't be watching from their couches. There will be playoff basketball in the Garden for the first time since 2004. Stoudemire is expected to be ready for the opening round. The Knicks will go into their first matchup with momentum, confidence, and chemistry. It's amazing what a difference a couple of weeks can make. On March 28, the world was crashing down for Knick fans. Now, in their eyes, the Knicks are favorites to win it all.