A major injury update from the New York Knicks means the team has no excuses anymore as they look to finish the regular season strong.
On the surface, this has been another good season for the NY Knicks. They have a 49–28 record and have a chance to record their most wins in a season since the 2012–13 team, which had 54 wins. Still, when you dig deeper, this has been a disappointing group.
Despite being on the verge of a third consecutive 50-win season for the first time since the early 1990s, they are just one game away from clinching the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference. In a year where the East was poised to move forward in a way it hasn't in years, the NY Knicks simply haven't taken advantage.
They certainly have the talent to reach the NBA Finals, but they have been inconsistent when it comes to elite teams in the league. While defensive lapses and Karl-Anthony Towns fitting in on offense are frequent excuses for their up-and-down play, another major reason is that they have been without Landry Shamet and Deuce McBride for most of March. The guards are two key members of their bench.
Knicks fully healthy heading into Bulls game
Well, that may no longer be an excuse if the NY Knicks don't potentially advance in the playoffs. On Thursday night, New York Post insider Stephen Bondy reported that "The Knicks have a clean injury report for tomorrow's game against the Bulls. Not a single player is listed."
McBride recently made his return, and now Shamet has been cleared to return as an immediate addition to the offense off the bench. A team wants to play at full strength before heading into the postseason. The NY Knicks have him now, which is great. But it also means that injuries will not be considered an excuse for moving forward. And if they can't finish the regular season strongly, they'll obviously have big problems starting the playoffs.
