New York Knicks: Carmelo Anthony, Derrick Rose Talk Playoffs

Carmelo Anthony and Derrick Rose recognize that the New York Knicks can become a contender. They also realize how much work the Knicks have left to do.

The New York Knicks have the talent to compete with any team in the NBA. Talent is nowhere near enough to actually contend, but it’s the foundation for what a team is capable of creating with its intricate strategies.

After 28 games, the Knicks are beginning to look and sound like a team again.

New York is 15-13 overall, 10-4 at home, and 5-9 on the road. It’s secured victories over the likes of the Atlanta Hawks, Chicago Bulls, and Indiana Pacers, and has lost by double-digits to the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors.

According to Ian Begley of ESPN New York, franchise player Carmelo Anthony believes the Knicks can turn this quality start into a special season if they avoid a sense of complacency.

“With this team and the talent that we have, we have the opportunity to do something special and solidify ourselves as one of the top seeds in the East,” Carmelo Anthony said. “But we have to work on some things and get better.”

Anthony is taking accountability and displaying the leadership that a championship-caliber team requires.

New York could be satisfied with a 15-13 record and aim to win at this same rate the rest of the way. The Knicks would have a chance to win 44 games by doing so, which could be enough to make the playoffs in the Eastern Conference.

For perspective, the Detroit Pistons earned the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference by winning 44 games in 2015-16.

Rather than accepting what could be good enough, however, the Knicks are looking beyond individual game results and towards the bigger picture. The goal is to win every game, but the process is just as important as the outcome at this point of the season.

Although some may be calling for Anthony to take over and dominate, he’s rationally prioritizing the process of helping head coach Jeff Hornacek implement his system.

When compared to the 2015-16 roster, New York has 10 new players, three new starters, a new sixth man, and a new head coach. Thus, it’s going to take more than 28 games before the Knicks realize their potential and execute as a cohesive unit on both ends of the floor.

Starting point guard Derrick Rose echoed Anthony’s sentiment and reassured fans that the Knicks expect to make the playoffs.

“Right now the goal is the playoffs,” Rose said. “Once we get in the playoffs, we’re going to be a hell of a team to go against, like you don’t know what to expect from us in the playoffs. Our goal is to get there first.”

Considering the Knicks haven’t made the playoffs since 2012-13, an appearance in 2016-17 would be a win unto itself.

By committing to a slow build, the Knicks are addressing their issues in a methodical way. Hornacek will have an easier time identifying flaws and creating healthier habits and tendencies for a Knicks team that hadn’t played a single game together until October.

That may cost the Knicks an occasional regular season win in the process, but Phil Jackson’s vision ranges wider than soothing the pain that fans feel after a December loss.

Step by step and day by day, the Knicks keep inching closer towards becoming the team Jackson envisions them becoming: a sustainable contender.