SECOND HALF OF NBA SEASON: Mental Battle For Playoffs Begin— NEW YORK KNICKS Edition

Photo Credit: Wikipedia

Written by: Elliot Allen

            The first half of the season is over, and the NBA All-Star weekend and game is mercifully over! The big push to make the Playoffs begins. The teams that are not in are trying to push their way in. The teams that are in, are jockeying for the best possible positions.  This is also the critical time of the year in which the mental edges are formed. Often the teams that can gather the most momentum from now until the end of the season will be very strong going into the Playoffs. That strength is most importantly reflected mentally. If a team goes on a winning streak in this second half, they can start to really develop a feeling of invincibility. Sometimes that is the difference in that team winning or losing a Playoff series. That can prove to be true even when that team is less talented than their opponent. So, let’s lock in, and enjoy this spectacular time of the NBA season!
            The New York Knicks are one of those teams that has a lot at stake in the second half of the season. They have had an outstanding first half of the season! The expectations in New York are always very high, and certainly with this current group much is expected.  Do they have enough talent to win the Championship?  Certainly, it does not appear they quite have the talent to match up with the likes of a Boston Celtics team. However, the Knicks are one of those teams that can generate momentum in the second half of the season and that will be a HUGE factor. The more they believe in their system, and their chemistry as a team it will put them in the mindset they can beat any team in a series.  They will be getting back a major piece of their roster with the return of Mitchell Robinson. This is another mental edge for the Knicks as they played well without him and if they can orchestrate him seamlessly back in the flow of the team it will be big advantage. The Knicks have proven to be a gritty team throughout the first half of the season. The question is can they add the polish to put them in serious championship contention. The battle begins tonight against the Chicago Bulls. Each game at this point in the season is important to establish playoff mentality and confidence. We will get a chance to see the leadership of the team captain, Jalen Brunson, who is having an outstanding season and has shown great focus and leadership throughout his tenure with the Knicks. This is a great opportunity for Brunson to go to another level in this league and cement himself in legendary status for the storied New York Knick franchise. Let’s see what players emerge alongside the captain. This will be a mental battle that will be a treat to watch.