When the season began, I thought the New York Knicks could win 50 games.
Having had a three-week look at them, I realize that lofty win total – one they have not reached this century – may be too low.
Initially, I had concerns about the advancing age of many of the regulars. I was worried about shooting guard, where offseason pickups Jason Kidd and Ronnie Brewer and the mercurial J.R. Smith had to keep the position warm until the return of Iman Shumpert, the team’s best perimeter defender.
And Amar’e Stoudemire went down with an injury, leaving the Knicks without a true starting power forward.
However, under the guidance of coach Mike Woodson, the Knicks won their first six games before finally losing at red-hot Memphis on Friday.
The Knicks bounced back with Sunday’s defensively dominant home win over Indiana and own the league’s best record at 7-1 entering Tuesday night’s game at New Orleans.