The New York Knicks are a playoff-worthy team once again, and they finally have the alleged superstar they so desperately craved.

That much was good enough to nearly get them swept in the first round, and with little in the way of salary-cap flexibility, New York will have to resolve their biggest flaws on the cheap, while also working out the problems inherent in their roster construction.

It’s not an easy road. The amount of media coverage focused on the Knicks often makes New York seem much better and much more important than they actually are as a basketball team.

Jeremy Lin’s return, Mike Woodson’s first full season in New York, and a (hopefully)  healthier 2012-2013 campaign will do wonders, but even with all of those factors accounted for, the Knicks have quite a bit of distance to cover before they finally make it to the ranks of the championship contenders.

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