5 Teams the New York Knicks Need to Beat to Earn the NBA's Respect
What more do Jeremy Lin and the New York Knicks have to do prove their worth? Winners of nine of their last 11 games after cruising past the Hawks Wednesday night, the Knicks are playing some of the more solid basketball in the league.
Yet of the nine wins, just two came against championship-contending teams. The wins over the L.A. Lakers and Dallas Mavericks are just two of several teams the Knicks will have to beat to gain real respect in the NBA.
These are the five teams Carmelo Anthony, Lin and the streaking Knicks must beat in order to legitimize themselves as championship contenders.
Chicago Bulls
1 of 5The Chicago Bulls are led by the best point guard in basketball in Derrick Rose, and it will be essential for Lin to step up his game when the two teams meet. Lin will have his hands full against last year's MVP, as Rose is back from injury and already making an impact.
The Bulls are also a team heavily predicated on their tough, scrappy defensive play, and the Knicks will have to attempt to counter that with their new and improved offense.
If the Knicks expect to make a run in the 2012 NBA playoffs, they will undoubtedly have to go through Chicago.
Boston Celtics
2 of 5Despite splitting two games against Boston through 33 games, the New York Knicks have plenty to prove against the Celtics.
In last season's NBA playoffs, the Celtics took care of the Knicks in a 4-0 sweep in the first round. The last two games of that series were each decided by double digits.
Carmelo Anthony and the troops now have Jeremy Lin at PG, whereas Chauncey Billups struggled last season to stay healthy during the course of the series.
To kick off March, the Knicks travel to Boston to take on a struggling Celtics ball club, and it will be essential for these new-look Knicks to steal one on the road.
Philadelphia 76ers
3 of 5Despite losing four straight games, the Philadelphia 76ers are easily one of the top-five teams in the Eastern Conference.
What makes these 76ers so special is their ability to beat teams with a fast-paced transition game that is anchored by explosive defensive play. The team is aggressive on the boards, quick to block shots and automatic when it comes to stealing the ball.
Statistically, they have the No. 1 defense in the NBA, allowing just 87.3 points per contest.
Lou Williams and Jrue Holiday have been lethal on both sides on the ball, averaging a combined 2.47 steals and chipping in a combined 29 points per game.
The Knicks need to take care of business against a much-improved 76ers squad this season. As is the case with the Celtics, a win over a top-notch division rival will be key for New York.
San Antonio Spurs
4 of 5Tim Duncan and Tony Parker continue to shock the league with winning season after winning season. Despite talks of the Spurs falling off the map in 2012, they are contending for the top spot in the West.
With 11 wins in a row before a loss to the Trailblazers, the Spurs are probably the hottest team in the NBA. Just three of the wins came at home, meaning they went 8-0 on the road.
It's been a remarkable run for these Spurs under head coach Gregg Popovich, as the Spurs have taken care of some of the best teams in basketball as of late, including the 76ers, the Clippers and the Thunder.
Lin will have to bring it to Parker from the get-go, as the Frenchman has been on fire in recent weeks.
Miami Heat
5 of 5King James and the Miami Heat have easily been the best team in the NBA this season, making a mockery of opposing defenses with a lethal transition game.
Not to mention, they are led by the MVP frontrunner LeBron James. James has been having the best season of his career, averaging 27.9 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 6.8 assists while shooting a jaw-dropping 54.8 percent from the field.
Talk about impressive.
If there's one team these New York Knicks will have to beat, or at least put up a fight against, it's the streaking Miami Heat down in South Beach.
