New York Knicks: What the Knicks Must Do to Win the Eastern Conference

A top-loaded team like the Knicks can get to and even win the NBA Finals, even in a year where depth is going to be a big factor. 

It's not going to be easy—winning a championship never is. But the Knicks can do it if all of these things happen.

Stay Healthy

It sounds so obvious to put this in, but especially in a short season, this needs to be said. While the Knicks have a strong starting lineup, they do not have a lot of depth. So, they can't get themselves in any spots where one of their starters is going to miss a significant amount of time. 

If that means taking a few minutes per game away from players like Amar'e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony, so be it. It's better than missing them for an extended period of games. 

This would also serve one other purpose.

Develop Bench Players

A good way to turn a shaky player into a more reliable one is to give him significant minutes. At the very least, you're likely to find out what you have with some players. 

This is going to be essential this year. Playing three games in a row, or four games in five days, is going to take a toll on the body. There's no way around it. 

So, at the end of those streaks, the Knicks should strongly consider benching players like Stoudemire or Anthony. That might sound like it's a virtual concession of that game, and maybe it will be. But at the end of the year, when the Knicks are in a playoff series against another top-heavy team (Miami, Boston), the dividends will be seen. 

And who knows what would actually happen in those games. It's not inconceivable that some bench players would actually develop into strong assets.

Decent Backcourt Play

The strength of the Knicks is a frontcourt of Stoudemire, Anthony and Tyson Chandler. But the backcourt can't be a liability. 

When Baron Davis returns from injury, the Knicks will have a point guard that meshes perfectly with the running style that Mike D'Antoni has employed for years. That will need to be exploited. But the need is even more immediate.

Right now, ESPN lists the Knicks' starting backcourt as Toney Douglas and Landry Fields. They don't need to go out and average 20 points per game each. Anthony and Stoudemire will do that, and then some. But the guards do need to bring the Knicks roughly 25 a night between them. If that happens, the Knicks will be hard to beat. 

When the playoffs roll around and Davis is healthy, they need to get teams running with them. Very few teams in the league can sustain that pace for four quarters. 

Play with an edge

What kept D'Antoni's Phoenix teams from winning titles is that they let their opponent (notably San Antonio) dictate the physical part of the game. That can't happen. 

The Knicks don't need to go out and become the Detroit Bad Boys teams of the 1980s, but they can't allow themselves to get shoved around. In the playoffs, a good team will notice that they have a physical edge and will exploit it for four quarters. 

So, while starting brawls isn't the way to go, the Knicks can't be afraid to commit some hard fouls early. Sure, they will get their fair share of technicals, but they will also establish themselves as a team that won't be pushed over.

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