For Knicks, NBA Finals-or-bust mandate doesn't feel like a cliche

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The Knicks aren’t expected to make the NBA Finals because the public says so. They’re expected to make the finals because Dolan, the man who signs the checks, believes that is what should happen. Earlier this year, in a rare radio interview, Dolan, who has run the team since 1999, said that New York winning the East is something “we absolutely (have) to do.” Beyond that? “Winning the finals, we should win.” Dolan’s opinion, at the end of the day, is all that matters. New York is a year removed from making its first conference finals appearance in 25 years. It fired successful head coach Tom Thibodeau afterward — a move Dolan spearheaded — because it felt a new voice was needed to get to the mountaintop. The roster stayed primarily the same. The Leon Rose-led front office, one that has helped turn the Knicks back into a relevant entity on the court, as opposed to just being relevant for the city in which they play, stayed the same. The bet was on changing the coach, and the lofty expectations were dropped into the lap of Mike Brown. New York just finished a 53-win regular season, the most by the franchise in over a decade and its third-straight season of 50 or more wins. It earned the No. 3 seed for the second straight year. It won the NBA Cup. Yet, none of that matters. Not according to Dolan. What happens from here — from a first-round series against the Atlanta Hawks and, potentially, beyond — will determine what’s next. The Knicks will either be in the NBA Finals or, in one way or another, look different next season. Dolan’s own words — ones that he put out for the world to hear and throw back in his face — suggest that. “I don’t even think about the last part of the question,” Brown said when asked if he’s under the impression things could change for the Knicks next season if they fall short in the playoffs. “Everybody in that locker room has a competitive spirit that I like, and I can say is unmatched. I love the group. We’re competing, not just for 53 wins; we’re competing, like everyone else is, to win it. We’re concentrating on practice tomorrow, getting ready for Atlanta. Our competitive spirit is there, and it’s not something that we take lightly.” If New York does what Dolan expects, the owner’s perception will drastically change. No one will care about the 17 seasons since 2000 with an under .500 record. People will no longer fuss over confusing hirings and firings or head-scratching trades and free-agent signings of the past. Dolan’s public beef with the beloved Charles Oakley will be an afterthought. Winning cures everything. Winning in this city, specifically, can cure everything. New York hasn’t won at the highest level in over 50 years. Since taking over the franchise, Dolan has sometimes been peppered with not-so-kind words by Knicks faithful when spotted in public. Admiration will, instead, likely follow him around town if this team can get it done. However, if New York doesn’t get to where Dolan believes it should be, he’s likely going to consider major changes that could put the stability of his organization in jeopardy. There’s a chance Dolan would have to fire his second successful head coach in as many seasons. There’s a possibility he moves on from the front office that brought respectability back to his franchise, especially if the sought-after Giannis Antetokounmpo finally becomes available and New York can’t get a deal done because it traded the farm for Mikal Bridges without an NBA Finals appearance to show for it. The roster, which has had the most successful two-year run in recent franchise history, may have to change in a major way. Continuity should be valued in New York, but it’s obvious the franchise is on a fast track to success. It traded all of its valuable draft picks. It gave several core guys big money. The Knicks mortgaged their future for the present. A loss in the first or second round is going to lead to change of some sort, whether fair or not. The core players on this Knicks roster have only been together for two seasons. The head coach has only been around for one. Working up the stamina and know-how to reach the sport’s pinnacle takes time, but Dolan and New York have made it clear that this is an all-out sprint. The Oklahoma City Thunder have had the same core and coach for a few years. The Denver Nuggets had the same core and coach for multiple seasons before winning their title. The same for the Boston Celtics, more or less. Dolan put pressure on this version of the Knicks to have success quickly. The public didn’t do this. These expectations came internally and were sent out for the world to hear. “Obviously, we want to win, which is very important for us,” Knicks guard Jalen Brunson said, “but our approach matters and how we attack every day. Attacking that goal is really important. I think, regardless, it’s important for us to focus on one day at a time.” New York had the opportunity to extend Karl-Anthony Towns’ contract last summer. It didn’t. It extended Bridges’ deal last summer after trading a handful of first-round picks for him the summer before. It’s had the chance to extend Mitchell Robinson. It’s no secret why the Knicks haven’t committed big money to every key contributor. New York needs to figure out if this group can, in fact, regularly put itself in title contention. Dolan is paying $207 million for his roster this season, plus taxes and fees. The bill will only get larger if the Knicks stand pat. If New York falls short of the conference finals, at the very least, Dolan has to ask himself if it’s worth paying this much money for a team unable to bring home hardware. That’s why this postseason feels so important. It will be a turning point for the franchise. New York may have injected optimism up to this point, but optimism is only a feeling, not a result. What happens from here can alter this franchise for the next five to 10 years. “It was great that we put ourselves in this position going into the playoffs,” Towns said. “At the end of the day, the regular season doesn’t mean anything if we don’t capitalize on this opportunity. ” Buckle up. The ride is just getting started, and who knows how it’ll end. Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms James L. Edwards III is a staff writer for The Athletic covering the New York Knicks. Previously, he covered the Detroit Pistons at The Athletic for seven seasons and, before that, was a reporter for the Lansing State Journal, where he covered Michigan State and high school sports. Follow James L. on Twitter @JLEdwardsIII