Stephen A. says Knicks are going to conference finals* (if healthy) | NBA Countdown

Stephen A. says Knicks are going to conference finals* (if healthy) | NBA Countdown

Fresh off the plane from Minneapolis Stephen A Smith is here our senior Insider Adrien wowski the legend Michael wilbon the two-time executive of the Year Bob Myers is here with us as well I’m Malika Andrew and we are getting you ready for an Eastern Conference showdown between the New York Knicks and the

Boston Celtics so Gentlemen let’s let’s take a look at the standings here this is something we’re going to be doing a whole lot as we March toward the playoffs because the Celtics they have a comfortable Head and Shoulders lead on the rest of the conference the Knicks

They were a half game out from the two seed just about 3 weeks ago they’ve taken a little tumble not too far Stephen A to fourth place but when you look at that 2C that the Cavaliers currently hold how important is that for your Knicks come to playoff it’s not

That important I’m really not concerned I’m really not concerned at all I mean listen if the New York Knicks are a top three seed the objective is to avoid the Boston Celtics right that’s the objective now watching jannis CA DMO hit free throws last night in Minnesota that

Made me a bit scarier uh that made them a bit scary in my eyes but for the moment it’s about the Boston Celtics am I worried about the Cleveland Cavaliers no we know what Donovan Mitchell could do we know what Darius Garland could do we wonder what J Jared Allen will do

Averaging 15 to 10 this year but I’m not sold if the New York Knicks are healthy with the pickup of bogdanovich with d venzo playing the way that he’s playing will Alex birs being a reliable point guard that Theo would trust to use to supplement you know to sub for Jaylen

Brunson if Julius Randle comes back healthy if Mitchell Randall Mitchell Robinson comes back healthy that’s my concern it’s not anybody outside of Boston on that list it’s the New York Knicks Health if the New York Knicks come back healthy they’re going to the Conference Finals they’re going to the

Conference Finals that’s where I’m at used to call this a clip and save moment back in the newspaper day Stephen A is familiar with it so it’s Wes is why I got a good laugh clip and save all right you know you know you I’m familiar with

By the way I know you are Stephen A I don’t I don’t disagree with that but it’s all on Julius Randle we don’t know and his statements of the week which I’m sure you we were all hanging on yeah he’s going to try to play this thing out

And not have the surgery but you we have known a dozen players or more that do this and they come back and they give it a shot and they can’t get to whatever 80 90% of themselves if the Knicks don’t have Julius Randall then I’m taking the

Rest of the field so am I Julius Randall ogan and Obi they’ve been out since January 27th we don’t know but WJ has all the answers that’s why he is here what is the outlook for those guys going to give me good news don’t give him good

There’s not full clarity on this yet but know this with Julius Randall last season when he had an ankle injury you know there was you know a lot of suggestion to him for medical people that he might want to have that surgery that he put off to the off season during

The season he didn’t do it he played injured into the playoffs then had the procedure in the off season so you kind of start there with Julius Randall his inclination is to play uh and it is to play play even hurt and in some discomfort that’s his goal right now is

To try to get back and play and put anything off to the off season but that’s still fluid that’s not been fully decided but OG anobi better news on that front had a loose particle taken out of his uh uh elbow uh back on trade deadline day February 8th I’m told he is

Right on schedule there’s not been any setbacks they’ll reevaluate him at the end of next week and then the hope is he starts to get back on the court then uh but certainly uh Julius Randall is the one I think there’s more concern this season about not just getting him back

But how effective can he be playing with that injured right shoulder that’s some partially good news there well when you say the word flu that isn’t good that’s not good news that is not good news I mean because if the Knicks aren’t healthy they’re not it’s not happening

And but that you can say that about any team I hope they are healthy because they’ve done a heck of a job this year they’re hope for an office Leon Rose the whole group Tibido done a fantastic job the whole whole organization has done a fantastic job so I hope they’re healthy

In December they had the worst defense in the league in January they had the best defense in the league last month February basically this month so far 22 when they’re healthy they were the most healthy in January and they were very good and they were winning games they

Were beating good teams as far as being the second SE in the East yeah the Celtics there’s a gap between the Celtics and the Knicks I think we can all I’m not going to put words your there’s a gap but but after that look embiid’s health is a question I think if

Em I think if embiid’s healthy is a problem for any team I believe that Milwaukee’s been like this right what what is Milwaukee I don’t know last night it l good last night but tomorrow night or whatever they play again it may not um Cleveland last year Cleveland was

They fell apart in the playoffs they did this is a better Cleveland team this this is a better this is a better CL so I guess what I would say is this is the best chance the Knicks have had in maybe however many year 20 years to make the

Easter car actually honestly to make the NBA Finals absolutely this is the clearest path but if they’re not healthy Julius Randle saying I’m playing 60% I can’t it’s but look at it this way listen I don’t want that to happen I’d be depressed if that would have happened

But at the end of the day listen an injury is an injury and that can happen to anybody what I’m saying is it’s presently constructed what Leon Rose and the crew have done is admirable I’m looking at Cleveland I’m not concerned I’m a little bit more concerned about

Milwaukee but not to the point where I don’t believe the New York Nicks could take them I I’m not worried about Miami they going take Miami too I told Miami that when I saw him a few weeks ago they going take my I worried about my I worried whatever you forgot about the

Forgot about the reason the the New York Knicks have the boston they got their health and the Boston Celtics worry about that’s it

NBA Countdown’s Stephen A. Smith, Malika Andrews, Adrian Wojnarowski, Michael Wilbon and Bob Myers discuss the state of the New York Knicks and if they should prioritize earning the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference.

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