The story was the same the entire year. Get healthy for the playoff run.
About midway through February, Julius Randle, Mitchell Robinson, and OG Anunoby were the three guys that the Knicks were waiting to return to the floor for the late-season push. Isaiah Hartenstein and Jalen Brunson were playing below 100%, too. All the Knicks had to do was tread water for the rest of the season, and help would be on the way. Precious Achiuwa stepped up. Deuce McBride stepped up. Bojan Bogdanovic stepped up. And the Knicks ground their way, game after game, to the two seed.