Written by Anish Philip @dak0mish

If Knicks fans are liking what San Antonio has done, we’re going to love what’s in store for our own future. 

The Spurs are a model franchise that all teams can look to. Stability, sacrifice, teamwork, consistency, execution, discipline, (enter any other media buzzword). Poppovich is revered and worshipped. TP9 and Manu are both 1st ballot HoF guys along with the best PF of all time.

Since 99:

Spurs under Popovich (16 years straight)
6 title appearances
4 titles (possibly 5 after this year)

The Spurs are everything the Knicks are not. They too struck gold in the lottery with a franchise altering, generational talent that you can center your entire operations around. And that’s where the comparison stops. Tim Duncan went on to be a top 10 all time player. Patrick Ewing, although a great HoF player, never got to fulfill the journey to the promised land that has evaded NYK faithful now for 40+ years.

Even worse, it was one of our own who helped oppress them time and time again. And after years of owning the Eastern Conference, he went on to guide the sole franchise that consistently stood in the way of a San Antonio dynasty.

If there’s any doubt in the Pjax message, all Knicks fans have to do is look at what Pjax accomplished in less time and with more fluctuation in roster talent.

Since 99:

Lakers under Pjax (11 years, left one year 04-05)
7 title appearances
5 titles

His teams account for 7 of the 10 years Pop’s teams didn’t make it to the finals. This isn’t to diminish Pop. He’s on my Mount Rushmore with Pjax Riley and Auerbach. It’s just to highlight that no one is the deliverer Pjax has proven to be.

We didn’t get a guide, we got THE guide. We’ve already seen one miracle. He split Dolan’s maniacal grip from the franchise, a feat that any NYK fan knows is on par to splitting the Red Sea.

Melo talks about the promised land, but is he a believer in what Pjax is preaching? Is he going to look at the giants down in Miami and say we can’t beat them? We’ll find out.

Some may not see it in the current desert portion of the journey we’re in, but the promised land is definitely on the horizon. Whether Melo is along for the trip or not, one thing is for sure – Pjax will continue to move forward on this journey.