However, the Knicks might be letting their imaginations run a little wild in the wake of their 91-86 win over the Heat.
"I don't think a lot of people thought we'd win that game," Carmelo Anthony said, according to the New York Post. "Let's just be honest about it. Nobody thought we'd win the game. For us to bounce back after the [115-109 loss] in Cleveland, giving that game up, to play one of the best teams in the NBA and do it in the fashion we did it in, to hold them to 86 points — that was impressive for us."
It's never a good sign for teams and players to discuss how impressed they are with themselves, but the Knicks might be a special case. In acquiring Anthony and, to a lesser degree, Chauncey Billups, the team is trying to put together its own "Big Three" on the fly. With just 25 regular-season games left to try to move up in the standings, the team needs to build confidence in a hurry.
They don't seem to be having a problem doing just that.
"It's a definite confidence-builder when you make plays down the stretch," Stoudemire said, according to the Post. "They say great players make great plays. Melo made some great shots, Chauncey made a great shot and I was able to follow with a block."
Will the Knicks be able to follow that with a win in Orlando on Tuesday and, eventually, a run at the NBA title? That's yet to be known, but it's safe to assume the Knicks — with their newfound confidence — believe they can hang with the NBA's best.
