Bill Bradley: 'Mystery, Talent, Luck' Define Modern Knicks

New York Knicks legend Bill Bradley, part of the last metropolitan championship group, analyzed the victorious prospects of his current successors.

If anyone has defined the concept of "Rolling Along," the title of Bill Bradley's one-man show and motion picture memoir, it's his current successors on the New York Knicks. Some would argue that this year's Knicks are the ones with the best chance to finally follow in Bradley's footsteps, ones that walked to two championships in 1970 and 1973. 

At first glance, it's easy to cast the Knicks (40-27) aside thanks to a relatively pedestrian record that's not even a full guarantee of homecourt advantage in the opening round, but the team has survived through the clearing of countless hurdles, such as the medically-induced absences of stars like OG Anunoby, Julius Randle, Mitchell Robinson, and more.

Photo: Courtesy Bill Bradley/Rolling Along

Bradley, the career-long Knick-turned-politician, offered his thoughts on the current group in a sitdown with longtime NBA reporter Marc Stein, hinting that the real fun might be just beginning.

"When a team gels it is part mystery, planning, talent and luck," Bradley noted to Stein. "The Knicks had a great January (14-2); now they just have to equal that in March. Then the real season starts and that's when character will show. Once a Knick, always a Knick."

To Bradley's point, gelling has been a requirement of this rollercoaster season, especially that of the in-season variety: New York's current roster hardly resembles its opening night edition, having dealt homegrown faces like RJ Barrett, Quentin Grimes, and Immanuel Quickley away for Anunoby, Bojan Bogdanovic, and Alec Burks. With the guiding help of first-time All-Star Jalen Brunson, the Knicks kept pace with the Eastern Conference's finest and are closing in on consecutive playoff berths for the first time since 2011-13.

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Bradley admits he only watches "10 games" of modern NBA action but he believes that the Knicks have adapted well to the modern victorious requirements.

"I enjoy the talent and coaching," Bradley said. "The game is about maximum player and ball movement and it requires unselfishness. Champions know that today just as they did when I played. My only problem today is legal gambling on games. I think it's a mistake."

The Knicks return to action on Monday night in San Francisco against the Golden State Warriors (10 p.m. ET, MSG).