It’s human nature to relax.
asserted
It → ’ → ?
The Knicks spent a summer soaking in the adulation, appearing at more events and national TV shows than any team in NBA history.
asserted
Knicks → spend → history
At least that’s the way it felt the past three months.
asserted
it → ’ → ?
They don’t have a Basketball Reference page to track these things.
asserted
They → have → things
The players — particularly Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, Jose Alvarado, OG Anunoby, Jordan Clarkson and Josh Hart — didn’t shy from their popularity.
asserted
players → shy → popularity
But starting this week, the focus shifts.
asserted
focus → start → ?
“Is it cliché if I say it’s 0-0 again?” Towns said.
asserted
Towns → say → ?
“That’s kind of the same thing we said every playoff game, and when we won and kept winning it was great.
asserted
it → ’ → ?
But this season is about us going out there and starting again at 0-0.
asserted
us → go → 0
Bringing that same hungry team, that team that’s hungry to prove everyone wrong.
asserted
everyone → bring → team
Towns was speaking Thursday on “The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon,” perhaps his last national TV appearance before training camp starts this week.
asserted
camp → speak → appearance
Brunson also had “Saturday Night Live” to host ahead of Monday’s Media Day at the training facility.
asserted
Brunson → have → facility
It’s better than partying and drinking for a summer.
asserted
It → ’ → summer
This collection of Knicks players, as multiple people around the organization have explained, are more mature and responsible than any previous roster incarnation.
asserted
people → explain → incarnation
There was one shaky incident involving Clarkson in July, when he was escorted out of a club by police, and that was it.
asserted
that → be → police
But the amount of widespread attention and adulation does beg some questions: Can the Knicks avoid complacency?
asserted
Knicks → beg → complacency
Can they maintain the edge that pushed them through a historic playoff run?
asserted
that → maintain → run
Brunson, whose profile is higher than any current New York athlete, understands the assignment.
asserted
profile → understand → assignment
“We’ve done something that everyone has wanted us to do for 53 years now.
asserted
us → do → years
And now people are going around saying, You guys are the champs, you guys are the best thing ever.
asserted
guys → go → ?
It’s been said to us all summer.
asserted
It → say → us
God knows how long it’s going to continue,” the point guard told The Post last month.
asserted
guard → know → Post
“When people say that, can we let that go through one ear and out the other?
asserted
that → say → other
Can we just focus on what we can do this year?
asserted
we → focus → what
“It’s OK for people to talk to us about it, and say, ‘Oh that was great.’
asserted
that → ’ → it
But we’re moving on.
asserted
we → move → ?
It cannot be our focal point if we want to get better.
asserted
we → want → ?
So I think that’s the question we need to ask.
asserted
we → think → ?
And if we can do that, we’re going to be in good shape to be able to be in a better mindset.
asserted
we → do → mindset
If not, then we’re going to be behind the eight ball.
asserted
we → go → ball
It’s an overarching theme in training camp, when the progress is supposed to start but it’s hard to find motivation — especially for accomplished vets — because real games are still weeks away.
asserted
games → ’ → vets
One of the self-motivating tactics clearly being implemented by the Knicks is focusing on the doubters.
asserted
One → motivate → doubters
For instance, they are not the betting favorites to win the title (they are tied for third and below the Thunder and Spurs, according to FanDuel).
uncertain
they → win → FanDuel
They have zero players in ESPN’s recently released top-five ranking (Brunson is sixth).
asserted
Brunson → have → ranking
They are hearing a lot about the new threats of Philadelphia, Miami, Toronto.
asserted
They → hear → Philadelphia
“I don’t think we have a big target because I don’t think anyone is picking us to win again,” Hart said on ESPN’s U.S. Open broadcast.
asserted
Hart → think → broadcast
“We’re using it as fuel, we’re still the hunters, we’re not satisfied with one.
asserted
we → use → one
Following up on that mindset starts in camp.
asserted
Following → follow → camp
The Aporia
