The Knicks had made field trips to the NBA Finals, coaches trying to teach their young players what it is like to play at the highest level of the game. But Monday, the lesson was on display for the franchise's management as it wasn't just the heroic efforts of the defending champion Warriors to survive another day, but the sight of Kevin Durant dropping to the floor and then being helped off the court with an Achilles injury.
The best-laid plans are a very fragile enterprise.
At the start of training camp last season, the Knicks laid out their plan, insisting that the building project would be conducted the right way. Remember when Knicks president Steve Mills said: "Our process and feel with how the team and season is going and how we're going to build this team hasn't changed since we talked about it a year ago ... We're committed to not missing any steps. It's a step-by-step process. We're focused on guys we have on this roster. How we can build them, develop them and continue on from that point."
