The last time the Knicks played a game came on March 11 with the news of the COVID shutdown coming while they were making their way through an overtime game in Atlanta. And for a franchise that was running down the string, perhaps the preseason game that marks the return to action Friday might be more important than that regular-season game.
The Knicks have a new head coach in place in Tom Thibodeau, a new front office and a revamped roster - albeit one you might see in any offseason pickup game at the University of Kentucky.
While the expectations may be similar, when the Knicks tip off at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit Friday night it will mark the first game action of any type for the team in nine months and that at least will provide some excitement for a team in need of it.