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Benchwarmer
Ian Begley | ESPNNewYork.comSome Knicks fans felt that the 2012-13 season was a disappointment.
Former Knicks coach and ESPN analyst Jeff Van Gundy disagrees.
"I never was on that bandwagon that their season was anything but a success," Van Gundy, who along with Mike Breen will call The Finals on ABC, said on a conference call Tuesday. "You know, it's steps in the NBA. You don't usually go from really bad to championships. There's intermediate steps, and I thought the Knicks took a big step this year and I thought the Pacers were very good."
The Knicks won 54 games in 2012-13. They also won an Atlantic Division title for the first time since 1994 and a playoff series this season for the first time since 2000.
But the Knicks, who finished second in the Eastern Conference, lost in six games to the Pacers, who were seeded third. Van Gundy thought the Knicks-Pacers series was decided after the first game, which the Knicks lost at Madison Square Garden.
"Game 1 swung the whole series," Van Gundy said. "Indiana took home court and were able to win three at home, and that's how quickly home court advantage can go if you don't play well. Six months of effort to get the extra home game, lose it in two and a half hours."
Motivation moving forward to continue to succeed... Just on management to improve the roster this off-season...