Locked On Knicks - Daily Podcast On The New York Knicks
Locked On Knicks - Daily Podcast On The New York Knicks

Why the Knicks Still CONTROL the NBA Over Wemby, SGA, and LeBron

August 3, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

“Teams aren’t building to stop the Knicks,” one host says early in this episode. “They’re building to stop Wemby.” That single observation drives the entire conversation: the New York Knicks may have won the championship last season, but the rest of the league is constructing its rosters to counter Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs, not the reigning champs. The hosts argue this is a strategic mistake that leaves the Knicks in a stronger position than the conventional wisdom suggests—and they spend the episode explaining why, with particular attention to the Oklahoma City Thunder as the most instructive comparison.

Why the League Is Looking Past the Knicks

The hosts agree that the NBA’s team-building landscape has shifted. Rather than loading up to stop Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns, front offices are stockpiling rim protectors and big bodies designed to slow down Wembanyama. “Everybody’s all in on how do we stop him, how do we stop that team,” one host says. “And unfortunately for the league, I think that’s a mistake.” The reasoning is specific: the Knicks’ offense, with Towns at center, changes the geometry of the court in a way that rim-protection-heavy defenses cannot handle. Teams that load up on shot-blockers to contain Wembanyama will find themselves exposed against a Knicks team that spaces the floor with five-out shooting and puts Towns in positio

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What you'll learn

  • 1 (00:00) **Intro & Host Banter** - Gavin returns from vacation; the hosts set up the episode’s theme: the Knicks are still the favorites despite the league's focus on Wemby.
  • 2 (03:58) **Why Teams Aren't Building to Beat the Knicks** - The hosts argue opponents are constructing rosters to stop Victor Wembanyama, not New York.
  • 3 (06:00) **The Gauntlet: Depth Over a Single Rival** - The real threat to the Knicks is the East’s overall depth, not any one team.
  • 4 (08:02) **Thunder Analysis: Unresolved Weaknesses** - The hosts deep-dive into why the Knicks are ahead of the Oklahoma City Thunder.
  • 5 (11:39) **Brunson vs. Thunder Defenders** - Jalen Brunson’s success against Wembanyama’s Spurs suggests he can handle OKC’s perimeter defenders.
  • 6 (13:20) **Ad Break** - FanDuel and Odoo advertisements.
  • 7 (15:17) **The Coming Rim-Protection Revolution** - Gavin predicts a league-wide shift toward extreme rim protection, even at the expense of conceding three-pointers.

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Show Notes

The New York Knicks remain the team to beat, even as rivals scramble to target Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs. Are other franchises missing the real threat?

Gavin Schall and XJ break down why the Knicks' championship formula is so tough to replicate, dissecting Karl-Anthony Towns' impact and OG Anunoby’s clutch shooting. The hosts examine the deeper, more competitive NBA landscape, question the Oklahoma City Thunder's playoff viability due to shooting woes, and explore how defensive innovations and evolving rim protection could shift league-wide strategy.

Key topics include matchup advantages versus the Sixers and Thunder, the Knicks’ path through a stacked Eastern Conference, and how New York’s roster depth might hold up amid injury risks.

With the league adapting to stop Wembanyama, are teams truly preparing for the Knicks’ unique challenge—or are they looking the wrong way?

 

 

12:19 — FanDuel Ad Break

 

 

Photo Credit: Kirby Lee - Imagn Images

 

 

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