The New York Knicks are back in the Eastern Conference Finals for the second straight year, and the hype has clearly spread beyond the locker room. Jordan Clarkson’s father has something to say about it.
Mike Clarkson, Jordan’s dad, posted a message on his Instagram account ahead of the ECF that read: “It’s been a long, arduous journey but it’s here: The NBA Eastern Conference Finals! Good luck NY Knicks… Shock the world 🌍🏆 #NYKNICKS #KnickNation”
The “long, arduous journey” part is not just talk. Clarkson joined New York last offseason after a buyout with the Utah Jazz, coming in as a proven bench scorer who had spent six seasons building one of the best sixth-man careers in league history.
The Knicks needed a player who, coming off the bench, would give them instant offense and be, at the same time, their spark plug for a deep playoff run.
It did not go that way, at least not right away.
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Head coach Mike Brown sometimes took Clarkson out of the rotation during the season, and the 12-year veteran got his first DNPs (Did Not Play) of his entire career.
For someone who won Sixth Man of the Year in 2021 and who had been one of the most dependable scoring options off the bench over the years, this was a lot for him to deal with.
In fact, he never let it become a problem. Clarkson remained mentally and physically ready, even changed his style of play, and once Brown gave him game time, he looked like a different player entirely. He changed from just shooting threes to dominating the paint, grabbing offensive rebounds, and showing a defensive intensity no one thought possible for him at this point in his career.
The positive change didn’t stop there and went on to the playoffs. The Knicks defeated the Atlanta Hawks in six games in the first round and then eliminated the Philadelphia 76ers in four games, achieving a franchise-record seven straight playoff wins. Clarkson played in all of New York’s ten playoff games and made half of his shots during the postseason.
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This is just the second time that Clarkson has reached the Conference Finals in his career. His first time was in 2018 with the Cleveland Cavaliers. That time the team went all the way to the NBA Finals but ultimately lost to the Golden State Warriors. He is aware of the rarity of this stage and how difficult it is to get here.
New York is now waiting on the winner of the Cavaliers-Pistons second-round series before Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals tips off. The Knicks have had several days of rest since closing out the Sixers, and Clarkson heads into this round having earned every minute of it.
Jordan Clarkson’s Dad Sends Bold Message to Knicks Ahead of Eastern Conference Finals